While some armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) do have an amphibious capability, such as the Russian BMP-1, BMP-2 and BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), this is limited to rivers and lakes. In the past some countries, including the United Kingdom, fitted their vehicles with floatation screens. For example, these included all members of the Alvis Scorpion family of Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) and the Swedish S-tank. These floatation screens were carried retracted around the top of the hull and erected when required, but in the end all of these were removed. Some AFVs were also fitted with bags which are inflated for crossing rivers and lakes. A good example is the South Korean K21 IFV. Its flotation bags are folded in travel mode and inflated as soon as the vehicle goes into the water for amphibious operations. All these devices are very vulnerable, not only to small arms fire but also to damage from objects floating in the water. Moreover, they are considered dangerous even in peace time training, as vehicles and their crews have been lost.
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