The Chinese government is demanding on the quality of manufactured tanks, which are in service with the People's Liberation Army. Speaking of this, it is worth noting the powerful Type-96 machine. This Chinese tank became known to the general public in 2014, as it participated in a competition in the suburbs. Moreover, the Asian brainchild took third place, losing Russia and Armenia. Such a result was expected. Although the tank is one of the best in the world, it still has some negative technical features. But they are not so serious. Unfortunately, Chinese designers have a slightly different opinion, and instead of perfecting this model, they create completely new designs.
The history of the creation of the Chinese tank
The Chinese Type-96 tank began to be developed in 1991, after the end of the conflict in the Persian Gulf. The reason for this was the decision of the state to create an improved tank. The fact is that the previous Type-88, Type-85 and Type-60 models showed themselves from the wrong side, and were disappointed in them. They had insufficient firepower, speed of movement and protection.
After the concept and project were outlined, production was launched in Mongolia (Baotou). The basis for the technique was the Type 85-IIM machine, which was produced for export. The official name of the new tank was the ZTZ88C or Type-88C. A little later, it changed to Type-96.
Modification Type-96G
Among the well-known modifications of Type-96, the most successful was the Chinese Type-96G tank. It has additional protection in the form of blocks. They are installed on and around the tower.
The public model was introduced in Beijing in 1999. Initially, it was an elite car. Only with time did the tank begin to be delivered to the main army, replacing those already written off. The state took such a step in 2005.
The engine that is in the tank is diesel. Its maximum power is 1 thousand horsepower. The gearbox is a mechanical apparatus, which, combined with the unit, allows you to go through difficult places.
Armament
The gun installed on the modification has not changed since the release of the original pre-production version. It is a weapon of 125 mm, which is capable of firing both shells and missiles. The cannon can be loaded with 22 shells, which will be in the active position. In total, 42 pieces are included in the ammunition.
For a more accurate hit, the commander can use special combined sights, sensors, rangefinders, calculators. All this is preinstalled on the Chinese tank "96". Thanks to such powerful equipment, shooting can be carried out from a moving machine without the slightest error.
Tank undercarriage
As already described, the machine has a very powerful diesel engine. If we compare the model with the Russian one in terms of speed, then the Chinese one still wins. According to some sources, it can be assumed that for the biathlon competition, the Asian side equipped the Chinese tank with an aggregate of 1200 liters. from.
The engine was modeled based on the Soviet model B-54. Planetary manual gearbox - the eternal friend of the engine of Chinese tanks. It is used in most machines. Moreover, they are combined in a special unit. This is done so that in an emergency they can be quickly replaced.
Protection
Judging by the statements made by the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the PRC, the Chinese tank Type-96 is equipped with an armored sheet that has a multi-layer combined structure. If you simply rely on photographs (which remains to be done), then the protection on the tower, the sides of the hull and in the bow area is clearly visible. According to reports from insiders, the sheets are a homogeneous plate. Maybe not so on all tanks, but most certainly.
Moreover, the crew is protected from weapons of mass destruction by special systems, in particular fire fighting systems. In addition to the usual gun, the tank has two machine guns of different calibres.
Appearance
Together with the cannon, the length of the tank is a little over 10 meters. Its width is 3372 mm. Machine height no more than 2300 mm; clearance has an excellent indicator (48 cm). The latter factor favorably affects the cross.
At biathlon competitions, the Chinese tank seemed very fast and more maneuverable than its opponents. Although this effect could arise due to the fact that the feed of the machine was damaged. After the Chinese commanders noticed this, they began to handle equipment more carefully. The speed and accuracy of the shooting amazed everyone. No wonder this model is in service in many states and countries.
Considering the Asian combat vehicles in more detail and reviewing Chinese tanks, it is worth noting that in addition to the Type-96, the Type-99 is also successful. More recently, a new modification of the latter has been released. It is better protected, but thanks to additional armor, the mass of equipment has increased to 58 tons. In addition to these options, such tanks from China as the Jaguar, Tip-88, and others are well known to the world.