the 2s14 zhalo-s was first developed in the late 70s. It was designed to keep pace with soviet apcs such as the btr-60 and btr-70 and protect them from enemy tanks. To do so, soviet engineers attached a 85mm anti-tank gun on the chassis of a btr-70.

The weapon was that of a small caliber mbt capable to engage nato vehicles at the time, but the chassis of the btr-70 could hardly endure any incoming damage. The zhalo's gun, the 2a62, is an evolution of the anti-tank gun d-44 of ww2.