New Type98/99 MBT thread

AlyxMS

Junior Member
Registered Member
maybe that is seeing it from a WWII point of view, but what if in the future the communication systems are so advanced and reliable that the commander is someone from a base giving orders to the gunner and the driver inside the tank? instead of eliminating the gunner eliminate the commander, wouldn't that be possible?
I think the point of having a crew that can take care of combat is to make sure that the tank can fight as an independent unit.
In a gunner + driver + remote commander scenario, one the communication is disrupted, the tank is screwed.
If communication can be 100% secured(quantum entanglement communication?), manless tank technology is achievable today. There wouldn't be any point to put the drive or gunner in a tank to risk his life. (Other than for field repairs)
 

Iron Man

Major
Registered Member
I see, so given the process you elucidated, IF the combined hunter/killer position, who obviously has to do the hunter/killer sequence in series rather than in parallel, can do so quickly enough so as to be faster than the reload time, then theoretically you wouldn't lose any capability with only a 2 man crew, right? So the combined position really doesn't have to do its job quicker than 2 people, it just has to do so quicker than reload, no?

I agree with you that AI is probably not enough, not just because AI technology isn't there yet, but because there'll inevitably be countermeasures designed to fool the AI ala funhouse-mirrored letters. However, if AI can at least narrow down the targets into a few regions, thus saving "hunter" time, and automation can reduce the work of the "killer" time into one or a few clicks, then theoretically one crew can potentially conduct the hunter/killer action quickly enough so as to make reload time the limiting factor. It seems to me that since reloading mechanism hasn't advanced nearly as quickly as electronics as well as PLA soldiers' education level, perhaps this is achievable.

There's a lot of "ifs" in there, I have no idea how feasible it is to accomplish that both in terms of technology and cost effectiveness. Reducing the crew size to 2 would certainly bring about a lot of advantages and I think it's worth exploring.
You could easily get the kill chain + reacquisition sequence down to quicker than reload time, for example if all the targets are grouped very closely together, but you would still lose the second pair of eyes, since AI cannot tell you which target is a real target, which target is more urgent, etc. You would have greater difficulties the more separated the targets are from each other. And you would lose the situational awareness of two independent thermal sights. Again, you cannot have a hunter/killer capability without two pairs of eyes that can simultaneously conduct hunting and/or killing.
 

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
some good close ups of a VT4 as a Non Chinese speaker I don't have a clue what he is saying and as a Reporter I guarantee he doesn't either.
Close ups of the Tile mounts which as it is being shown off are not sporting ERA.
he points out the Gunners main sight but skips the commanders.
points out what may be part of the HVAC of the tank.
The Skirt of the tank.
the pattern of the camo which for a tank is just really a paint job not really of much practical use except at a long range any by the human eye.
Points out the Exhaust grates for the power plant and a set of black squares on the back? I am guessing IR markers.
points out what looks like a cluster of 6 smoke launchers
the Remote weapons station. Interesting question here why do the Chinese Shroud those? I would think the Shroud would mean less ability to radiate heat build up for the MG. I mean it looks cool but there has to be a practical reason.

Tank goes through fairly light series of manouvers That frankly any modern competent AFV would pass without breaking a sweat it was mostly for the TV crew.
 

Tyloe

Junior Member
kinda glad Thailand decided to continue to buy major Chinese equipment. In the past they were very direct with quality issues in Chinese exported AFVs like Type 69s (which made the famous photo of a irreparable Type 69 thrown to a river. Harsh criticism on export Type 053 frigates forced their ship building industries to improve until they delivered a satisfied and superior product.

Thailand likely played an important yet unnoticed role in long term modernization. 2 decades later, excited to know what they think on VT-4s and S26T subs.
 
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