Copies of Soviet T-54s were made up for M1A2 Abrams in China

Specialists of the People's Liberation Army of China have begun to remake their Type 59 tanks, which are being decommissioned, into samples similar to those of a likely enemy.

So, an imitation of the American M1A2 was seen at one of the polygons. Army craftsmen quite close to the original (especially in the frontal projection) decorated a clone of the Soviet T-54.

Of course, there are differences: if Abrams has a driver-mechanic in the center of the case, then here - on the left. The chassis has five support rollers on each side, and not six, as in an overseas combat vehicle. The stern of the hull is made quite conditionally.

The PLA ground forces have special brigades that are entrusted to designate enemy units during exercises. Judging by the photos that appeared on the Web, they were previously armed with outdated Type 62, Type 59 and modern Type 96A.

These armored vehicles, as well as those of the real parts of the PLA opposing them, are equipped with laser firing simulators, sensors that record hits, special grenade launchers indicating fire from guns, flashing beacons that turn on in case of a hit. Smoke bombs also light up on the "affected" cars. The course of training battles is controlled using special electronics and television cameras.

Such devices allow you to save ammunition, weapons resources and make the learning process safer and at the same time more dynamic, since any mistake by commanders and crews can lead to "losses" and, accordingly, to defeat.

Apparently, the Chinese military decided to make the exercises even more realistic by attracting such "made-up" tanks or M1-like models on a wheeled chassis.

By the way, the first landfill equipped in this way appeared in the USA back in the 80s, this is the national training center of the American army Fort Irwin in the Mojave Desert (California). To designate the enemy, the M551 Sheridan tanks and the M113 armored personnel carrier were used there, disguised as Soviet T-72, T-80, BMP-1, BMP-2, ZSU-23-4 "Shilka".

Alexey Brusilov