In the early 1960s, Czechoslovakia began developing a medium tank with powerful armament, a low profile, and good mobility. The design stood out from the classic arrangement: the fighting compartment was in the rear and the crew was almost fully located in the hull, with the gun and oscillating turret controlled remotely. The project was abandoned due to its complexity and high costs. A prototype was sold to Egypt for trials; however, it proved different from initial expectations and was sent to the U.S.A. in the mid-1970s for its technology to be studied.