An excellent insight on how the AK prototype went through the most difficult conditions all the way where we see them today. Also note Chinese appraisal for Pak Army's stringent requirements backed by war experience...
"Interviews 90-2 tank chief design engineer horse to create shade: 　　 　　90-2 development processes 　　 　　90-2 tanks are one kind feed specially the export the 3rd generation of main battle tank. in 1990 China Weapons industry Corporation and the user country conclude and sign contract, developed the MBT2000 tank jointly, 1990-1994 years have developed the first paper vehicle, 90-2 pieces were the volume production code numbers. 　　 　　in 1994 the horse always took the post of 90-2 chief design engineers, 1994-1999 years have altogether developed 4 90-2 paper vehicles, because the user requested 90-2 equipment advanced high efficiency power bay, must realize fluid drive, the engine power not to be lower than 735 kilowatts, therefore developed arrived at many difficulties finally. 　　 　　At that time although the home had satisfies the request the engine, actually was also unable to provide conforms to the request gear box, therefore both sides decided together from the international market purchase, the earliest plan was uses domestically produced 96DZ882 kilowatts engines coordinate German ZF Corporation's LSG-3000 gearbox. This combination may satisfy the request, but the mid-1990s Germany National Security Council actually overruled has exported LSG-3000 the contract, developed the personnel only to be able once more shaping. 　　 　　Passes through determined to engine's shaping that 90-2 have realized 7 front motions, 4 reverse gear highest back-draft speed may amount to for 30 kilometers/hours, but may also the both sides caterpillar band reverse in-situ change, has met the user country's tactical technical characteristics need. 　　 　　Because 90-2 chasses, the motion part, the artillery, fire control, the protection division system is our country independently develops, therefore the power bay question solves latter 90-2 finalizes to enter the trial production stage very quickly, the first batch production's tank has accepted the strict inspection in the user country,Displayed the outstanding performance. in 2006 the user country military has signed the mass purchase contract satisfied, total quantity purchased several hundred, valued at several billions US dollars, became at that time one of Our country Weapons industry System Related Enterprise's important output value origins.
“tremendous dangers and difficulties” use environment 　　 　　The horse always introduced that 90-2 the tactical technology inspection which accepted in the user country is extremely severe, many test conditions and the experiment content were domestic never. This is because the user country and the simulated enemy sea and air strength disparity is huge, therefore takes seriously to the army material, not only its assessment criteria compared to our country military standard strict many, even must be severer than many Western countries. However this kind of high standard is not competes, but is the user country the experience which summarizes in all previous war. 　　 　　First is the adverse circumstance inspection, the locality summer the temperature is frequently 45 degrees - 53 degrees, the humidity is 30%-60%, the road surface often is the sand dune and the deep sand. The local sand does not look like our country northwest desert such to become granulated, but is the dust shape. This to the tank entire system, formed the severe test particularly to the observation and sighting system, two generation of low light level night vision devices which on the initial models vehicle equipped the performance has been quite splendid under the domestic environment, but in user country high temperature, under multi-dust environment range coverage large scale drop. 　　 　　The tank goes the durable experiment is severe. The experiment period paper vehicle wants the race car 150-200 kilometers every day, every year must undergo the continual travel inspection which 400 kilometers do not stop. Perhaps this target the automobile which went to the road on does not calculate anything, but to the desert bad-land upward time tracked vehicle is the nightmarish experience simply, famous western tank, including the American M1A1 tank when this country inspected has not passed. 　　 　　What is more interesting is fires at the experiment to inspect. Compares with the simulated enemy, this country's land area is small, strategic vertical depth, once looks with the invasion pre-battle mobilization is hasty, therefore requests the tank, in does not permit the school artillery, the ammunition after the open country 40 degrees - 50 degree insolations fire, is away from is 1.8-2.5 kilometers generally immediately; But moves to moves the fire to carry on the big fluctuation road surface, on 2 kilometers distances, becomes 45° under the condition with the target vehicle to fire. Sometimes the tank just completed the long distance race car, is requested to shoot at the target immediately. 　　 　　The author believed that the user country bases encounters the enemy after the supposition ignites the invasion, the Tank unit does not have in advance prepares in the situation hastily to carry on long distance tracked march, then meets the request which the enemy launches slaughters frigidly to put forward these inspection condition immediately.
Then, 90-2 can satisfy reasonably these actually has the harsh condition? 　　 　　The key attack satisfies the request 　　 　　The user country military's key hypothetical-enemy is Russia's T-90C tank. For in the common battle is away from can resist the T-90C launch the armor piercer, the scientific researchers were 90-2 design lowly, the fine chassis contour, the chassis have designed 6 plans, the turret shape to design 2 kind of plans successively successively directly, after undergoing the target practice experiment, has determined present's shape. 　　 　　90-2 use the advanced composite armor and the applique armor, the side and positive welcomes the ball area in the same tonnage vehicles is quite small, to enhance the tank body and the turret frontage against armor-piercing shell 90-2 also designs has dressed up the reactive armor to hang the spot, after shot at the target the experiment to determine several times we see today contour. 　　 　　In order to satisfy the user to be rightThe artillery precision's demand, 90-2 have used the hydraulic pressure from the tight-fitting tube and the chamber chrome-plating technology, makes the tube life to enhance to 500 rounds, artillery is higher than 200 rounds compared to T-90C the use 2A46M. User country after many times after artillery fire surveys the inside diameter change quantity immediately, finally indicated that 90-2 artilleries have achieved the world advanced level, moreover occurs some matters also proved that our country's 125 millimeters artilleries surpass 2A46M truly in the precision and the life aspect. 　　 　　90-2 212B fire control systems are another luminescent spot, is also user's key inspection project. Because the imaginary battlefield is relatively open, who can discover first, open fire first can win. Therefore 90-2 used the thermal imaging system to substitute the low light level night vision device, has solved high temperature, under the multi-dust environment range coverage question; The gunner telescopic sights change by the single percentage double rate, enhanced laser ranging's range coverage; Vehicle commander Zhou Shijing changes bistable by initial models vehicle's Shan Wen, and has solved a series of technical question; Increased the automatic tracking loop. Not only the above many measures approve in our country produce on the tank to use for the first time, and has also solved the massive reliability and the quality question. In addition, increases unceasingly along with the electronic system in the development with the complication, the turret inner space increases gradually, the careful reader contrasted 1992 90-2 pictures and official export MBT2000, might discover that the turret expanded obviously. 　　 　　The automatic feed mechanism is in 90-2 developments another major problem. The development initial period uses the survey imitation overseas model the automatic feed mechanism, but this kind of series connected movement's automatic feed mechanism failure rate is very high. The scientific researchers have carried on 29 attacks to it, enhanced the reliability greatly, has met the user country need. At present the horse always leads the scientific researchers to change it the computer control. 　　 　　Perhaps likes tank's reader knowing that the motion part is the subsystem which the tank is easiest to have problems. The tank appears almost has 90 remaining years of life until now, but can independently develop the tank motion part the country actually not to have several. This domain involves domains and so on metallurgy, machine manufacture, several dozens year heavy industry technology has not accumulated is unable to bribe. Our country makes before then the tank many are 40 tonners, but 90-2 already approached 50 tons, must design brand-new. Before Assembly shop's 90-2 end product vehicle, Ma Zongzhi each one components was introducing in detail for reporter that the proud sentiment reveals in speech and appearance. In order to satisfy the user the harsh request, the scientific research and the production personnels to the driving pulley surface treatment craft, bogie aspects and so on rubber tire formula, track roller design, track pin material and structure have made the massive attacks, the union overseas advanced caterpillar band technology, developed finally has met the need the motion part.
After the above attack and the improvement, 90-2 underwent the user approaching barbaric test. Little while ago the user announced a section of MBT2000 race car video recording - - tank soldier to drive the tank in the open country, even the long distance marched forward high speed in the shallow river course. The horse always introduced that said the user country tank soldier's road sense is very high, therefore is also very high to tank's request, when trial production raid of payment, user country premier once personally drove the experience, commended repeatedly openly expresses 90-2 and drives the automobile to be equally easy. 　　 　　The horse always also specially introduced necessary BW654 the tank recovery trailer tractor. This kind of vehicle's hoisting up ability reaches, is in the present world hoists up the ability biggest recovery vehicle. The reason that needs the such great tonnage the recovery vehicle, is the user proposed when battlefield replacement bogie or caterpillar band, must use to repair in a rush the steering handle to repair the side to hang completely. Perhaps this is the experience which in the combat, the exercise comes. Reporter asks the horse curiously always, is two BW654 may 90-2 hang completely one “raises” walks? Ma Zongxiao was saying that should be this. 　　 　　After such long and difficult development, 90-2 and simulated enemy does T-90C compare actually how? The horse always proudly said that 90-2 in all targets not weakly in T-90C, in aspect and so on specific power, moving velocity, traffic capacity, observation and sighting ability, fire control system reaction time, accent artillery speed key indicators also surpass T-90C. 　　 　　Compared with an interesting target is the armor protection, Russia does not have the public T-90C barrier property. However may discover from the battle weight and the vehicles size's comparison that 90-2 and the T-90C length, the width, high are close, simple ratio T-90C heavy about 1.8 tons. Was considering that is basically same to 90-2 power bay sizes and T-90C, shell quantity are only more than T-90C 3 rounds, therefore may judge this 1.8 tons which more than 90-2 come out basically is the armor. Its overall protection should surpass T-90C. 　　 　　90-2 post-sale service work are very similarly also splendid. Not only the Chinese side supplies the sufficient spare parts promptly. Also accredits the technical group in the user country handling question. The Chinese side also supports the path which the user country walks relies on one's own effort to revive, helped it to establish the large-scale repair shop, from the routine maintenance to the overhaul could in the local solution, safeguard the battle efficiency. The user country is satisfied. After comparatively certain national purchase tank, not only cannot fix, even Che Xiuhuai, must return to frequently produces the country to repair originally.
