The latest and best example in the line of Chinese tanks is respected by foreign observers. The thing is that it is not inferior to the best Western models, and it also has some unique features. But will it stand up to the American Abrams and the Russian T-90?
Sebastien Roblin
China has a lot of tanks. About eight or nine thousand. Who else would need such a huge amount?
For example, the United States. And Russia. (Note that we have included mothballed tanks in warehouses and a reserve in the total figure. The number of tanks in the active army is in any case less.)
However, most Chinese tanks are old models, especially the Type 59 and Type 69, which are partly a direct copy of the Soviet T-54 machine of the 1950s. There are so many of these tanks that I once came across one of them on a playground in Tianjin, where it became a toy for children.
However, the latest and best example in this line, the Type 99 tank, is well respected by foreign observers, although it has never been exported or used in combat. The reason is simple: in terms of its tactical and technical characteristics, it is not inferior to the best Western models, and also has some unique features.
Today we will look at how the Type 99 looks in comparison with its two most important contemporaries, such as the American M1A2 Abrams tank and the Russian T-90.
Before we dive into the technical details, we should answer this question: does China even need tanks? The question is quite reasonable, because China's main military efforts are concentrated in the direction of the Pacific Ocean.
Some might ask: what are the chances that the American M1 Abrams tanks will ever come together in battle with the Chinese Type 99? At the same time, it's worth thinking about this: will these armored vehicles be able to cross the Pacific Ocean and exchange shots somewhere in the area of Scarborough Reef?
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| The American Abrams tank. |
| Source: © CC BY-SA 2.0 / The U.S. Army |
But joking aside. This is extremely unlikely, except for an amphibious operation scenario for some computer game. On the other hand, Taiwan is showing interest in buying Abrams tanks, and another 60 such vehicles are in service with Australia. So never say never.
However, this issue becomes more relevant if you think about the Russian T-90. Moscow currently has good relations with Beijing, but these countries are not close allies. There is a long common border between them, and in the late 1960s they almost went to war with each other.
Most importantly, Russia supplies its weapons and military equipment to India and Vietnam, including systems that would clearly be used against the Chinese army in the event of a conflict. For example, these are the BrahMos cruise missiles, and... yes, over one thousand T-90 tanks, many of which are deployed along the Indian border in the Himalayas.
In 1962, China went to war with India over this border, and in 1979, it went to war with Vietnam to punish it for opposing the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia, which enjoyed Chinese support. (Vietnam also wants to order the T-90.)
Today, the Chinese military insists that India, which may become a superpower in the future, poses a threat to China. Therefore, they are conducting large-scale militarization of border areas near India and building roads so that heavy military equipment can pass through high mountains. China is also establishing allied relations with Pakistan, which has repeatedly fought with India, and from time to time supplies it with military equipment.
Finally, we should think about a possible civil war or the collapse of the government in North Korea. What policy Beijing will pursue in this case is a trillion-dollar question, but according to one scenario, the Chinese ground forces should intervene and restore order in North Korea. And this threatens clashes with the Korean troops.
Thus, although no one needs a real armed conflict and in most cases it will have the opposite effect for all participants (like most other wars), there are some situations in which tank battles can still take place on the borders of China, in particular, against Russian-made tanks.
But enough about politics, let's move on to the rumbling death machines!
First, let me introduce the competitors...
Of course, the Abrams is a classic American machine that defeated Iraqi tank forces armed with Soviet tanks during the Persian Gulf War in 1991. At the same time, the Americans did not lose a single tank from enemy fire. The Abrams is not a new tank, but the ground forces are constantly improving its ammunition, armor protection and detection devices to keep up with the times.
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| T-90 tank at the First International Forum "Technologies in Mechanical Engineering-2010". |
| Source: © RIA Novosti, Alexey Kudenko | Go to Photobank |
The T-90 is the first Russian tank to appear after the Cold War. It is no match for the Abrams, but it still has important characteristics in terms of accuracy of fire and armor protection. This is especially true for vehicles equipped with a new generation of dynamic protection. Russia is currently adopting a fundamentally new T-14 tank, but so far its main fighting force remains 550 T-90A tanks.
Moscow has created an upgraded T-90AM tank, but has not yet started mass production of this machine. However, it sold 354 similar T-90MS tanks (export version) India, which intends to place them on the border with China. In total, India has more than 1,200 T-90s, and Algeria eventually intends to receive more than 800 such machines.
The Chinese Type 99 tank combines a body that strongly resembles the elongated T-72 and a Western-type turret, which was partly modeled after the German Leopard 2. For the first time, a prototype of this tank called the Type 98 appeared at a festive parade in 1999. Then it was named "Type 99" and began to enter service in 2001. Weighing 57 tons, this machine occupies an average weight position between the 70-ton Abrams and the 48-ton T-90. Some of its modifications, such as the Type 99A2, use advanced technology. Beijing has almost 500 Type 99 tanks in 16 tank battalions. He also created 124 more modern Type 99A tanks. This variant is not exported, although some of its elements are used in the Chinese VT4 export tank.
Fire weapons
The Type 99 and T-90 tanks are equipped with a 125-millimeter cannon with a carousel automatic loader, taken from Soviet-era samples. During the Gulf War, the cannon proved weak in battles with Abrams and Challenger tanks, but thanks to tungsten-core ammunition, it is able to penetrate Abrams frontal armor at a shorter distance.
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| Type 99 A2 main battle tank of the People's Liberation Army of China. |
| Source: RIA Novosti, Anton Denisov |
The new Type 99A2 tank has a longer cannon, which theoretically should give greater muzzle velocity to low-caliber projectiles, as well as increase armor penetration and accuracy of hitting. The cannon also has an intricate new stabilizer.
According to available information, China intends to eventually install a 140 mm cannon on the Type 99 tank, although the barrel of the cannon ruptured during preliminary tests. By the way, Russia also intends to equip its new T-14 Armata tank with a gun of the same caliber.
Rheinmetal's 120mm Abrams tank cannon fires M829 depleted uranium shells, causing a lot of political controversy. The thickness of the armor penetrated by such a projectile is 15-25% more. Currently, the United States is producing a new generation of M829 ammunition that can penetrate the Kontakt and Relikt dynamic protection systems developed in Russia (more on them later).
China has developed its own depleted uranium munition for its 125mm cannon, which it claims can penetrate M1 armor at a distance of up to 1.4 kilometers.
The Abrams has a fourth crew member loading the gun, which, according to American tank crews, is much more reliable. This ensures a higher rate of fire, and if one of the crew members is disabled, the loader can replace him. But the fourth crew member needs extra space, and because of this, the M1 is bigger and heavier.
The Type 99 and T-90 can launch anti-tank guided missiles through the barrel of a cannon, but the Abrams cannot do this. (The Type 99 tank uses the AT-11 Reflex ATGM of the Russian design, manufactured under license.) Theoretically, this gives an advantage in long-range combat or in the fight against low-flying helicopters. But tank-launched missiles have been around for 50 years, but they don't do much good.
Effective detection devices that help to find the target and aim are just as crucial in tank battles as fire weapons. Russia has made some progress in recent years in developing tank sights and thermal imaging devices, although there is an opinion that Western sights and detection devices are still superior to them. The T-90A does not have the best optics in Russia (some tanks have been upgraded and received French Catherine thermal imagers), but the T-90MS has an improved Kalina fire control system.
China is famous for its excellent electronics, and the Type 99A2 supposedly has a new infrared search and tracking system that allows it to effectively hunt enemy tanks and surpasses the T-90A tank systems in its parameters.
Protection
The Type 99 boasts composite armor and dynamic protection. These are explosive blocks placed on the tank, which undermine incoming projectiles, preventing them from penetrating the armor. The new Type 99A2 uses a multi-layer system similar to the Russian dynamic protection Relict, which uses radar to detonate active-reactive armor elements before a projectile hits the tank. It is designed to destroy projectiles with two shaped charges arranged in series, which overcome the dynamic protection of older samples.
The T-90A uses the older Kontakt-5 dynamic protection system, while the new Indian T-90MS tanks use the Relict system. Both systems are most effective in combating ATGM, but they also reduce the penetration capacity of tank shells.
The Type 99 has an active counteraction laser system that warns the commander if his car is irradiated by an enemy laser beam. This gives the driver a chance to steer the car out of the danger zone. If you look at the video footage from Syria and Yemen, you can see that the tankers do not notice the approaching enemy ATGMs (they can fly for 20 seconds or more before hitting). Thus, the use of the new complex can significantly increase the survivability of the tank.
It is said that the Type 99 tank also has a unique and extremely powerful quantum generator that blinds guided missiles with laser and infrared guidance with a laser beam, incapacitates enemy sights and affects the visual organs of operators. Fortunately, such powerful tank laser "dazzlers" have never been used in combat, and therefore we have no idea how well they work.
The new Type 99A2 also appears to be equipped with a laser-based communication system that can be used to identify its machines and transmit encrypted data.
On the other hand, the T-90 tank has a Curtain active protection system, which not only interferes with lasers with its emitters, but also emits smoke grenades, creating a cloud around the tank that hides it from lasers.
The M1 Abrams does not have any laser radiation warning devices, active protection systems, or active-reactive armor, although it is possible that these elements will be installed on new tank modifications.
So far, the M1A2 tank is relying on the excellent Chobham composite armor, which has been improved over the years, and now, when hit by a sub-caliber projectile, it provides protection equivalent to 800 millimeters or more of katana hardened armor, and when hit by shaped rocket charges, it provides protection equivalent to 1,300 millimeters. In comparison, the T-90 provides protection equivalent to a maximum of 650 millimeters of katana-hardened armor. Abrams also benefits from the fact that its ammunition is stored separately, as this reduces the chances of catastrophic detonation when an enemy munition hits.
The Type 99 tank combines composite and modular armor, providing approximately the same protection as the Abrams, or close to it. One source claims that this armor is equivalent to armor steel with a thickness of about 1,100 mm, although data on its actual effectiveness is classified.
Mobility
The Type 99 is the most agile tank under consideration. When driving on the road, it can reach speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour. The M1 Abrams and the T-90MS supplied to India are lagging behind, with speeds of 68 and 72 kilometers per hour, respectively. And for the T-90, it does not exceed 56 kilometers per hour at all. However, the voracious M1A2 can travel only 380 kilometers, after which it will need refueling. But the Type 99 and T-90 have a fuel reserve of more than 480 kilometers. Further, due to its heavy weight, the M1 is the most difficult to transport and use in combat.
And the last moment. The Type 99 has new digital maintenance systems similar to those installed on the latest M1 Abrams version.
Thus, in general, the Abrams has the greatest firepower of this trio, but the Type 99 is better protected due to its multi-layered protection systems. In addition, it is faster and has a large power reserve.
The T-90A as a whole lags behind its Chinese and American rivals, but the T-90MS with the Relict system, improved sights and a more powerful engine can compete with them.
Nevertheless, the actual characteristics of the armored vehicle should be borne in mind. Its cannon and electronics are questionable, since this tank is not exported, and the M1 and T-90 were actively used in battles by a wide variety of countries. Beijing likes to keep secret information about its technology, and it also has an incentive to exaggerate the capabilities of its weapons.
At the same time, the available data indicate that despite the huge hordes of obsolete Type 59 tanks, China is able to design, build and adopt a first-class main battle tank. This fits well with President Xi Jinping's desire to reduce the size, but at the same time improve the quality of the Chinese army.
Sebastien Roblin holds a Master's degree from Georgetown University in conflict resolution. He worked as an instructor in the Peace Corps in China. Currently, he publishes articles on security and military history on the War is Boring website.
