Who knows what exactly the background of this video is, but it clearly shows a main battle tank literally digging itself out of a deep via brute force. Then it shows another option for traversing the same chasm—just speed over it!

The German is operated by nearly twenty countries around the globe. It packs a MTU KA-501 liquid-cooled V-12 twin-turbo diesel engine that puts out just shy of 1,500 horsepower, allowing the tank to hit 45 mph on roads. But in this case, top end is not what it is all about. Clearly, torque—gobs of torque—gives the Leopard 2 the ability to dig itself out of such a precarious ditch.

Whereas the, with its Honeywell AGT1500C turbine power-pack, puts 2,750 foot-pounds of torque, the Leopard 2’s V-12 power-pack has about the same horsepower but cranks out a whopping 3,467 foot-pounds torque. The two tanks weigh about the same amount.

Watching a 65-ton rolling battleship waltz around can be strangely enchanting. The Russians, in…

It would be interesting to see exactly what the maximum dig-out angle and depth that different tanks are capable of escaping from, but at least this video gives us an idea of what such a maneuver looks like. It also proves that the Leopard 2 can rescue itself from some pretty extreme trenches.

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