| Type 99 | |
|---|---|
 A Type 99 tank at the China People's Revolution Military Museum in Beijing during the 2007 Our troops towards the sun exhibition. | |
| 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] |
| 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) |
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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]
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.[3]
According to globalsecurity.org, the Type 99 is a variant of the pre-production Type 98.[4]
Both the Type 98 and the Type 99 were officially revealed on 1 October 1999 at the National Day parade.[3][4][5]
Deployment[]
By 2008, 200 Type 98 and Type 99 tanks may have been deployed to the Beijing and Shenyang Military Regions.[6]
Design[]
Type 99 from the rear.
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 Type 99 has conformal 2nd gen ERA, a 2nd generation thermal sight, countermeasure laser dazzler, and a more powerful engine.[7]
Counter Measures and Communications[]
The Type 99 has an inertial/GPS navigation system and a battle management system.[7] 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.[7]
Armament[]
Type 99 from the front
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.[7]
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;[1] the Type 99A2 may fire an ATGM similar to the improved 9M119M Invar.[7]
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.[7]
Fire control and observation[]
The driver's position.
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 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.[1]
Variants[]
Type 98 during rehearsal of the 1999 National Day parade.
- Type 98: Early version. Powered by a 1200 hp engine.[1] 1st generation ERA may have been an option.[7]
- Type 99
- Type 99A2: Prototype testing was underway by August 2007[8] 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.[7]
Operators[]
People's Republic of China
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[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 US Army TRADOC Intelligence Support Activity] (2011:5-45)
- ↑ US Army TRADOC Intelligence Support Activity] (2011:5-40)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "ZTZ99 Main Battle Tank, China". army-technology.com. http://www.army-technology.com/projects/type99chinese-main/. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Type 99 Main Battle Tank". globalsecurity.org. 7 June 2015. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/type-99.htm. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ↑ "Type 98 Main Battle Tank". globalsecurity.org. 7 June 2015. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/type-98.htm. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ↑ United States Office of the Secretary of Defense (2008). Military Power of the People’s Republic of China (Report). p. 5. Archived from the original on 28 February 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100228192752/http://www.defense.gov/pubs/pdfs/China_Military_Report_08.pdf. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 US Army TRADOC Intelligence Support Activity] (2011:5-46)
- ↑ 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. https://web.archive.org/web/20071226112211/http://www.janes.com/news/defence/jdw/jdw070824_1_n.shtml. 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. 1 (2011 ed.). http://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getdownloaditem/collection/p4013coll11/id/2089/filename/2090.pdf/mapsto/pdf/type/singleitem. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Type 98. |
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The original article can be found at Type 99 tank and the edit history here.