ZTQ-15 and PRC Light Tanks

OK, but where is the loader place in the turret?

Sounds like to be ZTQ-15.

Another design of the new light tank

RickHunter said:

Another design of the new light tank

Click to expand...

According to this analysis of the interview with the 99A's chief designer: , the tank in your post is the light tank design from Institute 201, which lost to the design from Institute 617, which is shown in the image in the previous page of this thread.

Not selected, 201's design





Selected, 617's design:



Both designs use a fully hydro-pneumatic suspension system and mount the Type 94 lengthened 105mm gun. Rumour has it that the 617 used their experience designing the PLZ-05's hybrid torsion-bar/hydro-pneumatic suspension for their light tank chassis. The 617 also designed the VT-4 (MBT3000) export tank.

The 99A's design came from 201 so it's not like they're out of business or anything.

Any info regarding which institute is designing the next-generation Chinese MBT?

Why are they still using a 105mm gun ?

Mounting a 125mm on a 30 tonne tank isn't practical. Also, the ZTQ is rumoured to have a bustle loader which is only possible to fit on such a small tank if it was chambered for 105mm. Take a look at the Leclerc and Type 10 for an indication of how big bustle loaders for 120mm are. Tanks can also store more rounds of 105mm than 125mm so in a remote and isolated region like Tibet where reliable resupply during wartime is difficult, it's prudent to have more rounds organic to the vehicle.

Anyhow, on the Tibetan plateau, the ZTQ won't be facing any threats that its 105mm can't handle. India is unable to transport MBTs up there so if they want to invade China, they'll be constrained to vehicles such as the CV9035 which the ZTQ can handle with ease.

As to why is China concerned with an Indian invasion,; she's not. It simple pays to be prepared for even the most unlikely of contingencies.

I think the new light tank isn't just for the Tibetan plateau. It should also be flight enough to air drop, in which case, it will add a quantum leap to the war fighting capabilities of Chinese paratroopers.

plawolf said:

I think the new light tank isn't just for the Tibetan plateau. It should also be flight enough to air drop, in which case, it will add a quantum leap to the war fighting capabilities of Chinese paratroopers.

Click to expand...

I don't think it's a good idea to air-drop a 30 tonne vehicle. Airlift, definitely, but not air-drop. Two of these can fit in a Y-20 and one can be flown by the 30 tonne transport supposedly in development.

Besides the Tibetan Plateau, the ZTQ will likely take the place of the Type 62s facing Vietnam, which were retired a few years ago. Again, similar to the situation in Tibet, any enemy tank that can traverse the rice paddies of southern China and Vietnam won't be anything the ZTQ can't handle. It's not like a full-fledged MBT can ever be deployed there, nor can Vietnam afford many even if she wanted to. Take into account that the light ZTZ-96As with a combat mass of 42 tonnes have such difficulty with the terrain that China saw fit to develop an entirely new light tank.

Until landing rockets become mature and prevalent technology, I think paratroopers will have to make do with sub-20 tonne vehicles as armour support.

An export variant of the light tank will go on display at this year's Zhuhai Air Show... The armor modules have not yet been installed on the turret. Also note the add-on armor on side skirts.