Type 99 Main Battle Tank
Type 99 (also known as ZTZ-99) is the PLA’s third generation indigenous main battle tank (MBT). Type 99 is the latest development in the Type-series of Chinese tanks and represents an increase in firepower, mobility and protection. This is the most modern tank in the Chinese army arsenal.
The successor to Type 98, Type 99 uses a modified 51 caliber 125mm smoothbore gun and an advanced autoloader, has a gun-launched missle system which the range of the missile is 100m to 4,000m. The main gun is stabilized in two axes and fitted with a thermal sleeve. The gun can be replaced without dismatling inside the turret. Can fire a variety of 125mm rounds, including APFSDS, HEAT, HE-FRAG, and ATGM.
Protective measures include new generation ERA (this arrow-shaped ERA gives the turret an angled appearance on the turret front which is very unlike with Leopard 2 A6 tank, the arrow-shaped armor is not hollow, and brick-shaped ERA on the hull front; all these fitted modular special armour are removable) which is effectively able to defeat modern APFSDS rounds, the ERA is made up of "bricks" of explosive sandwiched among multi-layers metal plates. The tank is also fitted with an overpressure NBC (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical) protection system against contamination by NBC warfare.
The commander's station is equipped with six periscopes and an independent Thermal Viewer provides the commander with independent stabilised day and night vision with a 360 degree view.The fire control computer automatically calculates the fire control solution based on: lead angle measurement; wind velocity measurement from a wind sensor on the roof of the turret; the range measurement from a laser rangefinder and cant, crosswind, and inertial tracking rates from the gun stabilisation unit. The operator manually inputs data on ammunition type, temperature, and barometric pressure. This allows accurate engagement against moving targets while the tank is on the move. The gunner has a roof-mounted stabilised sight fitted with day/thermal channels, the commander has a display showing the gunner's thermal sight, enabling the commander to fire the main gun. The Thermal Imaging System (TIS) with cooled detector using processing in the element (SPRITE) technology has magnification x11.4 narrow field of view and x5 wide field of view.
Type 99 is also fitted with a compuerised onboard information processing system, which can collect information from vehicle navigation (Inertia/GPS), observation systems and sensors, process it in the computer and display it on the commander's display, giving the ability of real-time command and beyond-vision-range target engaging.
ACTIVE LASER COUNTERMEASURES
Other countermeasures of Type 99 include a laser rangerfinder, a laser warning receiver and a high-powered laser self-defence weapon system which is employed against the source of the enemy's laser illumination and given 360° coverage.
Unlike contemporary Russian active tank self-defence systems such as Drozd, Drozd-2, and Arena, which launch projectiles to disable or "shoot-down" incoming anti-tank missiles and projectiles, the Chinese-developed laser self-defence system uses a high-powered laser to directly attack the enemy weapon's optics and gunner.
When the LWR detected that the tank is being illuminated by an enemy range-finding or weapon-guidance laser, the system warns the tank crew and the LSDW is employed against the source of the enemy laser. The procedure of the laser weapon would first use a low-powered beam to locate the optics of the enemy weapon. Once the enemy weapon was located, the power level of the laser would be immediately and dramatically increased. Such an attack would disable the guidance optics of the enemy weapon and/or damage the eyesight of the enemy gunner.
The available photos of the Type 99 have also confirmed that the laser weapon can be elevated to a higher angle than the tank's main gun, indicating that the engagement of attack helicopters is possible.
And two banks of six-barrelled smoke grenade launchers which are fitted on ether side of the turret. Automatic fire detection and suppression has been installed. The detailed information about Type 99 is very limited.
Powered by a new 1500hp liquid-cooled four-stroke V-12 multi-fuel piston engine results in a power to weight ratio of 27hp/ton, considerably the maximum speed of Type 99 is 70km/h. The mechanicaltransmission provides seven forward and one reverse gears. Type 99 is provided with a snorkel for deep fording and can ford 5m of water with preparation, or 1.4m without preparation.
And now Type 99 is going into low-rate production since 2001, with various estimates suggesting that between 100 and 200 are in service with PLA.
SPECIFICATIONS
Crew: 3
Weight: 54t
Engine: 1,500hp liquid cooled diesel
Transmission: Mechanical, planetary
Suspension: Torsion bar
Radio: Receive/transmit, telephone, laser communications
Dimension: Length: 11.00m; Height: 2.30m; Width: 3.40m
Cruising range: 450km, or 600km with external tanks
Speed: Max road >70km/h; max off-road 50km/h; average cross-country 35~40km/h
Fording depths: 5m with snorkel
Main gun: 125mm smoothbore
Rate of fire: 8 rounds/min (autoloader), 2 r/min (manual load)
Auxiliary weapon: One coaxial 7.62mm machine gun; one 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun
