In the late 1960s, Uralvagonzavod's KB-520 construction bureau was developing a new medium tank variant based on the German Leopard 1. During the development process, the vehicle obtained the Object 168N designation, with N standing for "nemetskiy" (which means "German" in Russian). The tank stood out thanks to its good mobility and energy-intensive long-stroke suspension. It featured a number of other innovations, but the project was abandoned during the design phase due to an unfinished engine.