CGNC Type 98
Notes: The Type
99 is currently the most advanced tank that is fielded by the Chinese Army.
It is a result of Chinese tank designing that began in the 1970s to
provide a tank equal or better than those fielded by other countries.
It is a direct descendant of the Type 85, Type 88, and Type 90, and also
incorporates cooperative efforts between China and captured or provided examples
of Russian tanks over the years.
The result is a tank that, though not quite a match for the Abrams or Challenger
2, is very much a modern design.
The Type 99
The hull of the
Type 99 is based on that of the Russian T-72, though it is about a meter longer
and incorporates modular armor panels for the glacis and side skirts.
The driver is in the center of the hull, while the commander is on the
right of the turret and the gunner on the left.
The turret is in no way similar to that of any other tank in the world,
being low-profile, angular, and squat; it would almost qualify as a
“Crew-in-Hull” design in Twilight 2000
terms. The turret front and sides
also have modular armor panels. The
frontal turret armor is similar in shape to the wedge-shaped armor panels of the
Leopard 2A6. Lugs for ERA are found
on the turret front (and part of the roof), glacis, and hull sides.
The crew is protected by an NBC overpressure system, with a collective
NBC system backup. The driver has
three vision blocks allowing forward vision; one of these can be replaced with
an image intensifier for night driving.
The commander has six wide-angle vision blocks to provide 360-degree
vision; he also has a Commander Panoramic Viewer, equivalent to the Western CITS
and giving him an independent laser designator and day/night vision in an
armored housing atop the turret.
The gunner has a similar armored housing atop his position.
Armament
consists of a 125mm gun, with a thermal sleeve and fume extractor – but the main
gun is 51 calibers long, longer than the typical Russian/Chinese 125mm gun, and
is called the ZPT-98. The main gun
is also capable of firing a Chinese-made copy of the 9M119 Reflecks (AT-11
Sniper) ATGM. A PKT coaxial and a
W-85 commander’s machinegun complete the armament, and each side of the turret
has six smoke grenade launchers.
The gun is fully stabilized and features an up-to-date fire control state with a
ballistic computer to assemble the information; gun laying is largely automatic,
with the gunner or commander picking the target and giving the information to
the ballistic computer.
The Type 99 has
several countermeasure systems, including a laser warning device, and an active
laser defense weapon used to dazzle enemy vision devices as well as incoming
missiles. These devices can be angled upward sufficiently so that they can
target low-flying helicopters and possibly aircraft.
In addition to the standard complement of radios, the Type 99 can
communicate with other Type 99s by tight-beam coded laser.
The Type 99 is equipped with GPS and an IFF system.
The suspension
of the Type 99 is improved over previous Chinese tank designs, and the tank is
powered by a German-built MBB71ka501 1500-horsepower supercharged diesel engine.
The transmission may be automatic, semi-automatic, or manual, at the
choice of the driver.
The Type 99A1 is
essentially the same, but the armor on the turreted is further improved.
The hull is also more similar to that of the Pakistani Al-Khalid tank
than the Type 99’s is. The Type
99A2 (also known as the Type 99G) adds an active protection system, similar to
the Arena system found on Russian tanks, but with the countermeasure missiles
being guided by millimetric radar.
The commander’s CPV gives him a wider area of view.
The Type 98: The Type 99 – Minus Some…
The Type 98 is
often thought of as a pre-production or prototype version of the Type 99, or
perhaps a bridge between the Type 90 and Type 99.
The Type 98 has most of the fire control suite of the Type 99, but the
main gun is a standard Russian/Chinese 125mm gun and cannot fire the AT-11
Sniper ATGM. The main gun
originally had no autoloader, but it was quickly added on the Type 98G version.
The laser warning device is present, but it is mast-mounted on the turret
roof. The active laser dazzler is
not present in the Type 98. The GPS
is present, but not the IFF transmitter.
The radios are there, but not the laser communications devices.
The turret is very different in shape; it is virtually flat-faced, like
that of the Type 90. The turret
design is also such that there are significant gaps between the turret ring and
the hull, leaving major shot traps almost all the way around the Type 98.
The Type 98 is powered by a 1200-horsepower supercharged diesel, rather
than the 1500-horsepower engine of the Type 99.
Though a small
number of Type 98s were produced to participate in the National Day Parade in
Beijing on 01 October 1999, the Type 98 was never actually meant for series
production.
Twilight 2000
Notes: As of 2000, only 18 sightings of the Type 98 have been made by Russian
and Vietnamese forces. The Type 99
does not appear to have made it into production.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
Type 99 |
$773,906 |
D, A |
500 kg |
54 tons |
3 |
24 |
Image Intensification (D, G, C), Thermal Imaging (C, G) |
Shielded |
Type 99A1 |
$792,622 |
D, A |
500 kg |
55.65 tons |
3 |
24 |
Image Intensification (D, G, C), Thermal Imaging (C, G) |
Shielded |
Type 99A2 |
$928,915 |
D, A |
500 kg |
55.85 tons |
3 |
24 |
Image Intensification (D, G, C), Thermal Imaging (C, G) |
Shielded |
Type 98 |
$733,085 |
D, A |
500 kg |
51 tons |
3 |
22 |
Image Intensification (D, G, C), Thermal Imaging (C, G) |
Shielded |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
Type 99 |
168/118 |
36/26 |
1100+400 |
740 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF160Cp TS48Sp
TR26 HF200Cp
HS34Sp HR22 |
Type 99A1/A2 |
164/115 |
35/25 |
1100+400 |
763 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF170Cp TS48Sp
TR26 HF200Cp
HS34Sp HR22 |
Type 98 |
143/100 |
31/20 |
1000+400 |
573 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF152Cp TS45Sp
TR22 HF190Cp
HS32Sp HR20 |
Vehicle |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
Type 99/99A1/99A2 |
+4 |
Good |
125mm ZPT-98 Gun, PKT, W-85 (C) |
41x125mm, 5xAT-11 ATGM, 2000x7.62mm, 300x12.7mm |
Type 98 |
+4 |
Good |
125mm Rapira Gun, PKT, DShK (C) |
41x125mm, 2000x7.62mm, 300x12.7mm |
NORINCO Type 59
Notes: The
Russians sold (or gave) the Chinese a number of T-54 tanks in the early 1950s,
along with a license to produce the T-54 indigenously.
This they did in large numbers.
Original Type 59’s were essentially identical to the T-54, but without
the IR searchlight and with Chinese-built radios and a few other subcomponents.
Over time, the Type 59 has been steadily upgraded by China and other
countries, and remain in service (sometimes in a drastically different form)
around the world today.
Early Type 59s
As stated above,
the Type 59 was essentially a copy of the Russian T-54 with little alteration.
With the Russian introduction of the T-54A a couple of years later, the
Chinese copied many of these improvements, including an IR searchlight, gun
stabilization (in the vertical plane only), and a fume extractor for the main
gun; these versions are called the Type 59A.
Layout is
conventional for a post-World War 2 Russian tank, with the driver in the front
left of the hull and a hatch opening to the left.
His vision blocks are unusual in that they pop up into position when the
hatch is closed, and the wide-angle vision blocks give him frontal vision and
some vision to the right side. The
commander is on the right side, with a hatch that normally opens to the front
and a pintle-mounted Type 54 (DShK) heavy machinegun to the rear, though the
cupola can be rotated via a hand crank.
The loader has a two-piece hatch on the left side.
Both have all-around vision blocks.
In the floor of the Type 59 is an escape hatch.
The turret
itself has an unusual feature; while the turret and basket itself rotate, the
turret floor does not. Main
armament is a Type 59 (D-10T) 100mm rifled gun; it’s coaxial machinegun is the
Type 59 (PKT) machinegun. The
driver also has access to another Type 59 machinegun in the bow beside his
position. Traverse for the turret
is electro-hydraulic with a manual backup.
The gunner has a simple sighting telescope with a range graticule; the
base Type 59 had no night vision equipment, but the Type 59A, had IR night
vision equipment for the gunner and commander.
The Type 59A also has an IR searchlight to the right of the main gun.
Suspension is a
clone of the T-54’s suspension, being of the Christie type.
The engine is an M-12150L liquid-cooled diesel developing 520 horsepower.
Like many Russian-built or inspired tanks of the period, the Type 59
could carry a pair of extra fuel tanks at the rear of the vehicle, each carrying
190 liters of fuel.
The Upgrades Begin: The Type 59-I and Type 59-II
In the mid to
late 1970s, the Chinese started an improvement program for their Type 59s, which
were quickly facing obsolescence.
Some of the minor improvements include hydraulic equipment to make opening the
hatches easier and an engine low-pressure alarm.
An improved fire extinguishing system was also fitted.
The bulk of the improvements were to the fire control system; the Type 59
still has only vertical axis stabilization, but it is electric and essentially
automatic. The gunner has a laser
rangefinder. The main gun’s rammer
has a hydraulic boost to assist in loading the gun.
The Type 59-II
was an even more radical upgrade; it was introduced in 1984, and done with
considerable help from the British.
The Type 59-II is armed with a Chinese-built version of the British 105mm L-7A1
rifled gun (with fume extractor and thermal sleeve), and the gun is electrically
stabilized in both axes instead of just the vertical axis.
Ammunition was essentially the same mix as the 105mm ammunition available
in the early 1980s except APFSDSDU, but Chinese-made.
The Chinese have since developed indigenous ammunition mimicking the
various APFSDSDU and long-rod penetrators of the West, and it can fire Western
ammunition as well. An improved
laser designator is fitted, along with updated communications equipment.
Ammunition is kept in armored boxes with a separate explosion suppression
system, and the Type 59-II is re-engined with one developing 580 horsepower.
Four smoke grenade launchers are installed on each side of the turret. In
the late 1980s, the Type 59-II was further updated; armor was improved and the
main gun was given a thermal sleeve.
This version is known as the Type 59-IIA.
The Type 59D
entered service in 1995. Based on
the Type 59-II, both new tanks and upgrade kits were built (both for indigenous
use and export). The Type 59D’s
main gun is based on the L-7A3, but uses a longer barrel for increased range.
In addition the Chinese have developed a 105mm version of the Russian
9K116 Bastion (AT-10 Stabber) 10mm gun-fired ATGM, enabling killing power at
further increased ranges as well as an ability to engage helicopters and
low-speed aircraft. Fire control
upgrades include a ballistic computer and a laser rangefinder that is a modified
version of that found on the Type 80 tank.
The commander also has his own laser rangefinder, along with a day/night
telescopic sight incorporating an image intensifier.
The gunner’s night vision sight has been upgraded to thermal imaging.
The driver also has his own image intensifier for night driving.
The glacis and the turret front and sides have lugs for ERA, and the Type
59D is normally found with them (or for peacetime, dummy ERA) attached.
There is also a Type 59D1, but this is merely a Type 59D with a
standard-length barrel.
Upgrade Packages
NORINCO has
developed a few upgrade packages for the Type 59 (most of which can also be used
to upgrade the T-54 and T-55). One
of these is a simple upgrade of the main gun to the 105mm L-7A3 105mm rifled gun
(treat as a Type 59-I, but substitute a 105mm gun for the 100mm gun.)
Necessary gunnery equipment is also replaced to match the new gun.
NORINCO has also
developed a more comprehensive upgrade for the Type 59.
Again based on the Type 59-I, this upgrade package (which I refer to as
the Type 59-1R below, though this is not
an official designation by any means) includes rearranged ammunition storage
to allow the carrying of not only more APFSDS-type rounds, but newer types of
APFSDS rounds. As with the Type
59-II, ammunition stowage is inside armored boxes.
A laser designator is added, along with new night vision equipment.
For a more comfortable ride (and to not work the gun stabilizer so hard),
the suspension has been modified with friction-type shock absorbers and
roadwheels that have more travel.
The tracks have been given rubber track pads that reduce damage to roads and
trails, as well as the tracks themselves.
Perhaps the most dramatic upgrade is the engine; it is replaced with a
730-horsepower turbocharged diesel engine.
It is not known if this upgrade package has been sold, but I wouldn’t be
surprised if it has; in addition, many of the improvements have been applied to
other Type 59 upgrades and derivatives.
Under the Type
59 Gai program, the Chinese tested a large number of foreign tank developments
for retrofitting to the Type 59.
This eventually resulted in the NORINCO Type 59 Upgrade Package, which can also
be applied to the T-54 and T-55.
Some rumors point to Israel as having helped the Chinese with this upgrade
package, but this is not confirmed.
What is known is that the NORINCO Upgrade Package provides a dramatic upgrade in
the Type 59’s capabilities.
Firepower
upgrades include the replacement of the standard 100mm gun with a
Rheinmetall-type 120mm smoothbore main gun.
This gun is largely the same as the Rheinmetall gun, but has a barrel
length of L/48 instead of the Rheinmetall standard length of L/44.
The Chinese gun has a thermal sleeve and a fume extractor, but no muzzle
reference system as on the Rheinmetall gun; it is chrome plated to decrease
wear. The Chinese gun can fire both
Chinese-made and Western-made ammunition, and uses the same semi-combustible
cartridge case system. The gunner
has an advanced ballistic computer as well as a laser rangefinder; sighting is
done with a sighting telescope that has both thermal imaging and image
intensifying gear, and the gun for the most part, and the gunner must merely lay
the crosshairs on the target, after which the ballistic computer keeps the gun
on target (though the gunner must manually input temperature, wind, and the type
of ammunition into the ballistic computer).
The commander has his own laser rangefinder and gunsight as well as
auxiliary controls for the main gun, though he has no access to the ballistic
computer or the gunner’s thermal imager.
Suspension
improvements are similar to those of the Type 59-IR, and in addition, the same
powerpack is also fitted, giving the NORINCO Upgrade 730 horsepower and
remarkable agility. Pivot steering
can be engaged at 60% of full speed without danger of shedding a track.
Twilight 2000
Notes: The NORINCO Upgrade Package does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.
The Type 59-IR is a rare modification, but many Chinese Type 59s do sport
105mm guns. The Type 59-II and Type
59-IIA form the core of China’s Type 59 tank strength, with perhaps only 10%
being Type 59Ds and 15% being Type 59D1s.
Most Type 59-Is have been modified into more modern versions of the Type
59, but some still exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
Type 59 |
$206,313 |
D, A |
400 kg |
36 tons |
4 |
14 |
Headlights |
Shielded |
Type 59A |
$326,313 |
D, A |
400 kg |
36.12 tons |
4 |
15 |
Active IR (G, C), IR Searchlight |
Shielded |
Type 59-I |
$370,873 |
D, A |
400 kg |
36.09 tons |
4 |
15 |
Passive IR (G, C), IR Searchlight |
Shielded |
Type 59-II |
$283,660 |
D, A |
500 kg |
36.09 tons |
4 |
15 |
Passive IR (G, C), IR Searchlight |
Shielded |
Type 59-IIA |
$286,428 |
D, A |
500 kg |
36.99 tons |
4 |
15 |
Passive IR (G, C), IR Searchlight |
Shielded |
Type 59D |
$350,002 |
D, A |
500 kg |
37.19 tons |
4 |
15 |
Image Intensification (C, G, D), Thermal Imaging (G) |
Shielded |
Type 59D1 |
$343,841 |
D, A |
500 kg |
37.09 tons |
4 |
15 |
Image Intensification (C, G, D), Thermal Imaging (G) |
Shielded |
Type 59-IR |
$284,030 |
D, A |
500 kg |
36.7 tons |
4 |
16 |
Passive IR (G, C), IR Searchlight |
Shielded |
NORINCO Upgrade Package |
$362,154 |
D, A |
500 kg |
37.9 tons |
4 |
17 |
Image Intensification (C, G, D), Thermal Imaging (G) |
Shielded |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
Type 59/59A/59-I |
121/85 |
25/20 |
815+380 |
225 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF48 TS12
TR11 HF60
HS10 HR8 |
Type 59-II |
130/91 |
27/22 |
815+380 |
250 |
Trtd |
T6 |
|
Type 59-IIA/59D/59D1 |
127/89 |
26/21 |
815+380 |
253 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF53Sp TS14
TR11 HF66Sp
HS12Sp HR9 |
Type 59-IR |
151/106 |
31/25 |
815+380 |
317 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF48 TS12
TR11 HF60
HS10 HR8 |
NORINCO Upgrade Package |
142/100 |
29/24 |
815+380 |
327 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF53Sp TS14
TR11 HF66Sp
HS12Sp HR9 |
Vehicle |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
Type 59 |
+1 |
None |
100mm D-10T Gun, PKT, PKT (Hull), DShK (C) |
34x100mm, 3500x7.62mm, 200x12.7mm |
Type 59A |
+1 |
Basic |
100mm D-10T Gun, PKT, PKT (Hull), DShK (C) |
34x100mm, 3500x7.62mm, 200x12.7mm |
Type 59-I |
+2 |
Basic |
100mm D-10T Gun, PKT, PKT (Hull), DShK (C) |
34x100mm, 3500x7.62mm, 200x12.7mm |
Type 59D |
+3 |
Good |
105mm Type 83A Gun, PKT, PKT (Hull,) DShK (C) |
34x105mm, 3500x7.62mm, 500x12.7mm |
Type 59D1 |
+3 |
Good |
105mm L-7A1 Gun, PKT, PKT (Hull,) DShK (C) |
34x105mm, 3500x7.62mm, 500x12.7mm |
Type 59-II/59-IIA/59-IR |
+2 |
Fair |
105mm L-7A1 Gun, PKT, PKT (Hull,) DShK (C) |
34x105mm, 3500x7.62mm, 500x12.7mm |
NORINCO Upgrade Package |
+3 |
Good |
120mm Chinese Gun, PKT, PKT (Hull,) DShK (C) |
28x120mm, 3500x7.62mm, 500x12.7mm |
NORINCO Type 69
Notes: The Type
69 is a development of the Type 59, which of course makes it a relative of the
Russian T-54. The Type 69 came
about after the Russians and the Chinese had their falling out in the mid-1960s
and the Chinese were receiving little or no support from the Russians anymore.
When the Chinese first received the T-54 and turned it into the Type 59,
they were reasonably pleased to have what was at the time a reasonably modern
tank; as they applied upgrades, they were happier.
But by the mid-1960s, they saw that the rest of the world had even better
tanks. NORINCO was then tasked to
improve the Type 59 even further.
At first, the results were disappointing, and the resulting Type 69 did not
enter production. However, during
the short 1969 border war between the Chinese and Russians, the Chinese were
able to capture a T-62, and incorporate some of the T-62’s features into the
Type 69. The Chinese, however,
still thought of the Type 69 as a failure, and it was produced for the Chinese
Army only in limited quantities.
The Type 69, however, became a wide export success, and many more Type 69s were
used by other countries than were ever used by the Chinese.
The Type 69
To me, the
Chinese Army’s disappointment was understandable; the initial Type 69’s were
little more than upgraded Type 59As with a more powerful engine and thicker
armor, side skirts, night vision, and a laser rangefinder.
This was quickly followed by the Type 69-I and Type 69-II.
The Type 69-I used a 100mm smoothbore cannon, unlike the rifled gun of
the Type 59. This allows for more
flexibility of ammunition types, but gives the Type 69-I less range. The Type
69-I has a laser rangefinder and night vision equipment.
The gun has a fume evacuator near the muzzle.
The Type 69 has an NBC overpressure system, a semi-automatic fire
extinguishing system (a handle must still be pulled), and it can lay a smoke
screen by injecting diesel fuel into its exhaust.
Four smoke grenade launchers are also found on each side of the turret.
The actual layout of the Type 69 and Type 69-I are essentially the same
as the Type 59.
The Type 69-II
uses a new Chinese-designed 100mm rifled gun, which has a longer barrel than
that of the Type 59’s gun. The gun
is fully stabilized and uses a rangefinder with a primitive ballistic computer.
The laser rangefinder’s aperture, which is in a blister above the gun on
the Type 69 and Type 69-I and prone to small arms fire, is embedded in the gun
mantlet and is part of the gunsight on the Type 69-II.
It does not have this vulnerability.
The commander has a day/night sight.
Ammunition
stowage on the Type 69 series is rearranged, and it is physically slightly
larger, so more ammunition for the main gun is carried.
The Type 69-IIs used by Thailand have M-2HBs as a commander’s machinegun
and M-60E2s instead of PKTs. (The Thais refer to their Type 69-IIs as Type 30s.)
Some Type 69s have been seen with bustle racks at the rear of the turret (but
not on Chinese Type 69s).
The Type 79
The Type 79, at
first called the Type 69-III, is a modification built with Western help.
Minor modifications include rubber track shoes, but there are a large
number of major modifications. The
main gun is replaced with a British 105mm L-7A3 gun with a thermal sleeve and a
fume extractor. The gunner’s sight
has a thermal imager incorporated into it, and the gunner has an improved
ballistic computer and laser rangefinder.
The driver has an IR vision block, while the commander has a day/night
sight with image intensification.
The Type 79 has been given a giant boost in power with a 730-horsepower
turbocharged diesel. The NBC system has an interesting feature; the Type 79 has
an NBC agent detection system. An
alarm sounds when an agent is detected, and the crew has about 5 seconds to get
down inside the vehicle before the hatches automatically slam shut and lock.
The commander’s cupola has its own laser rangefinder.
The bow machinegun has been deleted on the Type 79.
Type 79’s generally have large stowage racks that go from halfway down
one side of the turret, around the back, and halfway down the other side.
The Type 79 was a limited-production tank that was never exported, as
more modern designs were quickly becoming available.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
Type 69 |
$225,235 |
D, A |
550 kg |
37.5 tons |
4 |
18 |
Active IR (G, C), IR Searchlight |
Shielded |
Type 69-I |
$325,235 |
D, A |
550 kg |
37.6 tons |
4 |
18 |
Passive IR (G, C), White Light/IR Searchlight |
Shielded |
Type 69-II |
$365,235 |
D, A |
550 kg |
37.7 tons |
4 |
18 |
Passive IR (G, C), White Light/IR Searchlight |
Shielded |
Type 79 |
$355,314 |
D, A |
550 kg |
37.5 tons |
4 |
18 |
Passive IR (D), Image Intensification (G, C), Thermal Imaging (G), White
Light/IR Searchlight |
Shielded |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
Type 69/69-I/69-II |
126/88 |
25/20 |
935+380 |
250 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF52 TS14
TR11 HF65
HS12 HR8 |
Type 79 |
132/92 |
26/21 |
935+380 |
377 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF52 TS14
TR11 HF65
HS12 HR8 |
Vehicle |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
Type 69 |
+1 |
Basic |
100mm D-10T gun, PKT, PKT (Hull), DShK (C) |
44x100mm, 3500x7.62mm, 500x12.7mm |
Type 69-I |
+1 |
Fair |
100mm Chinese Smoothbore gun, PKT, PKT (Hull), DShK (C) |
44x100mm, 3500x7.62mm, 500x12.7mm |
Type 69-II |
+2 |
Fair |
100mm Chinese Rifled gun, PKT, PKT (Hull), DShK (C) |
44x100mm, 3500x7.62mm, 500x12.7mm |
Type 79 |
+2 |
Good |
105mm L-7A3 gun, PKT, DShK (C) |
44x105mm, 3500x7.62mm, 500x12.7mm |
NORINCO Type 80 Series
Notes: Though by
the mid-1970s, the Chinese took another crack at improving the deficiencies of
the Types 59, 69, and 79 with the Type 80 (also called the Type 88.).
The Type 80 is sort of a hybrid, with the basic shapes of the older
tanks, but with much new technology and improvements.
The old searchlight was deleted as unnecessary.
The Type 80 has
the basic shape of the Type 79, but has a noticeably different glacis plate and
generally improved armor. The Type
80 uses six smaller roadwheels instead of the five of the Type 79, along with
three return rollers. Along with
this, the Type 80 has a much superior suspension in general.
The powerpack is replaced with a British-designed integrated pack with a
German 730-horsepower engine.
Layout is
essentially the same as on the Type 79, but the gunner has a superior fire
control suite of British origin, mated to a 105mm rifled gun of Austrian origin
(but virtually identical to the British L-7A3).
On the Type 80, the laser rangefinder is in an external blister, but it
is part of the gunner’s sight on the Type 80-II.
On the Type 80-II, the gunner’s sight is moved to the roof in an armored
enclosure to allow for improvements to the frontal armor of the turret.
The Type 88 is
the most common version in use by the Chinese Army; it is essentially identical
to the Type 80-II, but the stowage bins on the front of the turret were removed
to allow lugs for ERA to be fitted.
The Type 88B has improved ammunition arrangements so that newer types of 105mm
ammunition can be stowed inside, and an image-stabilized fire control system was
added. There are some slight
improvements to the armor. The Type
88A, despite its name, is a newer development of the Type 88B, with a Type 83-I
main gun with a longer tube for added range.
The Type 88A also mounts lugs for newer 2nd Generation ERA.
The Type 88C is
sort of a different animal. The
main gun is replaced with a Russian-style 125mm main gun, along with the
autoloader, and the engine is replaced with one developing 1000 horsepower.
In addition, the Type 88C is the first Chinese tank to incorporate
composite armor. Otherwise, it is
for the most part the same as the Type 88A.
It is partially related to the Type 85 tank, enough that many sources
group it with the Type 85 rather than the Type 80.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
Type 80 |
$328,209 |
D, A |
600 kg |
38 tons |
4 |
22 |
Passive IR (D), Image Intensification (G, C), Thermal Imaging (G) |
Shielded |
Type 80-II |
$332,700 |
D, A |
600 kg |
38.5 tons |
4 |
22 |
Passive IR (D), Image Intensification (G, C), Thermal Imaging (G) |
Shielded |
Type 88 |
$334,700 |
D, A |
600 kg |
38.6 tons |
4 |
22 |
Passive IR (D), Image Intensification (G, C), Thermal Imaging (G) |
Shielded |
Type 88B |
$375,112 |
D, A |
600 kg |
39.5 tons |
4 |
26 |
Passive IR (D), Image Intensification (G, C), Thermal Imaging (G) |
Shielded |
Type 88A |
$385,762 |
D, A |
600 kg |
39.68 tons |
4 |
24 |
Passive IR (D), Image Intensification (G, C), Thermal Imaging (G) |
Shielded |
$489,595 |
D, A |
600 kg |
40.44 tons |
3 |
25 |
Passive IR (D), Image Intensification (G, C), Thermal Imaging (G) |
Shielded |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
Type 80 |
131/91 |
31/21 |
1000+400 |
379 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF70Sp TS14
TR11 HF88Sp
HS12Sp HR8 |
Type 80-II/88 |
129/90 |
31/21 |
1000+400 |
385 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF77Sp TS14
TR11 HF96Sp
HS12Sp HR8 |
Type 88B/88A |
123/86 |
30/20 |
1000+400 |
404 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF80Sp TS17
TR12 HF100Sp
HS14Sp HR10 |
Type 88C |
157/110 |
38/26 |
1000+400 |
509 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF80Cp TS17Sp
TR12 HF100Cp
HS14Sp HR10 |
Vehicle |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
Type 80 |
+2 |
Good |
105mm L-7A3 gun, PKT, DShK (C) |
44x105mm, 2250x7.62mm, 500x12.7mm |
Type 80-II/88/88B |
+3 |
Good |
105mm L-7A3 gun, PKT, DShK (C) |
44x105mm, 2250x7.62mm, 500x12.7mm |
Type 88A |
+3 |
Good |
105mm Type 83-I gun, PKT, DShK (C) |
44x105mm, 2250x7.62mm, 500x12.7mm |
Type 88C |
+3 |
Good |
125mm Rapira gun, PKT, DShK (C) |
38x125mm, 2250x7.62mm, 500x12.7mm |
NORINCO Type 85 Series
Notes: The Type
85 is a further modification of the Type 80 series (though it pre-dates the Type
88 – how’s that for confusing?).
Differences include a change from a cast turret to an all-welded design, making
the incorporation of advanced armors easier, several changes in main gun design
and fire control, generally heavier armor, a more powerful engine, and some
suspension changes.
The original
Type 85 was unveiled in 1988, but it was rejected by the Chinese Army, and the
Type 85 was further modified and offered for export (primarily to Pakistan, who
also rejected it). The Type 85
differed little from the Type 80-II, but had a welded, angular turret (though
without any special armors). The
Type 85-I was virtually the same as the Type 85, but has a turret front
incorporating composite armor. (It
too was rejected by the Chinese Army, as well as the Pakistanis.)
Initial Production: The Type 85-II
The initial
production version, the Type 85-II, was essentially a Type 85-I with improved
fire control, including an under-armor laser designator, a more compact and
powerful ballistic computer, and a wind sensor.
The Type 85-II is equipped with a 105mm main gun. Layout is conventional
for a Chinese tank, with the driver at the front left with a hatch cover that
pops up somewhat and then rotates to the left.
He has observation vision blocks, one of which can be removed and
replaced with night vision block.
The gunner is in the left of the turret with the commander on the right.
The gunner has a forward-opening hatch, and the gunner’s sight is ahead
of this hatch. The commander had an
electric-traverse cupola with all-around vision blocks and a day/night
periscope. The commander’s
machinegun is mounted on the left side of the cupola, putting it in reach of the
gunner if he needs it.
As stated above,
the fire control suite includes a ballistic computer and laser rangefinder, as
well as a wind sensor and night vision.
The wind sensor is on a pole at the rear of the turret and can be damaged
by small arms fire. The gunner
enters information by a touchscreen, and most of the electronic systems are
solid-state. On each side of the
turret are six smoke grenade launchers, and the Type 85-II can lay a smoke
screen by injecting diesel fuel into its exhaust.
The ammunition for the 125mm includes a new Chinese-designed APFSDS round
with a long-rod penetrator. The
ammunition is normally contained within armored boxes to minimize damage from
explosions, and the Type 85-II has an automatic fire suppression system as well
as an internal NBC collective filtration system.
The engine is believed to be the same 730-horsepower engine as on most of
the Type 80 series.
The Type 85-IIA
is essentially identical to the Type 85-II, but the 105mm gun is replaced with a
125mm gun of Chinese design. The
autoloader is a direct copy of the autoloader for the Russian 2A46 main gun
(reportedly gleaned from a T-72 captured in Iraq by Iran).
It is rumored that these changes were made at the request of Pakistan; in
any case, the Pakistanis did build over 300 of them under license, which are
referred to as the Type 85-IIAP (most of which have now been upgraded to the
Type 85-III level); Type 85-IIAPs use US-built radios instead of Chinese ones.
The Type 85-IIM
is a further improved version of the Type 85-IIA.
Though the Type 85-IIM is heavier and has improved armor protection,
perhaps the biggest advance in the Type 85IIM is the ISFCS (Image-Stabilized
Fire Control System), a forerunner of the same system installed on the Type 88.
The ISFCS integrates the gunner’s sight, night vision, ballistic
computers, meteorological sensors, and information such as the angle of cant and
barrel droop into a single system, along with supplying an integrated picture of
all this information to the gunner on only two LCD panels.
Another small change is the replacement of the driver’s passive IR vision
block with one that uses image intensification.
The armor improvements in the hull of the Type 85-IIM appear to have
required a new hull design, one not based on the Type 80, and one that also
incorporates some suspension improvements.
These improvements come at the cost of greatly-increased weight, along
with a loss of speed and agility.
The Pakistanis also license-produced the Type 85-IIM, though most of theirs use
US-built radios instead of Chinese-built radios.
With
improvement, the Type 85-IIM was upgraded to the Type 88C.
A Step Further: The Type 85-IIIM
The Type 85-IIIM
was designed from the outset for export to Pakistan.
However, the Chinese Army is reportedly also using the Type 85-IIIM, and
the Pakistanis rejected it after trials in the Pakistani deserts, where the new
Chinese engine kept producing thick black exhaust that was highly visible from a
long way off. The Chinese fixed the
engine problem and improved several other areas of the Type 85-IIIM, but by that
time, more advanced tanks were available from China, and they decided to forego
the Type 85-IIIM. The Type 85-IIIM
was therefore designed largely to Pakistani specifications; the Pakistanis never
actually built the Type 85-IIIM indigenously, but most of their Type 85-IIAPs
were rebuilt to Type 85-IIIM standards (without the heavily-smoking engine and
with the subsequent Chinese upgrades).
The Chinese model is called the Type 96 (though it was in service by
1993).
The
aforementioned engine is a supercharged V-12 diesel developing 1000 horsepower,
and the exhaust problem has been solved (though a smoke screen can be laid by
injecting diesel fuel into its exhaust).
The complete powerpack (engine, transmission, and part of the suspension)
can be removed in one piece, simplifying removal and replacement.
The transmission is unusual; the driver can decide to drive the Type
85-IIIM in manual, semi-automatic, or fully automatic modes.
Armor protection
of the Type 85-IIIM has been further upgraded, and the turret front and side
armor are modular and can be upgraded at a later date if desired.
Lugs for ERA are also located on the glacis, turret front and part of the
turret roof, and on the side skirts.
The commander and the gunner both have fully stabilized gun sights, and
the commander can fire (but not reload) his machinegun from under armor.
The commander has a magnified day/night sight, and main stabilization has
been improved along with the ballistic computer.
The NBC system is still a collective system, with no overpressure system,
and there is an external NBC agent detector which sounds a loud alarm inside the
tank when an agent is detected and automatically turns on the NBC system.
Radios have been upgraded; one short range and one medium-range radio of
modern construction are standard.
GPS is listed as an option, but rumored to be fitted to both the Type 85-IIIM
and Type 96.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
Type 85-II |
$432,800 |
D, A |
700 kg |
39 tons |
4 |
26 |
Passive IR (D), Image Intensification (G, C), Thermal Imaging (G) |
Shielded |
Type 85-IIA |
$464,620 |
D, A |
700 kg |
39.4 tons |
3 |
26 |
Passive IR (D), Image Intensification (G, C), Thermal Imaging (G) |
Shielded |
Type 85-IIM |
$532,727 |
D, A |
700 kg |
41 tons |
3 |
29 |
Image Intensification (D, G, C), Thermal Imaging (G) |
Shielded |
Type 85-IIIM/96 |
$556,312 |
D, A |
700 kg |
41.7 tons |
3 |
30 |
Image Intensification (D, G, C), Thermal Imaging (G) |
Shielded |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
Type 85-II/85-IIA |
123/86 |
26/21 |
1000+400 |
358 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF88Sp TS31Sp
TR16 HF110Sp
HS22Sp HR13 |
Type 85-IIM |
117/82 |
25/20 |
1000+400 |
377 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF100Cp TS30Sp
TR18 HF125Cp
HS25Sp HR15 |
Type 85-IIIM/96 |
147/103 |
31/25 |
1000+400 |
483 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF112Cp TS30Sp
TR18 HF140Cp
HS25Sp HR15 |
Vehicle |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
Type 85-II |
+2 |
Good |
105mm L-7A3 Gun, PKT, DShK (C) |
44x105mm, 2000x7.62mm, 500x12.7mm |
Type 85-IIA |
+2 |
Good |
125mm Rapira Gun, PKT, DShK (C) |
44x125mm, 2000x7.62mm, 500x12.7mm |
Type 85-IIM |
+3 |
Good |
125mm Rapira Gun, PKT, DShK (C) |
44x125mm, 2000x7.62mm, 500x12.7mm |
Type 85-IIIM/96 |
+4 |
Good |
125mm Rapira Gun, PKT, DShK (C) |
42x125mm, 2000x7.62mm, 500x12.7mm |
NORINCO Type 90-II
Notes: The Type
90 grew out of the Type 85 design, and first revealed in 1991.
The initial Type 90 was just that – a Type 85 with an improved armor
package and improved electronics.
It was quickly rejected by the Chinese Army, who felt it was not enough of an
improvement to keep up with the times.
NORINCO engineers continued their research and development and came up
with the Type 90-II, which began service in 1993, though large-scale production
did not begin until 1997.
The Type 90-II
The Type 90-II
has a layout similar to the Type 85-III, but that is for the most part the end
of the similarities. The Type 90-II
has a much-improved armor suite, with composite armor on the glacis and turret
front that is not only composite, but modular; the turret side armor is also
modular, as are the side skirts.
Lugs for ERA are also found on the hull front, hull sides, turret front (and
part of the roof), and turret sides.
Power is provided by a French-designed 1200-horsepower diesel; the
suspension is improved over the Type 85-III.
Armament is the standard armament of a 125mm main gun with a thermal
sleeve and fume extractor, a PKT coaxial, and a DShK for the commander.
New electronics
include an improved fire control suite, a MIL-STD-1553-A data bus to allow
interoperability with Western tanks.
The Type 90-IIM
is essentially the same tank, but equipped with the lighter and more compact
Ukrainian-built 6-TD 1200-horsepower diesel.
This lowers the weight of the tank in general.
The Pakistani Al-Khalid (handled in the Pakistani Tanks page) is a
further development of the Type 90-IIIM.
Twilight 2000
Notes: This tank was given higher priority in the run-up to the Twilight War.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
Type 90-II |
$677,984 |
D, A |
500 kg |
48 tons |
3 |
28 |
Image Intensification (D, G, C), Thermal Imaging (G) |
Shielded |
Type 90-IIM |
$677,984 |
D, A |
500 kg |
47.5 tons |
3 |
28 |
Image Intensification (D, G, C), Thermal Imaging (G) |
Shielded |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
Type 90-II |
151/106 |
31/26 |
1000+400 |
575 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF145Cp TS42Sp
TR23 HF181Cp
HS30Sp HR19 |
Type 90-IIM |
152/106 |
31/26 |
1200+400 |
575 |
Trtd |
T6 |
TF145Cp TS42Sp
TR23 HF181Cp
HS30Sp HR19 |
Vehicle |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
Type 90-II/90-IIM |
+4 |
Good |
125mm Rapira Gun, PKT, DShK (C) |
39x125mm, 4500x7.62mm, 750x12.7mm |