Type 99 tank

The Type 99 is a third-generation main battle tank (MBT) fielded by the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

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.

According to globalsecurity.org, the Type 99 is a variant of the pre-production Type 98.

Both the Type 98 and the Type 99 were officially revealed on 1 October 1999 at the National Day parade.

Deployment
By 2008, 200 Type 98 and Type 99 tanks may have been deployed to the Beijing and Shenyang Military Regions.

Design
The Type 99 is a 52-54 t. tank. 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 Type 99 has conformal 2nd gen ERA, a 2nd generation thermal sight, countermeasure laser dazzler, and a more powerful engine.

Counter Measures and Communications
The Type 99 has an inertial/GPS navigation system and a battle management system. A laser dazzler system may temporarily blind enemy gunners at 5 km. A laser warning receiver is also mounted.

The Type 99A2 inclues an active protection system.

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. The Type 99A2 mounts an improved 125 mm. gun.

Main gun ammunition includes APFSDS-T, HEAT, Frag-HE-T, and gun-launched anti-tank missiles (ATGM). The gun may fire a range of 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 may fire an ATGM similar to the 9M119 Svir; the Type 99A2 may fire an ATGM similar to the improved 9M119M Invar.

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; the Type 99A2 may mount 3rd generation (Relikt-type) ERA.

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.

Propulsion
The Type 99 is powered by a 1500 hp diesel engine. At a combat mass of 54 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.

Variants

 * Type 98: Early version. Powered by a 1200 hp engine. 1st generation ERA may have been an option.
 * Type 99
 * Type 99A2: Prototype testing was underway by August 2007 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.

Operators

 * 40 Type 98A, 500 Type 99, 100 Type 99A

Related or preceding designs

 * MBT 2000/Al-Khalid
 * Type 59/62
 * Type 69/79
 * Type 80/85/88
 * Type 90/96

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