Chinese light tanks

[Ayoshi]

NORINCO details VT5 lightweight MBT | IHS Jane's 360 - 01 November 2016

China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) debuted its VT5 lightweight main battle tank (MBT) at Airshow China 2016 in Zhuhai.

The VT5 has been developed specifically for the export market and has a combat weight of between 33 and 36 tonnes, depending on the armour package fitted and measures 9.20 m (gun forward) in length, by 3.30 m (with side skirts) in width, and 2.50 m (turret roof) in height.

The baseline hull and turret is all-welded steel armour to which a modular protection package can be fitted depending on the end user's operational requirements. This can include advanced composite armour, explosive reactive armour (ERA), or a mix of the two.

The Chinese VT5 lightweight MBT has a combat weight of between 33 and 36 tonnes depending on its armour package. It is powered by a 1,000 hp diesel engine. Source: Christopher F Foss

[Ayoshi]

China possibly equipping PLA ground units with new light tank | IHS Jane's 360 - 05 January 2017

Posted on 31 December on the CJDBY and FYJS websites, the images show around 10 of the new tanks on railway flatbed cars at what appears to be the Guilin railway station in China's southern Guangxi Province. The tanks' transit through Guilin could indicate their initial delivery to units assigned to the PLA's new Southern Theatre Command.

In January 2016, the popular Chinese web portal Sina.com published a report on the tank - the designation of which has yet to be revealed - that assessed its history and missions and provided new details on its armament and features.

Corroborating previous reports that the tank weighs about 35 tonnes, the Sina.com report noted that the vehicle has a crew of four. There has also been speculation that the use of an autoloader for its 105 mm main gun reduces its crew to three. The gun can fire tungsten alloy anti-tank rounds that can penetrate up to 500 mm of armour as well as gun-launched missiles, according to the Sina.com report.

One of China's new light tanks on a railway flatbed car at what seems to be the Guilin railway station in China's southern Guangxi Province. Source: Via CJDBY website

=====

ZTQ light tank with 105mm cannon now in service with the Chinese armed forces. | army recognition - 04 January 2017

The ZTQ light tank could replace the old Type 62 light tank developed in the early 1960s. The ZTQ has a turret very similar to the main battle tank ZTZ-99 but armed with a 105mm cannon. The main sights and the commander’s optics seem to be derived from the new Chinese tank ZTZ-99A2.
 
The export version of the ZTQ light tank called VT5 was showed for the first time during the Zhuhai Air Show in November 2016.

According our analysis of pictures released on Internet, the ZTQ light tank seems to be made in all-welded steel armour. The tank is also fitted with an Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) on the front and on each side of the turret offering more protection against shaped charges and specially hardened kinetic energy penetrators.

[Ayoshi]

China confirms conducting trials of new light battle tank in Tibet | IHS Jane's 360 - 30 June 2017

An article published on the Chinese website Guancha.cn on 11 June featured images showing what appears to be the new LBT being driven earlier that month on what the report claims is a road in Tibet.

The LBT appears to be a development of the light tank Jane's reported about on 4 January. It has a box-shaped hull that is shorter and narrower that of the Type 96, although its shape is similar to that of the Type 99A with an elevated portion to the rear providing room for the powerpack.

The tank has a shallow glacis and belly plate that are protected by considerable amounts of explosive reactive armour (ERA) to form an angular nose. The ERA seen on the tank is likely to be that of the FY series developed by the China North Industries Group Corporation (Norinco Group).

An article published on the Chinese website Guancha.cn on 11 June showed images of what appears to be a new Chinese lightweight tank being driven on what the report claims is a road in Tibet. Source: Via Guancha.

[Ayoshi]

Photos taken from: China Defense Blog

ZTQ-15 light tank unmasked.
While PLA's own ZTQ-15 might not be 100% identical to the export VT-5 (note the driver position), they sure share the same 105mm tank gun, RWS and 35mm AGL+12,7mm HMG for self-defense.   

-

35mm AGL+12,7mm HMG
-

-

[Ayoshi]

New 105mm light tank for Chinese marine corps | Army Recognition - 20 July 2018

In mid-July, a Chinese blog published a picture of a light battle tank in “Smurf” blue camouflage driving through a village, indicating the Chinese armed forces have added a new tank to their marine corps inventory.

< snipped >

The new tank could also serve in the PLA’s amphibious mechanized infantry divisions (AMID) rather than the PLAMC. China is also in the middle of expanding this force from two to four AMIDs, with each unit equipped with up to 300 armored and amphibious transport vehicles, as well as MBTs.

The new ZTQ-15 lightweight battle tank of the PLA's marine corps (Picture source: Chinese blog)

[Ayoshi]

China: Type 15 light tank scale model unveiled in Beijing | Army Recognition - 26 November 2018 11:04

China has recently unveiled its new 30-ton-class light tank, the Type 15, with experts saying it can outperform other Chinese tanks in combat operations in plateau areas like Tibet, while also holding advantages in island landing missions.

< snipped >

The tank appears adapted to China's southern area, given its mountainous terrain there. The Type 15 can also be quickly deployed in Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Although the Type 15 was spotted several times by Chinese citizens in the past, this is the first time that China officially introduced its latest light tank. In July, a tank suspected to be a Type 15, which was painted with naval camouflage was photographed in China at an unknown location. The photo sparked discussions among military observers, with some saying that China could deploy the tank when there is a need to seize an island. After gaining ground on the shore, a tank like Type 15 can work better than an amphibious tank when charging into deeper areas due to its higher mobility, Wei noted.

Boasting a similar 105-millimeter main gun, the 30-ton-class VT-5 made by China North Industries Group Corporation is a made-for-export light tank.

[Ayoshi]

Chinese army inducts Type 15 lightweight tank | Janes - 31 December 2018

China's Ministry of National Defence (MND) revealed on 27 December that the Type 15 (also commonly referred to as ZTQ-15) lightweight battle tank has officially entered service with the People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF).

< snipped >

The announcement came after an image emerged on Chinese online forums in July suggesting that the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) may also be equipping its marine corps with the locally developed tank.

[Ayoshi]

New light tank Type 15 enters in service with Chinese army | Army Recognition - 28 December 2018 11:01

The main armament of the Type 15 consists of one 105 mm rifled gun with thermal sleeve and fume extractor which has a maximum firing range of 3,000m. The main armament also includes an automatic loading system. The empty cartridge cases are ejected via a small hatch located at the rear of the turret.

Second armament of the VT5 includes one remotely operated weapon station mounted on the roof of the turret which is armed with a 12.7mm machine gun and one 40mm automatic grenade launcher.

Chinese Type 15 light tank in live demonstration at China AirShow, November 2018. (Picture source Army Recognition)

[Ayoshi]

https://www.janes.com/article/90312/china-s-vt5-tank-to-be-fitted-with-active-protection-system

China’s VT5 tank to be fitted with active protection system
06 August 2019

The system will be small and light and is expected to function by detecting incoming projectiles and intercepting them with a rocket, said the newspaper without providing further details about the APS.

The VT5, which has been developed specifically for the export market, is armed with a 105 mm-rifled gun derived from the Royal Ordnance L7 gun that was used to equip NATO tanks during the Cold War.

[Ayoshi]

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/plagfs-75th-group-army-receives-additional-type-15-lightweight-tanks

22 September 2020
PLAGF's 75th Group Army receives additional Type 15 lightweight tanks

The 75th Group Army of the People’s Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) has received additional units of the Type 15 (also known as ZTQ-15) lightweight battle tank.

In an announcement made on 20 September via its WeChat account, the PLA’s Southern Theatre Command, under which the 75th Group Army operates, showed images of several Type 15s being inducted into service with a brigade during a ceremony held at an undisclosed location.

The PLA’s Southern Theatre Command announced on 20 September that several units of the Type 15 lightweight battle tank were handed over to a brigade under the 75th Group Army. (Southern Theatre Command via WeChat)