|
Country of origin |
China |
|
Entered service |
2001 |
|
Crew |
3 men |
|
Dimensions and weight |
|
Weight |
54 t |
|
Length (gun forward) |
11 m |
|
Hull length |
~ 7.8 m |
|
Width |
3.4 m |
|
Height |
2.2 m |
|
Armament |
|
Main gun |
125 mm smoothbore |
|
ATGW |
9M119M Refleks |
|
Machine guns |
1 x 12.7 mm, 1 x 7.62 mm |
|
Elevation range |
? |
|
Traverse range |
360 degrees |
|
Ammunition load |
|
Main gun |
41 rounds |
|
Machine guns |
300 x 12.7 mm, 2 000 x 7.62 mm |
|
Mobility |
|
Engine |
diesel |
|
Engine power |
1 500 hp |
|
Maximum road speed |
80 km/h |
|
Range |
400 km |
|
Maneuverability |
|
Gradient |
60% |
|
Side slope |
40% |
|
Vertical step |
~ 0.8 m |
|
Trench |
~ 3 m |
|
Fording |
~ 1.2 m |
|
Fording (with preparation) |
5 m |
|
The Type 99
main battle tank is a further
development of the
Type 98 MBT.
It is generally similar to the Type 98, but has a number of
improvements. The Type 99 was revealed in 2000 and entered service
with the Chinese Army in 2001. This main
battle tank shows a mixture
of Russian and Western influence in its design and technology. Some
sources report that a total of 600 Type 99 tanks were produced, when
production switched to improved Type 99G version. Currently it is the most advanced Chinese main battle
tank.
The Type 99
MBT features improved armor protection over the Type 98. Turret of
the Type 99 has a Leopard 2A5-style
wedge-shaped modular add-on explosive reactive armor. Damaged
sections to be replaced or upgraded when more advanced armor is
available. It is claimed that the front protection of the Type 99
MBT is equivalent to 1 000-1 200 mm of steel armor. Vehicle is
equipped with NBC protection and automatic fire suppression systems.
This main
battle tank is fitted with unique active laser protection system,
which uses a high-powered laser to disrupt missiles laser or
infrared guidance signal, disable enemy observation optics and
damage eyesight of enemy gunner. This active laser protection system
can also be used against helicopters.
The Type 99
tank is armed with a fully-stabilized ZPT98 125 mm smoothbore gun, fitted
with a carousel-type autoloader. Both the main gun and the
autoloader were copied from the Soviet/Russian designs. The Type 99
has a rate of fire in 8 rpm using autoloader and 1-2 rpm loading
manually. It fires APFSDS, HEAT and HE-FRAG rounds. It is reported
that this MBT also uses more capable APFSDS rounds with depleted
uranium penetrators.
The Type 99
main battle tank is compatible with Russian 9M119M Refleks (Western
reporting name AT-11
or Sniper-B) gun-launched anti-tank guided missiles, fired in the same
manner as ordinary projectiles. China produces this anti-tank
missile system under license. This missile has a maximum effective
range of 4-5 km and can target low-flying helicopters. A total of four
missiles are carried.
Secondary
armament consists of 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun and 12.7 mm
anti-aircraft machine gun.
The tank is
fitted with new computerized fire control system. It incorporates
laser rangefinder and automatic target tracker. This MBT can
engage moving targets accurately, while on the move. It has
a high first round hit probability against stationary and moving
targets, while the tank is firing on the move. The tank is fitted with
advanced thermal imaging and panoramic sights, and has a
hunter-killer capability. Fire control system of this tank is
clearly superior to those, used by the Soviet
T-72
series tanks. It might even be superior to that, used by the Russian
T-90 MBT.
Unusual
feature for main battle tanks is a laser communication device. It is
mounted behind commander's hatch and is used for a line of sight
information transmission. It can send encrypted text, data or voice
messages. Furthermore it is used for friend or foe identification.
This system has an effective range of 3 600 m. Tank can also be
fitted with GPS receiver for navigation and positioning.
The Type 99
has a crew of three, including commander, gunner and driver.
Hull of the
Type 99 MBT is very similar to the Soviet T-72,
but is one meter longer. Vehicle is powered by a
turbocharged diesel engine, developing 1 500 horsepower. This engine
is based on the German MTU 871 Ka-501 technology. The Type 99 has a
high power to weight ratio and subsequently good mobility and
cross-country performance. External fuel tanks can be carried at the
rear of the hull for longer range.
Some of the
Type 99's technologies were used to upgrade Chinese
Type 96 main
battle tanks to the Type 96G standard.
Variants
Type 99G,
sometimes referred as Type 99A, Type 99A1 and Type 99A2. It has a number of improvements,
related with fire control, targeting and countermeasures systems. It
can be identified by autonomous commander thermal imaging viewer.
Also it has a raised engine compartment, which most likely indicated
the use of new engine. Some sources report that by 2021 Chinese Army
operated a total of 600 improved Type 99G main battle tanks
alongside with another 600 original Type 99 tanks.
VT1A a
simplified version intended for export of the Type 99. This
downgraded version is in service with
Morocco, Peru, and possibly some other countries. Currently an
improved VT4, which is a simplified export version of the Type 99G,
is being proposed.
Armored
recovery vehicle fitted with a crane and a dozer blade. It was first
observed in 2014.
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