Image source: topwar.ru
On April 21, a 120-mm shell exploded inside a Type 10 MBT turret at a Japanese firing range.
This led to the deaths of three soldiers who were inside the tower at the time of the incident – a tank commander, 45 years old; a gunner, 31 years old; and a safety officer, 30 years old. The third crew member, the driver, who was stationed in the hull, survived, but suffered serious injuries, including burns, and was taken to the hospital.
The Ministry of Defense did not disclose details of the fatal incident, noting that an investigation was underway. The Commission checks three main reasons: possible violations of the firing procedure and safety measures by the crew, technical failures in the operation of the AZ, defective ammunition (according to the unofficial version of experts, premature detonation of the capsule or detonation could occur when the projectile was loaded into the breech).
Images of the tank have been published online, which show that the force of the explosion tore off the machine gun, and the knockout panels were dismantled. At the same time, there are no signs of ignition.
Image source: topwar.ru
Type 10 (Hitomaru) is the most modern MBT in Japan, developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and adopted in 2012. Lighter and more technologically advanced than its predecessor, the Type 90, it was designed for use in rough terrain.
The tank is armed with a 120 mm smoothbore cannon with a length of 44 caliber. It was developed independently by the efforts of Japan Steel Works. The barrel is made of new high-strength alloys. This makes it possible to use high-power powder charges and accelerate projectiles to high speeds without the risk of bursting the barrel.
The gun is paired with a belt-type AZ located in the aft niche of the turret. It provides a very high rate of fire – one shot every 3.5–4 seconds. In addition to the unique Japanese Type 10 BOPS, the gun can use any standard 120mm tank ammunition from NATO countries.
