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Type 15 tank
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Type 15 tank
The Type 15 (Chinese: 15式轻型坦克; pinyin: yīwǔ shì qīngxíng tǎnkè, also designated ZTQ-15), codenamed the Black Panther (Chinese: 黑豹; pinyin: hēi bào), is a Chinese third generation light tank family operated by the People's Liberation Army Ground Force, People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps, and People's Liberation Army Air Force Airborne Corps. The tank has also been exported to the Bangladesh Army. It is the effective successor to the Type 62 light tank that was retired from the Chinese army in 2013. The export version of the tank is known as VT-5.
During development, the Type 15 was repeatedly sighted by Chinese citizens, with sightings as early as 2011. The Type 15 entered mass production in 2016. In December 2018, the tank was officially acknowledged to be in active service. It was showcased in the 70th National Day parade on October 1, 2019.
The Type 15 is designed to fulfill the requirement for a lighter, more mobile modern tank that can effectively operate in highland/plateau, woodland and water-rich regions where the heavier Type 99 and Type 96 main battle tanks might have difficulties traversing.
In high altitude regions like Tibet, the air becomes thin and engines start to lose power. Heavily armored vehicles such as T-72 and T-90 main battle tanks will have difficulty to traverse in the hypoxic environment, but the Type-15 light tank can operate at high altitudes with its powerful engine and oxygen generators. Type-15 is also much more mobile than heavier main battle tanks due to its light weight and high power-to-weight ratio.
The Type 15 light tank features a fully stabilized 105 mm rifled gun, which is reportedly superior to the old ZPL-94 105 mm rifled gun fitted on Type 88 and Type 59 tanks. It is reported that the main gun has an effective firing range of 3 km and is compatible with all standard NATO 105 mm tank ammunition. The sustained fire rate is supported by a bustle-mounted autoloader system, which reduces the crew to 3. The Type 15 tank can hold 38 rounds of various 105 mm shells.
The ammunition selections include APFSDS, HEAT and HE (High explosive) rounds and gun-launched ATGM. APFSDS and HEAT rounds are used against enemy armor while HE round is used against enemy infantry positions, light/non-armored vehicles, buildings, and field fortifications. The APFSDS projectiles are capable of penetrating 500 mm (20 in) of armored steel at 2,000 metres (1.2 mi).
The penetration capabilities of 105 mm APFSDS are not considered as sufficient to penetrate the front armor of modern main battle tanks such as T-90 or VT-4. To defeat well-protected opponents, the tank would use the 105 mm gun-launched ATGM with tandem high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warheads, offering much higher penetration. The missile reportedly has a range of 5 km and is capable of engaging low-flying helicopters.
Other armament includes a QJT-88 5.8 mm coaxial machine gun, a remotely controlled weapon station mounted on the turret roof, which is fitted with QLZ-04 35 mm automatic grenade launcher and QJC-88 12.7 mm heavy machine gun.
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Type 15 tank
The Type 15 (Chinese: 15式轻型坦克; pinyin: yīwǔ shì qīngxíng tǎnkè, also designated ZTQ-15), codenamed the Black Panther (Chinese: 黑豹; pinyin: hēi bào), is a Chinese third generation light tank family operated by the People's Liberation Army Ground Force, People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps, and People's Liberation Army Air Force Airborne Corps. The tank has also been exported to the Bangladesh Army. It is the effective successor to the Type 62 light tank that was retired from the Chinese army in 2013. The export version of the tank is known as VT-5.
During development, the Type 15 was repeatedly sighted by Chinese citizens, with sightings as early as 2011. The Type 15 entered mass production in 2016. In December 2018, the tank was officially acknowledged to be in active service. It was showcased in the 70th National Day parade on October 1, 2019.
The Type 15 is designed to fulfill the requirement for a lighter, more mobile modern tank that can effectively operate in highland/plateau, woodland and water-rich regions where the heavier Type 99 and Type 96 main battle tanks might have difficulties traversing.
In high altitude regions like Tibet, the air becomes thin and engines start to lose power. Heavily armored vehicles such as T-72 and T-90 main battle tanks will have difficulty to traverse in the hypoxic environment, but the Type-15 light tank can operate at high altitudes with its powerful engine and oxygen generators. Type-15 is also much more mobile than heavier main battle tanks due to its light weight and high power-to-weight ratio.
The Type 15 light tank features a fully stabilized 105 mm rifled gun, which is reportedly superior to the old ZPL-94 105 mm rifled gun fitted on Type 88 and Type 59 tanks. It is reported that the main gun has an effective firing range of 3 km and is compatible with all standard NATO 105 mm tank ammunition. The sustained fire rate is supported by a bustle-mounted autoloader system, which reduces the crew to 3. The Type 15 tank can hold 38 rounds of various 105 mm shells.
The ammunition selections include APFSDS, HEAT and HE (High explosive) rounds and gun-launched ATGM. APFSDS and HEAT rounds are used against enemy armor while HE round is used against enemy infantry positions, light/non-armored vehicles, buildings, and field fortifications. The APFSDS projectiles are capable of penetrating 500 mm (20 in) of armored steel at 2,000 metres (1.2 mi).
The penetration capabilities of 105 mm APFSDS are not considered as sufficient to penetrate the front armor of modern main battle tanks such as T-90 or VT-4. To defeat well-protected opponents, the tank would use the 105 mm gun-launched ATGM with tandem high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warheads, offering much higher penetration. The missile reportedly has a range of 5 km and is capable of engaging low-flying helicopters.
Other armament includes a QJT-88 5.8 mm coaxial machine gun, a remotely controlled weapon station mounted on the turret roof, which is fitted with QLZ-04 35 mm automatic grenade launcher and QJC-88 12.7 mm heavy machine gun.
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