Pakistan Army's VT-4 Main Battle Tank | Updates & Discussions

[alimobin memon]

PA VT4s have 1200HP engine like all VT-4s, 1500HP was a myth. 1200 is more than enough for it to carry side-ERA. Even if it’s FY4 and not FY2, but regardless, it will slow the tank down a bit, any weight will.

AK protection level has been the same since it was introduced in 2001, it has not seen any armor changes, at least none significant enough to mention. It used to carry side ERA once upon a time and was even seen with a somewhat decent side armor package, but it never saw widespread use. PA can still equip them with armor/ERA on the side if it wants to, it’s just a question of wether the mobility trade off is worth it for them. As for exact armor numbers, nobody can give you those for the AK, not even most of HIT, and what’s on the internet is nearly all false, I can tell you this much, it can withstand its own APFSDS followed by its own HEAT projectile (and the other way around, which is a much harder thing to do given how HEAT messes with composite armor) on the turret, without ERA.

As far as I know its 1500hp version not 1200hp. These tanks are targeted for offensive capabilities and if its speed os reduced due to weight is not a plus point. Its modular tank Pakistan will integrate drone launching capability in it too as seen in vt4 1A

 

[DeusExAstra]

Note FY2 ERA on the brochure, it’s the older VT-4.
PAs VT-4s had FY4 before it was even offered for export. The difference between FY4 and FY2 is as they say “Zameen Asman Ka farq”

That being said, VT-4 has enough power to be equipped with Side ERA, and PA can opt to equip them at any moment if they want, it’s a modular thing, can even be done in the field if necessary.
Not sure if they’d Put FY4 on the sides though, maybe AORAK or FY2, depends on how much it effects mobility.

I personally think in the case of an actual conflict it would be one of the first modifications PA would do to its MBTs when they realize how vulnerable the sides can be.

What about FY-V for export? I mean, we all saw those presentations photos claims ~250mm penetration ability decrease for DTW-125/BTA-4 for "FY-IVE", but I'm not sure, It would be great protection buff for VT4P.

 

[Iron Shrappenel]

Do our VT-4s have an Active Protection System ? It is inevitable and a must for PA. All tanks should have aps but newer acquisitions must have it. Hope they get ToT for that subsystem and just slap it on every tracked mfer my 5th grade passed friend calls a tank.

 

[iLION12345_1]

What about FY-V for export? I mean, we all saw those presentations photos claims ~250mm penetration ability decrease for DTW-125/BTA-4 for "FY-IVE", but I'm not sure, It would be great protection buff for VT4P.

What is FY-V? I don’t think there is any such thing officially. Visually Type 99A is also using FY-IV.

FY-IV is the best Chinese ERA offered for export, and the claimed figures are pretty believable so I don’t doubt them. FY-IV is not exactly next-Gen ERA like the latest Russian stuff, the figures claimed for it are just a bit better than the previous Gen Kontakt-5, however the ammo it’s tested against (BTA-4) is significantly better than the BM-42 Kontakt-5 is tested against.

Do our VT-4s have an Active Protection System ? It is inevitable and a must for PA. All tanks should have aps but newer acquisitions must have it. Hope they get ToT for that subsystem and just slap it on every tracked mfer my 5th grade passed friend calls a tank.

Yes and no. There are many types and layers of active protection systems. Passive warning systems, passive jamming systems, active systems (that can be further divided).

VT-4 is the only tank in the sub-continent (or really the only armored vehicle) with at least a basic Active protection system given it has laser warning receivers, automatic smoke-launchers and automatic laser-seeking targeting. These are “passive” active protection measures.

China offers two hard-kill APS for the VT-4 (like trophy, that’s a hard-kill system). One is the GL-5, it’s decent but it doesn’t protect against top-attack munitions, and the newer one that’s just been displayed at the Zhuhai Air Show, that does have top attack protection. PA is definitely interested in and will likely purchase the second one eventually, but it is very costly, and they’d rather replace all their older tanks before they invest in something like that.

Al-Khalid was once tested with the Shtora APS, which is an old Soviet passive jamming system that also has all of the above things that the VT-4 has plus IR jammers that would work against older systems (but are now obsolete). PA rightfully did not buy it, it was obsolete at the time already, but they should have kept the Laser warning receiver component of it. Similarly we did not buy it with our T80UDs and india did not buy it with its T90S.

 

[iLION12345_1]

As far as I know its 1500hp version not 1200hp. These tanks are targeted for offensive capabilities and if its speed os reduced due to weight is not a plus point. Its modular tank Pakistan will integrate drone launching capability in it too as seen in vt4 1A

It has a 1200HP engine, this is confirmed news, there is no source to back up the claim that it has 1500HP. I too believed that at the start but I’ve personally confirmed it with HIT.
You can technically tune the engine to make 1500HP if you want, or de-tune it to 1000, but the tuning is done so as to achieve the perfect combination of range, reliability and power output. This is true for all tank engines.

You can’t go on an offensive with speed alone, the sides of the VT-4, and all Pakistani tanks (and by extension Indian tanks too) are weak, mainly because none of them have been powerful enough so far to carry significant side armor without a mobility penalty, this is less of an issue on the VT-4. The main threat to MBTs is infantry, and infantry can flank a tank. Putting on side armor is much cheaper (and at times also lighter) than an APS system.

Can’t comment on the drone launching capability, that’s easy enough to add. But PA has other place to put funds right now.

Do you have a photo?

Top to bottom: Al-Zarrar with side ERA package.
UD with its 1/3rd side covered in extra armor (also seen in Indian T90S models, but with Kontakt 5 ERA instead). All PA UDs have it.
AK with full side skirt, this is not armor, rather a anti-thermal signature measure.
AK with Side armor similar to UD, used to be commonly seen, now not so much.
AK with a full side armor kit, doesn’t cover all the way down, but is still a lot better than nothing, especially if they put ERA on top, was not seen outside some models at HIT.
AK with Shtora APS. The IR dazzlers on the cheeks are obsolete stuff, PA didn’t buy the system (thankfully), but I wish they got the LWRs (nodes above the barrel) and the automatic smoke deployment and threat targeting systems that come with shtora. Some companies (ALTCOP and GIDS) made such systems locally too, but they were never employed in large numbers, only seen on a few AKs and AZs, they’re basically the most basic form of an APS.

 

[DeusExAstra]

What is FY-V? I don’t think there is any such thing officially. Visually Type 99A is also using FY-IV.

FY-IV is the best Chinese ERA offered for export, and the claimed figures are pretty believable so I don’t doubt them. FY-IV is not exactly next-Gen ERA like the latest Russian stuff, the figures claimed for it are just a bit better than the previous Gen Kontakt-5, however the ammo it’s tested against (BTA-4) is significantly better than the BM-42 Kontakt-5 is tested against.

Well, as far as I'm aware of, they installed FY-V ERA at least for 99A turret. The main difference is thickness of it's plates, that's why blocks of this are thicker.

 

[iLION12345_1]

Well, as far as I'm aware of, they installed FY-V ERA at least for 99A turret. The main difference is thickness of it's plates, that's why blocks of this are thicker.

I think just thickness doesn’t count for a new type. VT4 turret has different thicknesses of FYIV. If they just made FYIV thicker and put it on there that’s still FYIV, if they’ve changed the chemical characteristics, makeup, plates etc to improve it then we can consider it FYV or something else.

Still, it is totally possible, FYIV is not cutting edge, China can easily make better.

 

[ghazi52]

Display at IDEA 2022, Karachi..

 

[NooriNuth]

Display at IDEA 2022, Karachi..

View attachment 896749

Turkish gun? On the top

 

[ghazi52]

.,.,
Pictures of Chinese VT-4A1 MBT's (Main Battle Tank's) Hard-Kill APS (Active Protection System) GL-6 at IDEAS 2022.

 

[FOOLS_NIGHTMARE]

VT4A1 tank equipped with a small vehicle-mounted vertical take-off and landing drone, which adopts a coaxial reverse dual-rotor design with foldable rotors. Compared with traditional drones, its lateral size is larger Reduced for easy storage into the drone storage launch compartment of the tank turret.

 

[alimobin memon]

VT4A1 tank equipped with a small vehicle-mounted vertical take-off and landing drone, which adopts a coaxial reverse dual-rotor design with foldable rotors. Compared with traditional drones, its lateral size is larger Reduced for easy storage into the drone storage launch compartment of the tank turret.

View attachment 897764

View attachment 897765

GL6 APS AND DRONE WILL COME TO PAK IN A YEAR MARK MY WORDS. INSHAALLAH

 

[Super Falcon]

Pakistan army should consider light tanks as well to get great flexibility of weapons choice we share major mountain lines from India to Afghanistan these heavy MBT cannot operate in these harsh environments

ZTQ 15 or VT 5 makes better choice rather than heavy bulky tanks all the time

 

[CivilianSupremacy]

Hi, @iLION12345_1

How armoured units formation work normally in PA. Are the tactics evolved w.r.t technology & modern age ? Are any mobile Air-defense units attached with armoured units in PA. If yes then what kind ? Anyones which can defend the tanks & unit again enemy gunship Helis & UAVs? I assume in an all out war, the airforce will already have lot in their plate, In many instances army maybe will be at its own.

Also, some basic question about deployment:
Indians made IBUs - integrated battle units after 2001 I guess. That includes infantry, armoured, mechnical and other units all together. Do we have different deployment tactics or similar ? Do our armoured divisions available on all eastern sectors OR only at few sectors? - ofcourse not really practical on high mountainous sectors but can they be quickly deployed at all sectors in Punjab & Sindh ?
I read that there is armoured division in Gujranwala and Multan. Does it mean all armored units are stationed only in these 2 places ? I hope not.
I guess i already asked similar question before - but some people misunderstood me.

 

[iLION12345_1]

Hi, @iLION12345_1

How armoured units formation work normally in PA. Are the tactics evolved w.r.t technology & modern age ? Are any mobile Air-defense units attached with armoured units in PA. If yes then what kind ? Anyones which can defend the tanks & unit again enemy gunship Helis & UAVs? I assume in an all out war, the airforce will already have lot in their plate, In many instances army maybe will be at its own.

Also, some basic question about deployment:
Indians made IBUs - integrated battle units after 2001 I guess. That includes infantry, armoured, mechnical and other units all together. Do we have different deployment tactics or similar ? Do our armoured divisions available on all eastern sectors OR only at few sectors? - ofcourse not really practical on high mountainous sectors but can they be quickly deployed at all sectors in Punjab & Sindh ?
I read that there is armoured division in Gujranwala and Multan. Does it mean all armored units are stationed only in these 2 places ? I hope not.
I guess i already asked similar question before - but some people misunderstood me.

I would recommend reading the forum threads regarding these specific topics to find answers, most of them are already available and fairly obvious. I know that some of it will involve quite a bit of digging, but I simply don’t have the time to type out answers to these because they’ll inevitably be long and drawn out. It’s not that people misunderstood, it that such questions often draw out suspicion rather than interest.

To sum it up as shortly as possible; Of course PAs tactics change with time and technology (and most importantly with how the enemy planning changes). Of course there is mobile SHORAD cover, you simply can’t do an armored assault without it, FM90, Orleikons, thousands of MANPADS and smaller calibre AA guns, A2A missiles on Helicopters and UAVs etc.
PA is searching for a new, modern SHORAD system at the moment as well, again, details regarding what systems they’ve tested and how it’s going is available on the forum. Post-1999 there’s been a huge influence on combined ops between the PAF-PA and several exercises regarding that too, they absolutely cannot work without each other in an all out war.

Your questions regarding deployments, tactics and battle orders can be answered better by other users, I tend not to talk about such stuff both because there’s people who have more knowledge than me and because I don’t want to risk divulging something that shouldn’t be made public, and again, a fair bit is already available on the forum in the postings of certain members.