Some sources claim the gun is a license-produced version of the Russian 2A46M, but that is not the case – the gun is longer. The main armament is the automatically loaded fully stabilized Chinese 125mm ZPT-98 smoothbore gun, capable of firing 9M119M Invar and 9M119M1 Invar-M missiles (the often-cited Refleks designation belongs to the launching system, not the missiles themselves) along with other standard former Warsaw Pact 125mm ammunition. The desired effect of this is the damaging of enemy optics and temporary blindness of the enemy gunner. Type 99 is equipped with a JD-3 laser system that allows it to send high intensity laser bursts (dazzling) at targets that are using their own lasers to target the Type 99 MBT. The vehicle is protected by composite armor and by an advanced spaced armor kit and ERA (allegedly comparable to Russian Relikt), resulting in an estimated frontal protection on par with the newer variants of the Russian T-90 MBT (roughly 1000-1200mm of RHAe versus HEAT rounds). The hull is low and generally typical of Chinese tanks but, unlike the previous Chinese MBTs, the turret is welded. Type 99 Prototype during parade rehearsals, 1999 The prototype and production Type 99 both abandon the Soviet concept of tanks in favor of more western technology, even though traces of Russian designs can be found deep inside the vehicle. A prototype called 9910 (often – incorrectly – labeled as Type 98) was first shown in public on the Chinese National Day military parade on October 1 1999. The general consensus is that the production variant of the Type 99 MBT was developed from the Type 99 prototype as China's first true third generation MBT. However, some content in the Battle Path will be tied to China’s best-known and perhaps most important armored vehicle, the Type 99 series Main Battle Tank, so let’s refresh our memory about what the vehicle is.Īs is common with many Asian vehicles (the Chinese in particular), there is very little official information and much of what we know is based on various estimates from military analysts working for reputable sources. As you are probably already aware or have deduced from the name, the next Battle Path named “Rise of the Dragon” is going to be Chinese-themed with four new Premium vehicles hailing from the Middle Kingdom.
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