That is literally what people on Weibo including credible posters like Captain are saying, the gunsight is integrated into the turret behind that hatch on the turret face. CITV is also absolutely not vital for combat given a lot of tanks even right now lacks them.
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The gunsight position on the turret face is one which I believe could be reasonable.
CITV is absolutely a baseline expectation for a modern tank intended for service. Heck, even modern IFVs these days have CITVs.
Sure, you can have a modern tank without a CITV, but then you just have a gimped and poorly equipped tank.
There is also evidence that the APS is retractable, why mount them on these platforms in a cutout of their own if they aren't meant to be moved.
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The prototype for this vehicle also had retractable APS.
I wouldn't assume the APS is retractable either -- again, that just adds mechanical complexity and another opportunity for failure for a subsystem which should be constantly "ready" to defend against threats. And it doesn't even look like the recessed space would be enough for the APS to retract into it anyhow.
The fact that it looks "retractable" could merely be to allow the APS turret mounting to be more easily installed and/or removed for maintenance, which would have proven particularly relevant for a prototype.
It is simply too early to dismiss that this tank might have retractable sensors and saying this tank does *not* have any form of method to protect itself from drones.
I won't rule out 100% the idea of the tank having retractable sensors, however I would very much not consider it as consensus baseline. (The idea of the gunner's sight being located on the front turret face would not be a retractable sensor; that would rather just be a case of the sensor either being yet fit to the turret or the turret having the panel covering the sensor and would be usually removed instead)
As for "not" having any method to protect itself from drones, I never said that.
Not having a DEW/laser does not equate to not having a method to protect itself from drones. It still has two quad pack APS and also a RWS that should be able to mount a HMG after all.
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Overall, the situation at present should be this:
1. Most modern tanks (and IFVs) come with CITVs as standard
2. It is reasonable for modern AFVs to share common sensors and subsystems such as optics/CITVs
3. There is no evidence as of yet that the new tank as "retractable" sensors, especially for key things such as a CITV
4. If the new tank and new IFV's optic mount is a DEW/laser (instead of a CITV), then that would be a rather exceptional high end system on top of an already very well equipped vehicle (APS, 360 degree radar, 360 degree fixed optical sensors), while also depriving it of the most obvious candidate for a CITV
Therefore, at present when we have no evidence that there is a retractable CITV, it makes sense for the null hypothesis to conclude that the optic mount is a CITV.
