I've usually gone by the assessment that any tank manufactured in Asia should not exceed 60 tons for reasons of terrain and logistical support, and an indirect benefit of that also serves as a cost cap as well.
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New Type98/99 MBT thread
- Thread starter Dongfeng
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I've usually gone by the assessment that any tank manufactured in Asia should not exceed 60 tons for reasons of terrain and logistical support, and an indirect benefit of that also serves as a cost cap as well.
My mistake, the Type 90 is only 50+ tons. I thought it would have weighed as much as Leopard 2 A5/6. Apparently not.
The Korean K1A1 looks like its around 50 to 54 tons as well.
Indeed, one Indian Army complaint on the Arjun was that it was too heavy for many rail tracks and too wide to fit into many trains and tunnels. Generally, you get the idea that in China, there are size limits in passing through roads, tunnels, bridges, and being carried upon trains and railways.
I am making an orbat count of the ZTZ-99. In this link,
Seems like one tank brigade is 132 tanks, not 99 as believed. Sez here, the 38th MI Division has ZTZ-99s. So does the 3rd and the 116th Tank Division, both 198 tanks each (99 per brigade? Isn't that supposed to be 132?). Not mentioned in the article is the 6th Division in the Beijing MR, which is like an elite showcase division.
Seems like one tank brigade is 132 tanks, not 99 as believed. Sez here, the 38th MI Division has ZTZ-99s. So does the 3rd and the 116th Tank Division, both 198 tanks each (99 per brigade? Isn't that supposed to be 132?). Not mentioned in the article is the 6th Division in the Beijing MR, which is like an elite showcase division.
RedMercury
Junior Member
Why are you reading Martin Andrew's translations when you can read the source material directly?
The link points out that wheeled armor vehicles or Light Mechanized Brigades are used to expoit openings in the enemy lines, before heavier vehicles can move in and secure the area. That's a very interesting point. Before, I thought Light Mechanized Brigades are for testing enemy defenses, patrols and engage in hit and run tactics against armored vehicles, but it seems even tanks are not fast enough to take advantage of a breakthrough. It should work in theory, but I haven't heard of any real incidences.
Just sheer laziness. Because I have not been following up as diligently on the tank material compared to the ship and plane material so I miss up on the source material for tanks.
Anyway, that appears like 4 brigades with the tanks, each with 132 tanks. So the number of ZTZ-99s appear rising.
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From what I followed up from mainland sites an typical Chinese Armoured Brigade has 4 Tank Battalions with total of 124 tanks. 1 Tank Battalion is 30 Tanks and Field Commander Tank. So with the Beijing 112th, Shenyang 116th & 3rd all equipped with Type 99 the number should be around 372-396 Type 99 in service. So production rate is around on average 64 Type 99 tanks annually. Production started in late 2001. So really only started to mass produce in 2002.
You can read some info about the T-98's production here folks.
Unfortunately, Forecast International made a serious blunder. Forgot to count the ZTZ-96G tank which is produced in greater numbers than the ZTZ-99G (darn wrong to call it a T-98), Al Khalid or the Russian T-90.
Unfortunately, Forecast International made a serious blunder. Forgot to count the ZTZ-96G tank which is produced in greater numbers than the ZTZ-99G (darn wrong to call it a T-98), Al Khalid or the Russian T-90.