China begins delivery of VT4 Main Battle Tanks to Pakistan

[Scorpio]

Chinese VT4 tank fitted with FY-IV ERA Explosive Reactive Armour against Tandem Warhead ammunition


According to new pictures published on April 22, 2020, to the China Defense Blog, the latest version of Chinese-made Main Battle Tank (MBT) VT4 is now protected with new armor ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor) Level FY-4 providing protection against Tandem Warhead ammunition. According to our previous analysis, the first version of the VT-4 MBT was fitted with ERA level FY-2.

The VT4 MBT (Main Battle Tank) is now in service with four armed forces in the world including China, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Thailand. The VT4 also called MBT-3000 is a third-generation Main Battle Tank (MBT) designed, developed and manufactured in China by NORINCO (China North Industries Corporation).

The VT4 MBT was unveiled by the Chinese defense industry in November 2019 during the China International Aviation & Aerospace or Zhuhai AirShow. The layout of this tank is very similar to the Russian tank with a crew of three including driver, commander and gunner and the use of an automatic loading system for the main armament.

The main armament of the VT4 / MBT-3000 consists of a 125 mm smoothbore gun fitted with a thermal sleeve and fume extractor. It is fed by an automatic loader that holds a total of 22 projectiles and charges which can be loaded at the rate of eight per minute. One 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun is mounted to the right of the main armament, while on the commander's cupola is mounted a remote weapon station armed with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun that can be used to engage ground and aerial targets.

The hull and turret of the VT4 are of welded steel construction with a layer of composite armor over the front arc. The first version of the tank was fitted with additional ERA (Explosive Reactive armor) Level FY-2 providing protection against HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) and APFSDS (Armour-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot) ammunition. According to the latest pictures released on the Internet, the latest variant of the VT4 is now fitted at the front of the hull with ERA armor Level FY-4 providing protection against Tandem Warhead.

Close view of the ERA armor Level FY-IV mounted at the front of the VT4 main battle tank (Picture source China Defense Blog)

Currently, China produces four Level of ERA armour including the FY-I with protection against HEAT ammunition, the FY-II with protection against HEAT, APFSDS ammunition, the FY-III with protection against HEAT, APFSDS and tandem warhead ammunition and the FY-IV providing protection against HEAT, APFSDS and tandem warhead ammunition but with 85 mm thick armour blocks for the FY-IV and only 75 mm for Level III. The ERA armour consists of steel blocks with C4 explosives inside.

Reactive armour is a type of vehicle armour that reacts in some way to the impact of a weapon to reduce the damage done to the vehicle being protected. It is most effective in protecting against shaped charges and specially hardened kinetic energy penetrators. The most common type is explosive reactive armour (ERA), but variants include self-limiting explosive reactive armour (SLERA), non-energetic reactive armour (NERA), non-explosive reactive armour (NxRA), and electric reactive armour.

A high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead is a type of shaped charge explosive that uses the Munroe effect to penetrate thick tank armor. Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS) is a type of kinetic energy penetrator ammunition used to attack modern vehicle armour. As an armament for main battle tanks, it succeeds armour-piercing discarding sabot (APDS) ammunition, which is still used in small or medium caliber weapon systems.

Tandem warheads are effective against reactive armour, which is designed to protect an armoured vehicle (mostly tanks) against anti-tank ammunition, missiles and rocket. The first stage of the weapon is typically a weak charge that either pierces the reactive armour of the target without detonating it leaving a channel through the reactive armour so that the second warhead may pass unimpeded, or simply detonating the armour plates causing the timing of the counter-explosion to fail. The second detonation from the same projectile attacks the same location as the first detonation where the reactive armour has been compromised. Since the regular armour plating is often the only defence remaining, the main charge (second detonation) has an increased likelihood of penetrating the armour.

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China Starts Delivering VT4 Battle Tanks to Pak Army
2 days ago Darakhshan Anjum

China has begun delivering new VT4 main battle tanks (MBTs) to Pakistan. A subsidiary of China North Industries Group Corporation (NORINCO), Inner Mongolia First Machinery Group Co. Ltd. held a shipment ceremony in a tank factory located in Baotou, Mongolia for a foreign customer
The first batch of VT4 MBTs which is equipped with explosive reactive armor (ERA) (Option FY-IV) is in the process of being delivered to the Pak Army.
Pakistan Army Armored Corps decided to acquire almost 1000 VT4 tanks from NORINCO to meet its needs.
The VT4 MBT is an upgraded version of Al-Khalid MBT which is also known as MBT-2000. It is offered for export by NORINCO with the same 125 mm main gun, carousel auto-loader, and crew configuration.

Furthermore, it is pertinent to mention here that the company also delivered the first shipment of 17 military vehicles to the Nigerian Army. It also included ST1 tank, SH5 105mm wheeled self-propelled howitzers and VT4 MBTs.

It is initial batch of 100, if it perform well its number can be increased.. till them army will evacuate other option as well

 

[CHI RULES]

The APS hard kill GL-5 is a great advantage so far lacking in Pak MBTs, meanwhil it shall be highly appreciable if some one can comment on it's effective range and ammo in use.

 

[Mingle]

The VT4 is priced around US$2.5M so for a 100 tanks that may be around US$300M including support equipment and spares package while the remainder amount may be for the Chinese SPH package. As soon as I have more details, I'll share

So no more T90M, Ak1 Ak2 and VT4

 

[Scorpio]

So no more T90M, Ak1 Ak2 and VT4

AK 2 is already on table, but ofcourse late, PA 500 + tanks if not wrong 580 or 590 , so other procurement definitely on table , lets when them came in our front

 

[Mingle]

AK 2 is already on table, but ofcourse late, PA 500 + tanks if not wrong 580 or 590 , so other procurement definitely on table , lets when them came in our front

I happy progress on this front all old armour should be given to FC. PA needs Maxxpro vehicle too make a one vendor contract and just buy in bulk from troop protection let's see what comes from US.

 

[Mingle]

Interesting times ahead ..

Not only PAF but for PA too 1000 VT4 in total along 155 truck mounted artillery would be timely addition for Army. Things start flowing finely since crooks are out from equation. 3-4 billion a year purchase should not be problem if Govt is clean smart and know what she doing.

 

[TomCat]

Not only PAF but for PA too 1000 VT4 in total along 155 truck mounted artillery would be timely addition for Army. Things start flowing finely since crooks are out from equation. 3-4 billion a year purchase should not be problem if Govt is clean smart and know what she doing.

VT-4 is confirmed to be not PA

 

[Mingle]

VT-4 is confirmed to be not PA

Someone is confirming someone not?I am surprised someone told on other old forum PA looking T90M around 400-500 total.

 

[Mingle]

1000 VT -4 is ridiculously huge number .. Specially I am assuming the AK-2 has to be in its final stages ..

That's what article says posted by @Khafee

 

[TomCat]

Someone is confirming someone not?I am surprised someone told on other old forum PA looking T90M around 400-500 total.

Lol,
Koi bhi kuch bhi bolde.

VT-4 aur wo bhi itne huge numbers mein.
Isse behter to Oplot hai

 

[Khafee]

Lol,
Koi bhi kuch bhi bolde.

VT-4 aur wo bhi itne huge numbers mein.
Isse behter to Oplot hai

Not verifying anything, but Ukraine has a serious production issue.

 

[Mingle]

Not verifying anything, but Ukraine has a serious production issue.

If no VT4 only thing left is T90M along Ak1 and AK-2. Is there any lighter version of US M1A1tank??

 

[TomCat]

Not verifying anything, but Ukraine has a serious production issue.

The only leverage China can give with VT-4 as compared to Ukraine with Oplot is Licensed Production at HIT and possibly upgrading the manufacturing line to increase production rate.

Ukraine OTOH, I don’t know much about Ukraine so wouldn’t comment. But is it true as discussed by many on other forum that We are buying old tanks in numbers by Ukraine ?

If yes, Then will Ukraine upgrade them or will the work be done locally, The answer is, We don’t know about it.

And given the Tejas-Like postponing of AK2 again and again, Utterly lazy production rate of AK-1A per year, I don’t expect much from HIT in it’s current state. It has to up its game. But for that, Ambitious people should be made responsible.

 

[Scorpio]

I happy progress on this front all old armour should be given to FC. PA needs Maxxpro vehicle too make a one vendor contract and just buy in bulk from troop protection let's see what comes from US.

For FC Pakistan already bought 285 upgraded T55 for Siberia

 

[Scorpio]

Two Chinese VT4 Battle Tanks upgraded with a turret boost design and explosive reactive armor have been dispatched to a foreign buyer location.

The VT4 tanks made by China North Industries Group (NORINCO) left for their destination following a launch ceremony, China Central Television (CCTV), reported on Friday.

The tanks are not the standard VT4 version and instead are equipped with a different turret boost design. The front design features a new explosive reactive armor, Weihutang, a military column in China’s state-run CCTV news said.

The dispatch of just two tanks indicates that they could be the prototype to be tested at the customer location and followed by a larger order.

Pakistan order?

Earlier it was reported that the tanks were meant for Pakistan but there is no confirmation from the Pakistani side.

Earlier, the Chinese PLA had demonstrated the lightweight and high mobility features of the VT-4 tank in the Tibetan plateau as proof of performance in a high altitude environment. The VT-4 tanks could be part of its plan to bolster defenses along its border with India in the mountainous Kashmir region.

The tank is made by the Inner Mongolia First Machinery Group under the state-owned NORINCO. Further details on the deal have not been released, such as the purchase amount, overall value, and client name.

This upgraded VT4 offers enhancements with extra protection capabilities, the report said, citing military experts.

Also known as the MBT3000, the VT4 is a new generation of made-for-export combat tank designed for the international market, Weihutang said. The tank has been sold to Thailand and Nigeria.

The VT4 is equipped with a 125-millimeter smoothbore gun, can fire armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding-sabot (APFSDS), high explosive anti-tank cartridges, and missiles with a 5-kilometer range.

Equipped with a China-made 1,200-horsepower diesel-fueled engine and a hydromechanical drive system, the VT4 can travel at a maximum speed of 70 kph and a maximum cross-country speed of 50 kph.