Possible new photos of the new ZTZ-99A prototype:
New Type98/99 MBT thread
- Thread starter Dongfeng
- Start date
What are the differences between this and the base ztz99a
Unsure, but speculation includes an RWS and possibly new powerpack.
I do remeber reading few years back that the main complaint that the tanker have about the 99A is the trasmission and the engine is finicky , and it need repairs quite often , this might be a fix to adress the problem .
The ass does look longer w/ a more sloped underside, plus the drive sprocket difference.
remove mg, add rws(mg+grenade launcher) behind hatch，same as the one on type 15 tank.
already compared with the real one and the conclusion is not as rumor: there is no change of the hull, possible change of powerpack is a pure rumor with no source. But the elec-trans maybe tested and integrated inside without changing the outter look of the hull, for the purpose of development of next-gen tank techs.
and secondly, the driver hatch is not different at all, it is just at open state...
the most significant change is the update of RWS, location change to the back of hatch and have to move the atena on one side to the rear of turret.
the mose recent vid from Douyin(China's local version Tiktok) shows the new "variant" with the RWS have already been manufactured in batch, at the location of Baotou, where the factory is. But the one with APS is the only one, assuming the test vehicle, and it appeared at Hebei province, where people believe the test base is.
So I do not call it a new variant, since I researched 99A for years, PLA keep update and changign small details, many parts are different from the original 99A but those details are hard to tell sometime. Foe intsance the 2nd gen Beidou GPS system atena, the remove of mm-rador and Identification Friend or Foe Sytem atena (more advanced integrated system are used, no need for them be there), and even the frontal turret armor are slightly changed...so adding a RWS is not a big deal. I w Iwill not call it a variant.
On the other hand, PLA knows the limits of 99A. The upgrade potential of 99A is very limited due to its (realtively) poor chassis/suspension reliability. That's also why 99A does not use side attached armor. So there is no need for an upgrade varient, just go for a new one is better option. Since VT4 series has been tested and improved in international market, more reliable chassis/suspension, more integrated powerpack, and so more ready to use stuff can be quickly assembled and tested in so-called "4th gen" tank.