Armor
The Chinese Type 98 MBT: A New Beast
from the East
China Defense.com
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The Chinese Type 98 Main Battle Tank:
A New Beast from the East
by Jim Warford
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| The New Chinese Type 98 - Configuration of the turret roof, from left, includes the commander's independent sight, the Laser Warning Receiver, Wind Sensor, and the Laser Self-Defense weapon. |
On October 1, 1999, during a parade in Beijing marking the 50th anniversary of the People's Republic of China, the world got a look at the current Chinese armored force, including a first glimpse of the new Type 98 main battle tank (MBT). This huge parade, the first since 1984, reportedly involved 500,000 PLA personnel, and provided an unprecedented view of the Chinese army's latest weaponry and equipment.
The PLA paraded three different tank types, with one of the most significant surprises being the new Type 98, which resembles a Russian T-72 MBT with a new and well-protected "box-like" turret. The Type 98 (and other improved and evolving armored vehicles like it) represent a potentially significant and continuing heavy threat confronting U.S. Army forces in the future.
While two of the tanks paraded by the PLA were shown for the first time in their latest forms - the Type 80-III/Type 88B and the Type 85-III/Type 88C - the Type 98 had never before been seen in public. This tank, also known as the WZ-123, represents a significant improvement in Chinese MBT development.
The Type 98 actually began during the continuing development of another Chinese tank known as the Type 90-II/Type 90-IIM. In late 1991, the China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) re-leased initial information describing the development of the Type 90-II. Reportedly, a deal had been signed in May 1990 between China and Pakistan allowing for the production of this new tank in Pakistan. As of early 1999, however, the Type 90-II had still not been put into production in either China or Pakistan.
