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

[Asian.Century]

For those who say VT-4 is better than Al- Khalid Tank need to change their thoughts again:

The VT-4 is China’s premier export tank, built on technology and designs behind the earlier Al-Khalid tank that was built with cooperation from Pakistan and Ukraine

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/china-selling-its-new-ztz-99-tank-anyone-buying-84876

The VT-4’s roots are in the Al-Khalid tank developed in the 1990s. The Al-Khalid tank was largely built with mostly Chinese and Pakistani technology, but a sore spot for the Chinese designers was their lack of ability to provide a power plant for the tank. The engines for the tank had to be sourced from Germany or Ukraine. Ukraine ended up providing the production run for the Al-Khalid tank. As a result, the VT-4 program’s primary objective when it began in 2009 was to build an indigenous power plant for future domestic and export tanks. Due to the success of this engine development program, many VT-4 marketing materials tout the reliability and performance of its engine.

While the capabilities of the VT-4 are not revolutionary in any way (unlike some claims from Norinco), it is a solid tank for its price, that will likely have good support from the manufacturing base in China. Survivability wise, it has the same potential issues of the T-72 and T-90 series due to the same ammo layout. While the gun performance is unlikely to be on the same level as the latest American, Chinese or Russian guns, due to being based on last-generation round technology, it should be enough to counter most armored threats that aren’t top tier. As such, the VT-4 is likely to be a popular export to nations without the budget or political connections to Russia, Europe or the United States, as a “good enough” tank. Then again, similar things were said about the Stingray light tank, for which the Royal Thai Army is also the only user.

 

[JPMM]

If we had money. The UDs were to be on par or at least as capable as oplot.

Yes, changing electronics, the ERA on the hull and adapting the turret to receive Oplot type ERA (remember that T80UD/T84 turret its diferente from Oplot)

 

[Dazzler]

You allways talked about some 450 AK+50 AK-I backthen, when everyone said they were 315.
By some information allready released here in PDF, both 25th & 26th MD emply some 514 AK/AK-I (10 Armoured Regs + 2 Armoured Recce Regs)

And I stick to that claim

Yes, changing electronics, the ERA on the hull and adapting the turret to receive Oplot type ERA (remember that T80UD/T84 turret its diferente from Oplot)

Yep, we wanted the duplet in place of k5s that our UDs have.

 

[LKJ86]

For those who say VT-4 is better than Al- Khalid Tank need to change their thoughts again:

The VT-4 is China’s premier export tank, built on technology and designs behind the earlier Al-Khalid tank that was built with cooperation from Pakistan and Ukraine

The project of VT-4 began after 2010.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

You allways talked about some 450 AK+50 AK-I backthen, when everyone said they were 315.
By some information allready released here in PDF, both 25th & 26th MD emply some 514 AK/AK-I (10 Armoured Regs + 2 Armoured Recce Regs)

Dazzler is probably Right MODP Books from Year 2008 to 2012 all say 300 AK have been produced till date even though they kept making them between those years. They are most probably involved in spreading this misinformation on Purpose whatever the reason may be. Numbers of AZ also show the same Pattern.

 

[Dazzler]

Dazzler is probably Right MODP Books from Year 2008 to 2012 all say 300 AK have been produced till date even though they kept making them between those years. They are most probably involved in spreading this misinformation on Purpose whatever the reason may be. Numbers of AZ also show the same Pattern.

Understandable in our context.

The project of VT-4 began after 2010.

After the debacle of Peruvian deal.

 

[truthseeker2010]

Looking for the Cammo works, I would say 6th AD replacing AZ (7 new Regiments with AZ bourne)
This employment North/Central would explain a Tank with less agility (engine isue) and better armour (terrain more difficult to fight Infantry)

6th AD's AOR is shakargarh bulge, isnt AK fits there? Vt-4 will be for desert warfare for center and south.

 

[Beast]

For those who say VT-4 is better than Al- Khalid Tank need to change their thoughts again:

The VT-4 is China’s premier export tank, built on technology and designs behind the earlier Al-Khalid tank that was built with cooperation from Pakistan and Ukraine

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/china-selling-its-new-ztz-99-tank-anyone-buying-84876

The VT-4’s roots are in the Al-Khalid tank developed in the 1990s. The Al-Khalid tank was largely built with mostly Chinese and Pakistani technology, but a sore spot for the Chinese designers was their lack of ability to provide a power plant for the tank. The engines for the tank had to be sourced from Germany or Ukraine. Ukraine ended up providing the production run for the Al-Khalid tank. As a result, the VT-4 program’s primary objective when it began in 2009 was to build an indigenous power plant for future domestic and export tanks. Due to the success of this engine development program, many VT-4 marketing materials tout the reliability and performance of its engine.

While the capabilities of the VT-4 are not revolutionary in any way (unlike some claims from Norinco), it is a solid tank for its price, that will likely have good support from the manufacturing base in China. Survivability wise, it has the same potential issues of the T-72 and T-90 series due to the same ammo layout. While the gun performance is unlikely to be on the same level as the latest American, Chinese or Russian guns, due to being based on last-generation round technology, it should be enough to counter most armored threats that aren’t top tier. As such, the VT-4 is likely to be a popular export to nations without the budget or political connections to Russia, Europe or the United States, as a “good enough” tank. Then again, similar things were said about the Stingray light tank, for which the Royal Thai Army is also the only user.

Another misinfo. Worst is trying to use a nationalist website as source. This website spread alot of mis info about Chinese military tech. Just eat the humble and accept VT-4 is better than Al Khalid and PA needs it. I am sure the top brass at PA knows better than you.

 

[Armchair]

This is a 52t tank with 1300hp engine. Heavies have historically operated in the desert.

The wisdom learned from WW2 is the opposite. Heavies do better in hills and mountains, desert is for lighter and more mobile tanks. But somehow the opposite seems to hold true in Pak. There may be some reason for this.

 

[PanzerKiel]

6th AD's AOR is shakargarh bulge, isnt AK fits there? Vt-4 will be for desert warfare for center and south.

You may have observed that you hardly find any AK in 6 AD or even in north Pakistan despite the proximity to the factories and base workshops . It will remain like that for some time.

6 AD AOO is much larger, starts from where the mountains end till the land of the rivers.

VT4 goes north.

This is a 52t tank with 1300hp engine. Heavies have historically operated in the desert.

Ours is coming with 1500 hp engine, as far as I know.

 

[Zulfiqar]

The wisdom learned from WW2 is the opposite. Heavies do better in hills and mountains, desert is for lighter and more mobile tanks. But somehow the opposite seems to hold true in Pak. There may be some reason for this.

One thing that I would like to add that not every part of punjab or sindh is tankable.

I don't know the present setup but in the early eighties my father(from a sapper unit) was assigned the duty of checking the soil conditions(by collecting soil samples) of some sectors of punjab in order to update data w.r.t which area can be used for tank warfare and which can't, especially during the monsoon rain season. I am sure the data has been updated every once in a while.

VT4 goes north.

North? Of what?

 

[Armchair]

One thing that I would like to add that not every part of punjab or sindh is tankable.

I don't know the present setup but in the early eighties my father(from a sapper unit) was assigned the duty of checking the soil conditions(by collecting soil samples) of some sectors of punjab in order to update data w.r.t which area can be used for tank warfare and which can't, especially during the monsoon rain season. I am sure the data has been updated every once in a while.



North? Of what?

Most of Sindh isn't tankable as the desert there has very fine grain sand that doesn't allow meaningful mobility. I learned this from @PanzerKiel back in 2012

This is why I want to see Rooikat types in PA. At least test them in the desert! See if this works. Has anyone tried hovercrafts in Siachin? That's another pet peeve of mine.

 

[truthseeker2010]

You may have observed that you hardly find any AK in 6 AD or even in north Pakistan despite the proximity to the factories and base workshops . It will remain like that for some time.

6 AD AOO is much larger, starts from where the mountains end till the land of the rivers.

VT4 goes north.



Ours is coming with 1500 hp engine, as far as I know.

Will it augment the force or replacement?

 

[PanzerKiel]

Will it augment the force or replacement?

Both, old tanks replaced, but the older ones will be put to good use.

 

[doorstar]

Another misinfo. Worst is trying to use a nationalist website as source. This website spread alot of mis info about Chinese military tech. Just eat the humble and accept VT-4 is better than Al Khalid and PA needs it. I am sure the top brass at PA knows better than you.

these people -- who cite nationalinterest.org -- are either the dumbest Pakistanis or are not Pakistanis at all. that website has been trying to get America to fight WOT in Pakistan instead of in Afghanistan ever since I can remember.