Top Ten Tanks

[zeiss]

Primarily, it's a convenient way to store reserve fuel. The added HEAT protection is a bonus and comes from a; the spacing created by the cans, b; "the HEAT jet will dissipate faster in diesel than in air".
The cans are also easy and cheap to replace if the tank survives a hit. I have no idea if diesel has some special anti-HEAT abilities but I guess the cans could just as well be filled with water from a protection point of view. Hard to refuel with though..

The S-tank was designed in the 50s, built during the 60s and phased out in the 90s. In the mid-80s the tank received a major upgrade (strv103C) and it was then the cans were added.

The point remains, why? A metal grate would do the same thing with far fewer side effects.

Note that the tank is meant to be deployed in forest terrain. It would be unpractical to have metal grates sticking out on the sides.

Either they are into recycling & had a lot of spare cans or they feel it does indeed act as a form of ERA armour & hence is more effective.

The cans are custom made for the tank and it's regular diesel. :smoke: