Type 15 tank

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Type 15 light tank
File:Type-15 Light Tank.jpg
Type light tank
Place of origin China
Service history
In service 2018-present[1]
Used by See Operators
Production history
Designer Norinco
Manufacturer Norinco
Produced c. 2015-present[1]
Number built Classified.
Specifications
Weight 33 tonnes (standard), 36 tonnes (With armor package)[1]
Length 9.2 metres (30 ft)[1]
Width 3.3 metres (11 ft)[1]
Height 2.5 metres (8.2 ft)[1]
Crew 3[1]
Armor Standard steel armor protection with additional advanced composite armor and/or explosive reactive armor package.[1]
Main
armament
 105mm rifled gun (38 rounds) with autoloader[1]
Secondary
armament
 Remotely operated weapon station armed with coaxial 12.7mm machine gun and QLZ-04 automatic grenade launcher
Engine Electronically controlled diesel engine with fully-automatic transmission
1,000 hp (746 kW)[1]
Power/weight 30.30 hp/tonne
Suspension Hydropneumatic suspension[1]
Operational
range
 450 kilometres (280 mi)–800 kilometres (500 mi)[1]
Speed 70 kilometres per hour (43 mph)

The Type 15 light tank (Chinese: 15式轻型坦克; pinyin: shíwǔ shì qīngxíng tǎnkè), also known as ZTQ-15, is a Chinese third generation light tank operated by the People's Liberation Army Ground Force. The vehicle is a replacement for the antiquated Type 62 light tank introduced in 1963. The Type 15 tank is designed to fulfill the requirement from the Chinese Army for a lighter, mobile modern tank that can effectively operate in highland/plateau, forest-rich and water-heavy regions where the heavier Type 99 tanks have difficulties traversing.[1]

Development

Sightings of Type 15 were reported by Chinese citizens, but its existence was formally confirmed by the Chinese Ministry of Defense in December 2018. The tank was confirmed to be in service by 2018[2][3][1] and was showcased in the 70th National Day parade on October 1, 2019. During the China-India border dispute along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in June 2020, Type 15 tanks were reportedly deployed in the Tibetan Plateau.[4]

Design

Armament

Type 15 uses a new 105mm rifled gun, which is superior to the Type 94 105mm guns fitted on Type 88 and Type 59 tanks. The Type 15 can hold 38 rounds of 105mm shells and is capable of effectively penetrating the armor of most main battle tanks in use by various South and Southwestern Asian countries when launching armor-piercing shells.[5][6] It can also fire new advanced tungsten alloy armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabots (APFSDS) capable of penetrating 500 mm (20 in) of armored steel at 2,000 metres (1.2 mi).[7]

Features

The Type 15 tank is equipped with chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) protection, an autoloader mechanism with ammunition stored in the turret bustle, air conditioning system, command and control equipment, commander's panoramic sight, gunner's thermal imaging sight, laser rangefinder, advanced ballistic computer, a tactical command system and a navigation system that includes inertial navigation system (INS) and satellite communications. [8][9]

Mobility

Due to its light weight, the new Type 15 tank can be airlifted as well as paradropped by military cargo aircraft.[9]

Variants

File:VT-5 Light Tank.webm
A footage of export variant VT-5 tank taken in 2018.
Type 15 / ZTQ-15
Designation for military version.
VT-5
Different design similar to the ZTQ-15 that is made for export. There are noticeable design differences. The driver's hatch on the VT-5 is positioned at the center front hull whereas the ZTQ-15 driver's hatch is located on the left. The upper front hull of the VT-5 is noticeably curved whereas the ZTQ-15 is straight. The modular add-on armor kits are also noticeably different.

Operators

See also

References

  1. ↑ 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 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ https://mil.news.sina.com.cn/jssd/2019-10-04/doc-iicezzrr0034416.shtml
  7. ↑ http://tv.cctv.com/2020/04/07/VIDEGF5bLefg5DPpbvjVRMBm200407.shtml |《军事科技》20200407 战场上的“小块头”
  8. ↑ https://mil.news.sina.com.cn/jssd/2019-10-04/doc-iicezzrr0034416.shtml
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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