China’s recently debuted tank, the Type 15, has a very powerful fire control system to enable a very high accuracy, experts said on Tuesday, as the tank recently run through a challenge to demonstrate its gun stability.
For this challenge, a Type 15 tank had to hold a 30-millimeter caliber shell, which weighs 400 grams and is 160 millimeters long, on the tip of its main gun and accelerate to a speed of 40 kilometers an hour, while also making turns and treading through uneven terrains, Weihutang, a column on military affairs affiliated with China Central Television (CCTV), reported on Monday.
The shell did not fall off during the challenge, according to the report, meaning the tank gun was very stable and always pointed at its target despite the heavy movement of the tank.
Chinese tanks are installed with advanced fire control systems that allow them to be very accurate even when moving and in complicated combat scenarios, a military ground vehicle expert who asked to remain anonymous told the Global Times on Tuesday.
One of China’s previous tanks, the Type 96, performed well in shooting in the International Army Games held by Russia every year, and the more advanced Type 99A and Type 15 are believed to be even better, the expert said, noting the Chinese technologies should be considered advanced at an international level.
The Type 15 tank made its debut to the general public during China’s National Day military parade on October 1, 2019. It is listed in China’s 2019 edition of defense white paper as one of the country’s most advanced weapons.
As a lightweight tank, it is significantly lighter than the Type 96 and Type 99A, making it operate effectively in difficult terrains that may be inaccessible to heavier tanks including plateaus, forest and water-intensive areas, analysts said.
Some Type 15 tanks have been deployed in the plateau areas of Southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, CCTV reported in January.
The Monday report by Weihutang also showcased a Type 15 in jungle camouflage, which analysts believe could be used in China’s mountainous southern areas. The tanks displayed at China’s 2019 national day military parade were in desert camouflage.
