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Featured Analysis: Indian T-90S main battle tank facing Chinese Type 15 light tank

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Analysis: Indian T-90S main battle tank facing Chinese Type 15 light tank
weapons defence industry military technology UK
POSTED ON WEDNESDAY, 05 AUGUST 2020 14:53
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According to Indian sources, India has deployed its Russian-made T-90S main battle tanks called Bhishma in the mountainous border region of Ladakh. But how can a 47-ton tank move in mountainous regions with narrow and steep roads, and bridges that can’t be crossed by heavy tanks? China has developed Type 15, a light tank especially designed to be used in such mountainous regions, as it weighs only 33 tons.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Indian_T-90S_main_battle_tank_facing_Chinese_Type_15_light_tank_analysis_925_001.jpg

Indian T-90S main battle tank facing Chinese Type 15 light tank in the mountainous border region of Ladakh. (Picture source Army Recognition)

In December 2018, the Chinese Ministry of Defense announced that the Type 15 had officially entered in service with the People's Liberation Army. The tank was unveiled to the public during a military parade held in Beijing in October 2019.

The Type 15, also called ZTQ-15 or VT5 for the export version, is a new generation of light tank developed and manufactured by the Chinese company NORINCO. Type 15 was designed to meet requirements of the Chinese army for a tank that could efficiently operate in highland and plateaus like the Tibetan region, offering as much mobility and firepower as a standard main battle tank.

Type 15 is armed with a 105mm rifled gun with a thermal sleeve and fume extractor that has a maximum range of 3,000 meters. The gun is able to fire new advanced tungsten alloy armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabots (APFSDS) capable of penetrating 500 mm of armored steel at 2,000 meters. This new 105mm ammunition can thus penetrate the armor of most of the main battle tanks currently used by various South and Southwestern Asian countries. The tank is fitted with an automatic loading system with a total of 38 rounds. Its gun can also launch anti-tank guided missiles. These missiles extend the effective range to up to 5 km and have a hit probability of over 90% against stationary targets.

Indian_T-90S_main_battle_tank_facing_Chinese_Type_15_light_tank_analysis_925_003.jpg

Chine-made Type 15 light tank at Zhuhai air show defense exhibition (Picture source Army Recognition)


The Type 15 weighs between 33 and 36 tons depending of the armor package. In the light version, the tank can be transported by military aircraft. According to Chinese military sources, Type 15 can be dropped by an aircraft flying at low speed, using large parachutes.

In terms of mobility, Type 15 is powered by a 1,000 hp electronically controlled diesel engine, coupled to a hydro-mechanical fully automatic transmission with a pivot steering capability. It can reach a maximum road speed of 70 km/h, or 40 km/h in off-road conditions.

The Type 15 has a crew of three: driver, commander and gunner. The hull and the turret of Type 15 are made of all-welded steel armor that provides protection against firing of small arms and artillery shell splinters. To increase the protection against anti-tank guided missile and rocket-propelled grenades, the tank can be fitted with advanced composite armor and/or explosive reactive armor, along with slat armor.

Indian_T-90S_main_battle_tank_facing_Chinese_Type_15_light_tank_analysis_925_002.jpg

Indian Army T-90S main battle tank (Picture source militarywatchmagazine)


The Indian Main Battle Tank T-90S Bhishma is an enhanced version of the Russian-made T-90 with new features in terms of mobility, firepower and protection. It was designed to meet the operational requirements of some Asian countries. It has a maximum weight of 47 tons. During the last modern wars, main battle tanks were used in combat on flatlands. But on difficult terrains like mountainous regions or urban areas, the tanks became only mobile howitzers and were vulnerable to short-range anti-tank weapons and missiles.

The main armament of the T-90S consists of a 125mm 2A46M smoothbore gun stabilized in two axes. The cannon is able to fire various ammunition including HE-FRAG (high-explosive fragmentation) and APFSDS-T (Armor Piercing Fin Stabilised Discarding Sabot - Tracer). It can also fire a 9M119M laser-guided projectile fitted with a tandem HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) warhead at a maximum range of 5,000 meters. The 2A46M gun is fed by an automatic loading system that can choose among 22 ready-to-fire rounds loaded in its carousel. It can load a round in 5 to 8 seconds.

The T-90S has a crew of three: a driver located at the front of the hull, a gunner and commander in the turret. The hull and turret of the T-90 over the forward arc are fitted with the latest generation of Kontakt-5 explosive reactive armor that provides protection against APFSDS and HEAT-type projectiles. In addition to being fitted to the hull and turret, Explosive Reactive Armor panels are also fitted either side of the hull front to provide lateral protection on each side of the driver's compartment.

The T-90S is motorized with a V-92S2 V-12 diesel developing 1,000 hp, coupled to a manual transmission with seven forward and one reverse gears. This gives the vehicle a maximum road speed of 65 km/h and a power-to-weight ratio of 21.50 hp/tonne. In off-road conditions, the tank can reach 40 km/h, with a maximum cruising range of 550 km.

https://www.armyrecognition.com/wea...e_tank_facing_chinese_type_15_light_tank.html
 
Type-15 is more modern design so T-90's only upper hand is on armor section as it's flir and night vision capabilities are poor. I'd say that Type-15 is probably also better than Chinas Type-96 and Type-99 tanks despite their bigger caliber gun... tanks with carousel autoloaders are death traps for the crew.

Of course we could also argue that heavy mbt's are becoming old fashioned vehicles like battleships were during world war 2.
 
The Indian Army will use them as stationary bunkers. That is a waste of Money and the live of their crews becouse modern ATGM will blow them up several times until they explode.
The Chinese will use their Type-15 cleverly as offensive weapons (mobile firepower)
 
The Type 15 is a 33-ton tank weighs around half as much as a typical MBT. Its armor is thinner and it carries a 105-millimeter gun rather than the 120- or 125-millimeter cannons that many heavier tanks carry. This light build makes it more suitable for high-altitude operations like Ladakh. The Type 15 lightweight tank is highly agile even on plateaus, a type of terrain which heavy tanks can struggle in due to the lack of oxygen to support the engine.
 
Chinese will use them as hunter-killer for tanks and firesupport for troops
 
Analysis: Indian T-90S main battle tank facing Chinese Type 15 light tank
weapons defence industry military technology UK
POSTED ON WEDNESDAY, 05 AUGUST 2020 14:53
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According to Indian sources, India has deployed its Russian-made T-90S main battle tanks called Bhishma in the mountainous border region of Ladakh. But how can a 47-ton tank move in mountainous regions with narrow and steep roads, and bridges that can’t be crossed by heavy tanks? China has developed Type 15, a light tank especially designed to be used in such mountainous regions, as it weighs only 33 tons.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

Indian_T-90S_main_battle_tank_facing_Chinese_Type_15_light_tank_analysis_925_001.jpg

Indian T-90S main battle tank facing Chinese Type 15 light tank in the mountainous border region of Ladakh. (Picture source Army Recognition)

In December 2018, the Chinese Ministry of Defense announced that the Type 15 had officially entered in service with the People's Liberation Army. The tank was unveiled to the public during a military parade held in Beijing in October 2019.

The Type 15, also called ZTQ-15 or VT5 for the export version, is a new generation of light tank developed and manufactured by the Chinese company NORINCO. Type 15 was designed to meet requirements of the Chinese army for a tank that could efficiently operate in highland and plateaus like the Tibetan region, offering as much mobility and firepower as a standard main battle tank.

Type 15 is armed with a 105mm rifled gun with a thermal sleeve and fume extractor that has a maximum range of 3,000 meters. The gun is able to fire new advanced tungsten alloy armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabots (APFSDS) capable of penetrating 500 mm of armored steel at 2,000 meters. This new 105mm ammunition can thus penetrate the armor of most of the main battle tanks currently used by various South and Southwestern Asian countries. The tank is fitted with an automatic loading system with a total of 38 rounds. Its gun can also launch anti-tank guided missiles. These missiles extend the effective range to up to 5 km and have a hit probability of over 90% against stationary targets.

Indian_T-90S_main_battle_tank_facing_Chinese_Type_15_light_tank_analysis_925_003.jpg

Chine-made Type 15 light tank at Zhuhai air show defense exhibition (Picture source Army Recognition)


The Type 15 weighs between 33 and 36 tons depending of the armor package. In the light version, the tank can be transported by military aircraft. According to Chinese military sources, Type 15 can be dropped by an aircraft flying at low speed, using large parachutes.

In terms of mobility, Type 15 is powered by a 1,000 hp electronically controlled diesel engine, coupled to a hydro-mechanical fully automatic transmission with a pivot steering capability. It can reach a maximum road speed of 70 km/h, or 40 km/h in off-road conditions.

The Type 15 has a crew of three: driver, commander and gunner. The hull and the turret of Type 15 are made of all-welded steel armor that provides protection against firing of small arms and artillery shell splinters. To increase the protection against anti-tank guided missile and rocket-propelled grenades, the tank can be fitted with advanced composite armor and/or explosive reactive armor, along with slat armor.

Indian_T-90S_main_battle_tank_facing_Chinese_Type_15_light_tank_analysis_925_002.jpg

Indian Army T-90S main battle tank (Picture source militarywatchmagazine)


The Indian Main Battle Tank T-90S Bhishma is an enhanced version of the Russian-made T-90 with new features in terms of mobility, firepower and protection. It was designed to meet the operational requirements of some Asian countries. It has a maximum weight of 47 tons. During the last modern wars, main battle tanks were used in combat on flatlands. But on difficult terrains like mountainous regions or urban areas, the tanks became only mobile howitzers and were vulnerable to short-range anti-tank weapons and missiles.

The main armament of the T-90S consists of a 125mm 2A46M smoothbore gun stabilized in two axes. The cannon is able to fire various ammunition including HE-FRAG (high-explosive fragmentation) and APFSDS-T (Armor Piercing Fin Stabilised Discarding Sabot - Tracer). It can also fire a 9M119M laser-guided projectile fitted with a tandem HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) warhead at a maximum range of 5,000 meters. The 2A46M gun is fed by an automatic loading system that can choose among 22 ready-to-fire rounds loaded in its carousel. It can load a round in 5 to 8 seconds.

The T-90S has a crew of three: a driver located at the front of the hull, a gunner and commander in the turret. The hull and turret of the T-90 over the forward arc are fitted with the latest generation of Kontakt-5 explosive reactive armor that provides protection against APFSDS and HEAT-type projectiles. In addition to being fitted to the hull and turret, Explosive Reactive Armor panels are also fitted either side of the hull front to provide lateral protection on each side of the driver's compartment.

The T-90S is motorized with a V-92S2 V-12 diesel developing 1,000 hp, coupled to a manual transmission with seven forward and one reverse gears. This gives the vehicle a maximum road speed of 65 km/h and a power-to-weight ratio of 21.50 hp/tonne. In off-road conditions, the tank can reach 40 km/h, with a maximum cruising range of 550 km.

https://www.armyrecognition.com/wea...e_tank_facing_chinese_type_15_light_tank.html
The so-called "Chinese Type 15 light tank" in pics are VT-5.
 
The Indian Army will use them as stationary bunkers. That is a waste of Money and the live of their crews becouse modern ATGM will blow them up several times until they explode.
The Chinese will use their Type-15 cleverly as offensive weapons (mobile firepower)
Are Chinese Type-15s ATGM proof??
Or simply being mobile tanks get ATGM proof?

Also at 16000ft terrain of Ladakh, there is nothing called 'Light'
 
Are Chinese Type-15s ATGM proof??
Or simply being mobile tanks get ATGM proof?

Also at 16000ft terrain of Ladakh, there is nothing called 'Light'
Its not the weapon, its the emplyment.
Your MBTs are heavy, their mobility will be limited end confined, everyone will know were they are. At night the ATGMs will burn them easelly.
The Chinese Light Tanks will stay at the rear and Strike as needed, thats EMPLOYMENT
 
Its not the weapon, its the emplyment.
Your MBTs are heavy, their mobility will be limited end confined, everyone will know were they are. At night the ATGMs will burn them easelly.
The Chinese Light Tanks will stay at the rear and Strike as needed, thats EMPLOYMENT

T-90S which India purchased are around 46 Tons already I am pretty sure couple of tons could be shaven off from non essential Armour or system to make them even lighter say ~43-45 tons.
Still heavier than 33-36 Ton of Chinese light tank but not sure 10 tons make life hell for T-90S ...
of-course its lighter by not by much I think India can make do with them until India stations its own lighter tanks, by the way T-90s and T-72 are deployed in Himalayan region from Nefa to Sikkim to Ladakh from a decade or so.
Chinese just started deploying thr armour.
Pretty sure experience gives India some edge here also.
 
The tank in video is VT-5, not ZTQ-15.
VT-5 is not the export version of ZTQ-15.

i would like PA to plan for adopting upgunned VT5 for AZ replacement 10 years down the line with Pakistan specific mods.
 
Are Chinese Type-15s ATGM proof??
Or simply being mobile tanks get ATGM proof?

Also at 16000ft terrain of Ladakh, there is nothing called 'Light'
The EPA will protect it against ATGMs that aren't tendem charged.
Also, Type 15 comes with soft kill APS and optional hard kill APS against all ATGMs
 

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