Chinese main battle tank, upgraded for high altitudes, could be sent to border with India

One of China’s newest main battle tanks, the Type 99B, is an upgraded model designed to perform better in high-altitude and cold weather operations, according to state media – suggesting it could be sent to the Himalayan border with India. The tank is the latest of the Type 99 armoured vehicles and was among the military hardware unveiled during China’s huge Victory Day parade in Beijing in September. State broadcaster CCTV reported on Thursday that the upgraded model has a raft of new features. It was shown going through testing of its driving capabilities and electronic systems in diverse terrain, as well as live-fire exercises. The report did not say when or where the testing had been carried out. The main upgrade is to the tank’s information-based command and communication capabilities and its integrated firepower, which the report said reflected “a new level of sophistication” in the People’s Liberation Army’s ground combat equipment. “It possesses the ability to conduct rapid and sustained combat operations in special environments like high-altitude plateaus and extreme cold,” the report said. That suggests the Type 99B has been specifically designed for high-altitude operations on the Tibetan Plateau and along the Himalayan border with India. India and China share a vast border in the Himalayas that is undemarcated. They fought a brief but bloody war over the border in 1962 and there have been flare-ups since then, including a 2020 clash in the Galwan Valley, when at least 20 Indian and four Chinese troops were killed. That put a strain on ties between the two neighbours, though there have been efforts to improve relations in recent months. China’s Type 99 is a third-generation main battle tank designed to compete with advanced Western rivals. It weighs about 55 tonnes and is equipped with a 125mm main gun, heavy armour and other passive and active protection systems. The earlier variant, Type 99A, has upgraded fire control, navigation, electronic and automated systems. When it made its debut at the parade in September, the Type 99B was described as “information-enabled, with heavy-fire strike capability”. Thursday’s report marked the first public demonstration of its live-fire capabilities. It showed the tank’s autoloader in action with a two-part ammunition set-up – projectile and propellant charge – before it made repeated single shots at a target 1km (0.6 miles) away. The tank was remotely controlled during the driving and communication tests, with real-time information transmitted to the operators including battlefield situational awareness, combat commands and equipment status, according to the report. A technician with the tank’s developer, state-owned defence conglomerate Norinco, told CCTV that the functionality of the tank’s electronic systems was closely monitored during the testing for future improvement. The systems are sensitive to temperature, humidity, electromagnetic conditions and any mechanical disturbance in difficult terrain. Technicians also checked the bandwidth and latency of data being uploaded and downloaded to ensure the tank’s connection with the wider network. Its communication antennas are an upgraded version of those on the Type 99A, enabling it to serve as an information node in the PLA’s intelligent ground battle system, the report said. The tank has an intelligent remote weapon station, meaning the crew can stay inside the armoured hull when observing their surroundings. Its 360-degree optical and infrared sensors allow for target identification during the day and at night, and they can facilitate coordinated reconnaissance, precision strikes and suppression fire of the main gun. “The 99B retains the classic configuration of the Type 99 series, carrying forward the chassis and turret design,” the report said. “But its battlefield situational awareness has been significantly strengthened, allowing it to navigate complex and dangerous combat environments with greater proficiency and composure.” China’s Type 15 lightweight tanks were designed for mobility in high-altitude terrain and have been deployed to its frontier with India since the deadly border clash in 2020. At 33 tonnes, the Type 15 has been used to access areas that have been harder for the much heavier 55-tonne Type 99 tanks to get to and its engines are designed to better operate at higher altitudes. But there is still a need for a main battle tank with more firepower to counter India’s T-72s and T-90s in the event of a direct confrontation and the upgraded Type 99B – with improved engines and mobility – gives the PLA more options.

Chinese main battle tank, upgraded for high altitudes, could be sent to border with India

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The Type 99B has been designed for ‘rapid and sustained combat operations’ in areas like the Himalayas, according to state media

The Type 99B has been designed for ‘rapid and sustained combat operations’ in areas like the Himalayas, according to state media