File:ZTZ-99A_tank_front_20170902.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Key facts
- Type
- Main battle tank
- Place of origin
- China
- In service
- 2001 (Type 99), 2011–present (Type 99A)
- Used by
- See Operators
- Designer
- 201st Research Institute
- Manufacturer
- Baotou Tank Plant
- Unit cost
- $2.5 million
- Produced
- 1998–2001 (Type 98), 2001–2011 (Type 99), 2007–present (Type 99A)
- Number span no built
- ~1,300
- Mass
- 51 tonnes (Type 98) , 55 tonnes (Type 99A)
- Length
- Hull: 7.6 metres (25 ft), Gun forward: 11 metres (36 ft)
- Width
- Hull: 3.7 metres (12 ft)
- Height
- Hull: 2.35 metres (7.7 ft)
- Crew
- 3 (commander, driver, gunner)
- Armor
- Classified. , Anticipated to be welded turret with applique and modular composite/ reactive armor
- Main armament
- 125mm ZPT-98 smoothbore gun (42 Rounds; autoloader)
- Secondary armament
- QJC-88 heavy machine gun , Type 86 coaxial machine gun
- Engine
- 150HB liquid-cooled V12 twin-turbo diesel 33.9 litre, 1,500 hp (1,119 kW)
via Wikipedia infobox
~15 min read
Encyclopedic overview
The Type 99 (Chinese: 99式主战坦克; pinyin: Jiǔjiǔshì Zhǔzhàn Tǎnkè) or ZTZ-99 is a Chinese third generation main battle tank (MBT). The vehicle was a replacement for the aging Type 88 introduced in the late 1980s. The Type 99 MBT was China's first mass-produced third-generation main battle tank. Combining modular composite armour and tandem-charge defeating ERA, 125 mm smoothbore gun with ATGM-capability, high mobility, digital systems and optics, the Type 99 represents a shift towards rapid modernization by the PLA.
The Type 99 is based on the Soviet T-72 chassis. The tank entered People's Liberation Army (PLA) service in 2001. The People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) is the sole operator of the Type 99. Three main versions of the Type 99 have been deployed: the Type 98 prototype, Type 99 and the Type 99A. The Type 99 forms the core of China’s modern maneuver combat capabilities, with over 1,300 tanks built for the past two decades.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Type 99 tank” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.