Chinese Tanks & Armored Vehicles

LKJ86 · Dec 27, 2018

ZTQ-15 light tank

Zarvan · Dec 27, 2018

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The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has formally accepted into service a new Type 15 light tank.

On December 27, the spokesman of Chinese Defence Ministry, Senior Colonel Wu Qin, during a press conference, confirmed the inducted into service of a new Type 15 light tank (export designation -VT-5).

“As for the light tank Type 15 … as far as I know, this type of tank was formally accepted into service by the PLA, ” – said Wu Qin.

The Type 15m, also called the ZTQ-15, is a new generation of Chinese light tank.

According to open source, a new light tank specifically designed for operations in mountainous regions. The new tank was designated to serve in high-altitude, rugged terrain such as in the Tibet autonomous region, so it has a light weight and a powerful diesel engine suitable for oxygen-deficit environments.

It is armed with a 105 mm gun, protected against handheld anti-tank weapons and believed to be fitted with a powerful engine that provides strong off-road mobility.

According to Chinese reports, the tank weighs about 35 tonnes and has a crew of four, although there is speculation that an autoloader for its main gun may dispense with one crew member.

A new light tank has got a modern fire control system. It includes laser rangefinder, ballistic computer, wind sensor, gunner’s thermal sight and commander’s panoramic sight with thermal vision. Thermal vision allows to engage targets at night and during adverse weather conditions.

https://defence-blog.com/army/china...OERw0M_-OGb4mWNRRXtSJOFdu-7rBxiaWpk70xp5OvO5k

Feng Leng · Dec 27, 2018

These tanks made Modi wet himself when deployed at the Western theater during the Doklam stand off.

Zarvan · Dec 29, 2018

A scale model of the interior bay of the Chinese HZ PPB in its folded position, showing a gap for the water propulsion system. Source: Christopher F Foss

The China Harzone Industry Corporation Ltd, a subsidiary of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC), is marketing its latest HZ Power Pontoon Bridge (PPB) in a Military Load Class 80 (MLC 80) configuration on the export market.

The HZ PPB has been deployed by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and can be rapidly deployed over rivers or wet gaps with a velocity of less than 2.5 m/s. In Western military terms, a PPB would be referred to as a 'powered ribbon bridge'.

One standard HZ PPB set consists of two ramp bays and eight interior bays, with each of these elements being transported by a 6×6 cross-country truck and 30 operating personnel. A complete HZ PPB set can be used to form a 104 m long floating bridge in about 15 minutes, and this can then take tracked loads of up to 72 tonnes. The complete bridge is 8.3 m wide and 5 m of that is the carriageway.

In addition to being used as a floating bridge, it can also be used to rapidly construct ferries with a capacity of 20, 40, 60, or 85 tonnes, depending on the number of interior bays used. Each ferry would typically have one ramp bay and a number of interior bays to suit the required load, and each interior bay has a capacity of 20 tonnes.

An individual HZ PPB element is carried folded on the transport vehicle, which then backs to the water's edge and a stabiliser is lowered on either side at the rear. The element then slides into the water where it unfolds. Each of the interior bays has its own water propulsion unit. This feature enables the HZ PPB to be rapidly deployed without motor boats.

The standard Chinese HZ ribbon bridge, which has been deployed by the PLA for many years, consists of 14 interior bays, two ramp bays, and five motor boats.

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https://www.janes.com/article/85415/china-fields-more-capable-pontoon-bridge