The Soviets were extensive users of tank destroyers during World War II and it was eventually decided to design a lighter version for its nascent post-war airborne forces, known as the ASU-57. The ASU-57's design was relatively simplistic, with a welded aluminum hull and an open-topped superstructure which mounted the 57-mm Ch-51 gun (a derivative of the wartime ZiS-2 anti-tank gun and firing the same ammunition). The fighting compartment was large enough to accommodate as many as three infantrymen part from the crew. However, the drawback was that no NBC protection was afforded and it has no amphibious capability either. Air drops were performed using rocket-assisted parachute, usually from An-12 or An-22 transports. Although the Ch-51 gun was weak by post-war standards, and the lack of armor protection a drawback, the ability of dropping an armored vehicle behind enemy lines made the ASU-57 an invaluable asset to the airborne forces and served into the 1960s until it was replaced by the more powerful ASU-85. Foreign operators included Egypt, East Germany, Poland and Yugoslavia.

Design of a new airborne assault gun was undertaken by two design bureaus and initially resulted in the ASU-76 armed with a 76-mm D-56T gun. This was deemed too heavy and design continued on the Ob'yekt 572 with a smaller 57-mm Ch-51 gun and reduced weight, which was put into production as the ASU-57. There were no variants although later units were fitted with a CH-51M gun with a double baffle muzzle brake.