Deep fording preparedness was a big thing during the cold war because opposing forces were expecting a major river to cross every 2 kilometers on the European battlefield and had to assume bridges would be out.
That is why bridge layers were combined with floating pontons, river bank management teams and amphibious or deep-fording capable vehicles.
4 meters with a schnorkel tower was the standards. Air for the crew and the engine was provided byt this ten inches tube mounted on top of the turret. Seals were inflated and kept under pressure and leakage minimized by pumping out incoming water...
Low fording is up to 2 meters with no special preparation...turret was open (AMX30) + a door to the engine compartment. Exhaust and engine compartment were otherwise sealed.
Water could reach up to top to turret but air would come through cmmder's hatch to crew and engine.
As far as the topic goes, Dragon got it all...the gun recoils in a bracket mounted on the mantel that supports it. Usually, a couple hydraulic "shocks" slow its movement back and another similar system brings everything smoothly back in position. During the rear movement, mechanically, the breech opens and locks open, extractors kick the casing in a receiving bag, whether it is a copper or alloy full size case or an ash-tray looking piece (for combustable cases).
The Leclerc does not have a loader....the return position is such that the breech is accessible by an automatic loading arm. Electric moving rack and code bar lecture allows the presentation of the right shell behind the armored sliding door. Door opens, arm pushes pre-selected round, door and breech close, gun ready!!!
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