Type 99G Main battle tank (China)
Channel: Main Battle Tank
Date: 20/01/2023

The Type 99G is a Chinese main battle tank. It is an improved version of the Type 99, which was adopted by the Chinese army back in 2001. This tank is also referred as the Type 99A, Type 99A1 and Type 99A2. It has a number of improvements over the baseline Type 99, related with fire control, targeting and countermeasures systems and modified suspension. Also it has a raised engine compartment, which most likely indicates the use of new engine. It was first tested in 2007 and was adopted by the China's army in 2014. This tank was first publicly revealed in 2015. Currently it is the most capable main battle tank, in service with the China's army.

   This main battle tank shows a mixture of Russian and Western influence in its design and technology. Hull of the Type 99G is externally similar to the Soviet T-72 tank.

   The Type 99G uses modular add-on explosive reactive armor. Damaged sections to be replaced or upgraded when more advanced armor is available. Protection of the Type 99G over the front arc might be equivalent to 1 000-1 200 mm of rolled homogenous armor. The tank is fitted with NBC protection system and automatic fire suppression system.

   This main battle tank is fitted with unique active laser protection system, which uses a high-powered laser to disrupt missiles laser or infrared guidance signal, disable enemy observation optics and damage eyesight of enemy gunner. This active laser protection system can also be used against helicopters. Such systems are only used by the Chinese army.

   This Chinese tank is armed with a ZPT98 125 mm smoothbore gun. The gun was copied from Soviet/Russian designs. It fires APFSDS, HEAT and HE-FRAG rounds. This tank might also uses more capable APFSDS rounds with depleted uranium penetrators.

   The Type 99G main battle tank is compatible with Russian 9M119M Refleks (Western designation AT-11 Sniper-B) gun-launched anti-tank guided missiles, fired in the same manner as ordinary projectiles. China produces this anti-tank missile system under license. This missile has a maximum effective range of 4-5 km and can target helicopters. These missiles are used to extend the reach of the tank, because the 125 mm gun is not that accurate at longer ranges. The missiles have an 80% hit probability at a range of 4 km and 70% hit probability at 5 km range. A total of four missiles are carried and stored alongside ordinary rounds.

   The Type 99G tank is fitted with a carousel-type autoloader. The autoloader, as well as the gun, was also copied from Soviet/Russian designs. Maximum rate of fire in 8 rounds per minute. In case of emergency the gun might be loaded manually. Though in this case the firing rate reduced to 1-2 rounds per minute. Around 41 rounds, including anti-tank guided missiles, are carried for the main gun.

   Secondary armament consists of coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and a roof-mounted 12.7 mm machine gun.

   This tank has a panoramic commander's sight with thermal imaging and has a hunter-killer capability. Its fire control system of this tank incorporates laser rangefinder and automatic target tracker. Fire control system of this tank is clearly superior to those, used by the Soviet T-72 series tanks. It might even be superior to that, used by the Russian T-90 MBT.

   Unusual feature of this tank is a laser communication device. It is mounted behind commander's hatch and is used for a line of sight information transmission. It can send encrypted text, data or voice messages. Furthermore it is used for friend or foe identification. This system has an effective range of 3 600 m. Tank can also be fitted with GPS receiver for navigation and positioning.

   The Type 99G is operated by a crew of three, including commander, gunner and driver.

   The Type 99G has has a raised engine compartment, which most likely indicated the use of new engine. The baseline Type 99 is powered by a diesel engine, developing 1 500 hp. This tank has a high power to weight ratio and subsequently good mobility and cross-country performance. The Type 99G has a built-in self entrenching blade. It can prepare itself an emplacement within 12-40 minutes without the help of specialized engineer vehicles. External fuel tanks can be carried at the rear of the hull in order to extend the road range from 600 to 800 km.