Deep fording

Some military vehicles are capable of “wading” using waterproof screens to keep the upper hull dry. In World War II the tanks following the Sherman DDs were given waterproofed hulls and trunking was fixed to the engine intakes and exhausts to allow them to come ashore from landing craft in shallow water. The Germans gave their Tiger tank a long snorkel, essentially a long tube on the commander’s hatch that allowed it to wade through four metres of water.

The Leopard 2 tank can use a series of rings which to create a long tube. This tube is then fitted to the crew commander’s hatch and provides air and an escape route for the crew. The height of the tube is limited to around three meters.

The Russian T-90 tank is also able to perform deep fording operations. The Russian snorkel is only a few inches round and does not provide a crew escape path, but it can be stored on the tank.