In the late 1950s, the Czechoslovak military was considering a departure from the use of Soviet tanks. As such, the Military Technical Institute (VTU) developed a project for a high-speed medium tank that could rival the T-54B and T-55. It was planned to equip the vehicle with the maximum amount of Czechoslovak parts and components, including guns produced under license as well as a Škoda diesel engine. The tank turned out to be fairly original in terms of construction and had great potential, although several solutions were considered outdated. However, after the project was carefully examined together with Soviet specialists, the decision was made not to scatter funds but rather to assign T-55 tanks to the Czechoslovak Army under the Warsaw Pact. The project existed only in blueprints.