Type 99 tank
This article possibly contains original research. (January 2008) |
Type 99 | |
---|---|
Type | Main battle tank |
Place of origin | People's Republic of China |
Production history | |
Manufacturer | Norinco |
No. built | 640 Type 98/99 |
Specifications | |
Mass | 52-54 tonnes |
Length | Hull: 7.7 metres (25 ft)[1] |
Width | 3.5 metres (11 ft)[1] |
Height | Hull: 2.25 metres (7.4 ft)[1] |
Crew | 3[1] |
Armor | Welded turret, ERA, laser dazzler, active defense system |
Main armament | 125 millimetres (4.9 in) smoothbore gun with ATGM capability |
Secondary armament | Type 85 cupola heavy machine gun[1] Type 59 7.62 millimetres (0.300 in) coaxial machine gun[1] |
Engine | Diesel 1,500 hp (1,119 kW) |
Power/weight | 27.78 hp/tonne |
Operational range | 500 kilometres (310 mi) |
Maximum speed | Road: 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph) Off-road: 60 kilometres per hour (37 mph) |
The Type 99 (Chinese: 99式; pinyin: Jiǔjiǔ shì) is a third-generation main battle tank (MBT) fielded by the Chinese People's Liberation Army.[2] It is one of many Chinese variants of the T-72 since it incorporates the autoloader, advanced Russian armor, hull, and the main gun from the Russian tank.[3] The chief designer of the tank is Zhu YuSheng, with Wang Zherong, Fu Baoyu, Du Huichang as vice-chief designers. [4]
History
Development
According to army-technology.com, China's third-generation MBT program may have started in the late-1970s, with Norinco receiving the contract in 1989. The prototype, the Type 90, included a Russian 125 mm gun with an autoloader. Analysis of the Gulf War led to further revisions, and ultimately to the Type 98. The Type 98 was based on a T-72 hull lengthened by 1 metre.[5]
China's third-generation MBT programme officially began following orders from State Council and Central Military Comission in 1984. At the time of development, tank technologies in China lagged behind the Soviet Union and the West on all fronts. Attempting to meet the state-of-the-art tanks at the time on a component-to-component basis would be a futile exercise. So, the design team adopted a holistic approach in development, as well as a willingness to incorporate then-still-experimental technologies. Active and passive protection systems were used to negate opponents' advantages in fire control. A higher calibre gun was used to give projectiles more penetrating power. The entire tank was made lighter to accommodate a weaker power pack. [6][7]
According to globalsecurity.org, the Type 99 is a variant of the pre-production Type 98.[8]
Both the Type 98 and the Type 99 were officially revealed on 1 October 1999 at the National Day parade.[5][8][9]
Deployment
By 2008, 200 Type 98 and Type 99 tanks may have been deployed to the Beijing and Shenyang Military Regions.[10]
Design
The Type 99 is a 52-54 t. tank.[1] It is based on the Type 90-II chassis, and an upgrade of the Type 98. Compared to the Type 98, the Type 99 has conformal 2nd gen ERA, a 2nd generation thermal sight, countermeasure laser dazzler, and a more powerful engine.[11]
Counter Measures and Communications
The Type 99 has an inertial/GPS navigation system and a battle management system.[11] A laser dazzler system may temporarily blind enemy gunners at 5 km. A laser warning receiver is also mounted.[1]
The Type 99A2 inclues an active protection system.[11]
Armament
The main armament is a 2-plane stabilized 125 mm. smoothbore gun with a carousel-style autoloader. The gun may be fired under both computerized and manual control. 42 rounds are carried, including 22 in the autoloader. The rate of fire is 8 rounds per minute using the autoloader, and 2 rounds per minute with manual loading.[1] The Type 99A2 mounts an improved 125 mm. gun.[11]
According to the tank's chief designer Zhu YuSheng, the choice of 125 mm gun was influenced by the fact that this gun can house 13.4 L of propellant, versus the 9.8 L of western 120 mm gun. China's propellant was relatively backward and weak at the time, so a higher calibre gun enables the rounds to attain comparable kinetic energy to those from western tanks. Additionally, changes were made to the steel composition, manufacturing techniques, and electroplating of the gun's innards to enhance the gun's performance. [6] These changes are cited by Chinese state-media as what distinguish the Type 99's gun from foreign 125 mm tank gun. Longevity tests carried out with 300 rounds also showed significant improvements in lifespan of Type 99's gun over Russia's 2A46 125 mm gun. [12][13]
The 125 mm gun of the Type 99 is capable of firing APFSDS-T, HEAT, Frag-HE-T, and gun-launched anti-tank missiles (ATGM). The gun may fire a range of Chinese, Russian, and ex-Warsaw Pact ammnunition; this includes the BM-42M, for which a version with a depleted uranium penetrator may be available. The Type 99 fires the 9M119 Svir;.[1] In 1998 the 9M119 ATGMs were approved for domestic license production by Russia. From 2001 to 2013, over 1300 of these missiles were produced for the Type 98 and 99 tanks.[14] Tungsten APFSDS rounds fired from Type 99 can penetrate 850 mm of steel armour. Penetration power can be enhanced to 950 mm by using an undisclosed type of penetrator. [15]
Armor
The turret is welded with protection comparable to the T-90A and Western tanks. Track skirts are mounted. Composite panels are available. Conformal 2nd/3rd generation explosive reactive armour are mounted;[1] the Type 99A2 may mount 3rd generation (Relikt-type) ERA.[11] Frontal arc of Type 99 can offer protection equivalent to 700 mm of steel armour. This can be further increased to a range of 1000 mm to 1200 mm using add-on armor. [15]
Fire control and observation
The fire control system is the ISFCS-212 with an IR automatic target tracker. Also mounted are a laser rangefinder, laser target designator, an IR searchlight, and an improved 2nd generation thermal sight.[1]
Propulsion
The Type 99 is powered by a 1500 hp diesel engine. At a combat mass of 52-58 t this gives a power-to-weight ratio of about 27.78 hp/ton. The maximum road and off-road speeds are 80 km/h and 60 km/h respectively. The cruising range is 500 km.[1]
Variants
- Type 98: Early version. Powered by a 1200 hp engine.[1] 1st generation ERA may have been an option.[11]
- Type 99
- Type 99G: May include an active protection system.[5]
- Type 99A[5]
- Type 99A1: May have increased turret roof armour.[5]
- Type 99A2: Improved Type 99. Prototype testing was underway by August 2007[16] and believed to be the standard deployed Type 99 variant in 2011; upgradable from Type 99. The improved main gun may fire an Invar-type ATGM. It mounts 3rd generation (Relikt-type) ERA, and an active protection system.[11] The larger turret may have improved armour and a commander's periscope, and the tank may have an integrated propulsion system.[5]
Operators
See also
Related or preceding designs
Tanks of comparable role, performance and era
- AMX Leclerc – French main battle tank
- Ariete – Italian main battle tank
- Arjun MBT: Indian main battle tank
- Challenger 2 – British main battle tank
- Leopard 2 – German main battle tank
- M1 Abrams – US main battle tank
- K2 Black Panther – ROK main battle tank
- M-84AS – Serbian main battle tank
- M-95 Degman – Croatian main battle tank
- PT-91 – Polish main battle tank
- T-84 – Ukrainian main battle tank
- T-90 – Russian main battle tank
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n US Army TRADOC Intelligence Support Activity (2011:5-45)
- ^ US Army TRADOC Intelligence Support Activity] (2011:5-40)
- ^ Andrew, Martin. "Type 96 and Type 99 Main Battle Tanks". Air Power Australia. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
- ^ "" 中国三代 坦克之父 离世 曾开创全新坦克学派"" ["Father of Type 99 passed away"]. xinhuanet.com. 09 Feburary 2015. Retrieved 03 September 2015.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ a b c d e f "ZTZ99 Main Battle Tank, China". army-technology.com. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ a b ""祝榆生<下集>:揭秘99式坦克"" ["Secrets of Type 99 revealed."] (in Chinese). 31 December 2009. Retrieved 03 September 2015.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ "祝榆生·揭秘99式坦克" ["Zhu YuSheng reveals secrets of Type 99"] (Video) (in Chinese). China: CNTV. 11 minutes in. Retrieved 03 September 2015.
{{cite AV media}}
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ignored (help) - ^ a b "Type 99 Main Battle Tank". globalsecurity.org. 7 June 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ "Type 98 Main Battle Tank". globalsecurity.org. 7 June 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ United States Office of the Secretary of Defense (2008). Military Power of the People’s Republic of China (PDF) (Report). p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 February 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g US Army TRADOC Intelligence Support Activity] (2011:5-46)
- ^ ""99式主战坦克之父 祝榆生,他是传奇!"" ["Father of Type 99 Zhu YuSheng, He is a Legend!"]. xinhuanet.com. 02 Novemeber 2014. Retrieved 03 September 2015.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
and|date=
(help) - ^ ""99式主战坦克之父"祝榆生,他是传奇!"" ["Father of Type 99 Zhu YuSheng, He is a Legend!"]. China Military Online, Sponsored by PLA Daily of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. p. 9. Retrieved 02 September 2015.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - ^ "Trade Registers". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
- ^ a b ""中国ZTZ99主战坦克技术先进可入世界前三"" ["Type 99 can be listed as world's top three"]. xinhuanet.com. 29 July 2011. Retrieved 03 September 2015.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|accessdate=
(help) - ^ Weng, Jonathan (24 August 2007). "China trials enhanced Type 99 MBT - Jane's Defence News". Janes.com. Archived from the original on 26 December 2007. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (2014). Hacket, James (ed.). The Military Balance 2014. Oxfordshire: Routledge. p. 232. ISBN 978-1-85743-722-5.
- Bibliography
- US Army TRADOC Intelligence Support Activity. Ground Systems. Worldwide Equipment Guide. Vol. 1 (2011 ed.). Retrieved 15 August 2015.
External links