Type 98 Main Battle Tank

O.K. how well can the ‘Type 98 Main Battle Tank’ do against the worlds leading tanks? Abrams, etc.

What are its strong points, weak points, etc.

I can’t find much information on it, other then it is meant to be a copy/more advanced copy, of the ‘Leopard 2 A6’ but I only have basic knowledge of tanks. If a war with India started, would these tanks be able to hold their own against anything India can throw at them? (Excluding air.)

Type 98G is fitted with a 125mm 50 caliber smoothbore gun with autoloader... apparently supperior to russian designs, the chinese refused russian offers for their technology.

Ammunitions include armour piercing fin stabilised discarding sabot rounds (APFSDS), high explosive anti-tank rounds (HEAT), and high explosive fragmentation (HE-FRAG) projectiles. China has also reportedly manufactured Russian A-11 laser guided anti-tank missile (ATGM) to be fired by the 125 mm gun. In addition, the Chinese have also experimentally developed depleted uranium (DU) rounds for their tanks and it may be available to the Type 98.



Fire accuracy is attained by the laser rangefinder, wind sensor, ballistic computer, and thermal barrel sleeve. Dual axis stabilisation ensures effective firing on the move. The commander is has six periscopes and a stabilised panoramic sight. Both the commander and gunner have roof-mounted stabilised sights fitted with day/thermal channels, a laser rangefinder and an auto tracker facility. The commander has a display showing the gunner's thermal sight, enabling the commander to fire the main gun.

The Type 98 is also fitted with a compuerised onboard information processing system, which can collect information from vehicle navigation (Inertia/GPS), observation systems and sensors, process it in the computer and display it on the commander's display, giving the ability of real-time command and beyond-vision-range target engaging.

Secondary weapons include a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun and a 12.7 mm air defence machine gun mounted on the commander's cupola. Each side of the turret has a 76 mm Type 84 five-barrel smoke grenade launchers.

The turret and hull are of all-welded steel armour construction. A layer of composite armour has been added to the front arc. The armour package is of modular design, enabling damaged sections to be replaced or upgrades installed throughout service life. Explosive reactive armour (ERA) can be fitted if required.

The Type 98 features an JD-3 integrated laser rangefinder/warning/self-defence device. Unlike contemporary Russian active tank self-defense systems like Drozd, Drozd-2, and Arena, which launch projectiles to disable or "shoot-down" incoming anti-tank missiles and projectiles, the Chinese system apparently uses a high-powered laser to directly attack the enemy weapon's optics and gunner.

The system includes what appears to be a laser warning receiver (LWR - the dome-shaped device on the turret roof behind the commander's position), that warns the crew that their tank is being illuminated by an enemy range-finding or weapon-guidance laser. The turret of the tank can then be traversed to face the direction of the enemy threat, and the laser self-defence weapon ('___'W - the box-shaped device on the turret roof behind the gunner's position), can be employed against the source of the enemy laser.

The procedure of the laser weapon would first use a low-powered beam to locate the optics of the enemy weapon. Once the enemy weapon was located, the power level of the laser would be immediately and dramatically increased. Such an attack would disable the guidance optics of the enemy weapon and/or damage the eyesight of the enemy gunner.

The available photos of the Type 98 have also confirmed that the laser weapon can be elevated to a higher angle than the tank's main gun, indicating that the engagement of attack helicopters is possible. In addition, the laser device could also be used for communications between friend tanks.

The Dazzler



The Type 98G



A full company on the move

There have been many forums on military websites and many agree that the Type 98 and the Type 98G/99 is in the top 7 of the best MBT's in the world. What interest me the most about this tank is its "dazzler" system. I wonder how dangerous this lazer is, but from what I have heard it is a very powerful attribute of the MBT. Here are some pictures. Enjoy

The pictures are of two different tanks. The Type 98 and the Type 98G/99.
Type 98G/99 has ERA which addes another 200-400mm of equivilant armor to the tank. I believe the Type 98G also has a longer ranged laser, the one before only had a range of 3 KM but now its around 5Km and the next upgrade will feature a 10Km Laser (rumored). Type 98G also has a new (sexier) turret which fixed some of the design flaws of the Type 98 where the turret could be blown off in certain situation of impact where it shouldn't be blown off.

Originally posted by supertran

Damn,thats one low silloute even by Russian standards....wonder when the info about it will come out.

The Type 98 is very well armed. It's 125mm gun firing a DU penetrator with 810mm-960mm of penetration matches the latest western guns. It's still not as well armored and has survivability issues with the autoloader though.

I'm thinking of moving up on my list.

In the end the Type 98 is still an upgrade of a Russian design. The Chinese need to develop their own new tank design.

I want to see pictures of those Chinese energy / laser weapons in use, or video would be even better, really seen reports that China has prototypes / or in use different energy weapons from infantry to vehicles, but not ever seen such in effect. Also its not so big issue of breaking the armor if you use depleted uranium and all sort of materials that has side effects but are effective. And those computers that are linked to command center / satellite systems sure come handy, long as they can be used.

And last, what sort of speed that tank get, i mean its engine is original Russian?

Originally posted by Observer83
I want to see pictures of those Chinese energy / laser weapons in use, or video would be even better, really seen reports that China has prototypes / or in use different energy weapons from infantry to vehicles, but not ever seen such in effect. Also its not so big issue of breaking the armor if you use depleted uranium and all sort of materials that has side effects but are effective. And those computers that are linked to command center / satellite systems sure come handy, long as they can be used.

And last, what sort of speed that tank get, i mean its engine is original Russian?

Media of the dazzlers and such wouldn't be impressive. You can't see the beam unless it's pointing straight at you or it's reflecting off dust particles and the like.

Wasn't the Challenger II supposed to have a laser system?

Sexy looking tank though!

The leopard laser was a laser defence system wasn't it? Like detect laser beams and use counter measures?

Well, This laser system actually attacks in a way.

Didn't the new turret fix the problems with the autoloader?

China is gonna market the export version of the type 98 soon.

The Type 98 still has the carousel autoloader, meaning the ammo is stored on the turret floor, meaning everyone dies if the ammo detonates. I was also hearing speculation on tanknet that the armor may not be all that good.

Some info on the Type-98's armour

"Rough babelfish translation"

Armor of ZTZ99G picks from the prosperous dynasty house sparrow 99G main armor The tank armor vehicles with the double board structural unit are the armoured product which bonds by the armoured steel and the textile fiber enhancement tree fatty group compound material becomes, mainly applies to the main action tank and the turret spot protection, has 抗弹性 can be outstanding, specially the anti- heavy-caliber armor piercer, the heavy-caliber armor-piercing shell as well as the heavy-caliber series warhead performance is outstanding and so on the characteristic, and concurrently anti- heavy-caliber high explosive shell performance. 99G gap composite armor The metal - nonmetallic gap composite armor application gap effect, the intensity effect and the density effect, use the cross strut structure, the anti- entire tungsten fin stabilization armor piercing discarding sabot back intensity is bigger than xxxm/s, the anti- standard binding energy 弹性能 is fine. According to puts on deeply with the homogeneous armor steel enhances the scope idea, increases 2 times compared to the composite armor, and has withstanding to send the ball the ability. Is hit the rear panel to damage and the distortion has the distinct improvement compared to the first generation of composite armor, the synthesis protection performance is higher, after is hit does not cook meals. The 99G crown hangs installs the composite armor 53 research and develop the crown hangs installs the composite armor, by the anti- ball ceramics, the textile fiber enhancement tree fatty group compound material and attracts can the building rubber compound become, has 抗弹性 can good, the quality light, be easy to install, dismantable, characteristic and so on replacement convenience, has used in the main battle tank crown to hang the attire, may guard against the antitank shrapnel

I must say China not sharing any of it's tech with Russia after years of Russia helping them out seems rather petty, sure they don't need the money like Russia does but it still comes off as ungrateful.

Are you kidding?

The tech probably came from Russia in the first place.

I have heard about the gap underneath the turret being a liability??

[edit on 28-2-2005 by rapier28]

[edit on 28-2-2005 by rapier28]

Here is a comparison between the Russian T-72 (top) and the Type-98 (bottom)



And here is the more advanced type-98G or Type 99 with redesigned turret

Here's a good close-up pic of the Type-98 MBT.

You can clearly see all components of the tank. What's interesting is that guy taking a photo at the end, it looks like the Type-98 is already being put on display.

external image

Why do people post big pics? make a link to the giant pic!
Its annoying to keep scrolling left & right to read what someone wrote.
So in the future try not to post a picture larger 640 x 480.

I'am on my laptop with a 2000x1000 resolution.

But you can reduce your post size by doing

img=640x480 in the img code

Just make sure that reduce in proportion or the image can get wacky, and in order to know the original pixel size of your image, just right click and properties.

[edit on 26-3-2005 by rapier28]

^^
Lucky Bum !!
Can you even read the print at 2000x1000?
hmmm..

So is the T-98 better than the T-90M ??
Because the Indians have that (Arjun is inferior to that)
Although any Indo-China conflict will be mostly partrooper/aircraft oriented..no tanks..