In addition to the main battle tank, the PLA will also employ a support vehicle—also designated the Type 100—that will be armed with lighter weapons with a higher rate of fire.
On Wednesday, China unveiled its newest main battle tank (MBT) at its victory parade in Beijing to mark the 80th anniversary of China’s “People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War”—known outside of China as World War II.
China’s state-run Global Times newspaper reported the presence of the Type 100 MBT, as well as an advanced variant of the Type 99 and the Type 100 support vehicle, which “formed a ground assault formation.”
Described as a “fourth-generation” MBT, the Type 100 is outfitted with an “unmanned turret, an advanced radar, an active protection system” (APS), and “augmented reality” (AR) technology.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has not released any details on the Type 100, but reports from China Daily claim that the new MBT is armed with a 105mm main gun and a coaxial machine gun housed in the unmanned turret. Instead of a large caliber weapon—such as a 120mm main gun, a mainstay of most MBTs—the Type 100 will employ a multitude of smaller munitions. It is equipped with a remote-control weapons system and likely an autoloader. Multiple cameras and photoelectric sensors are “distributed around the battle machine,” which aid the crew in detecting potential threats.
The Type 100’s APS includes a 360-degree threat detection system that can monitor and track incoming shells, rockets, or missiles, and then fire a counter “mini rocket” to destroy the threat.
“[The] unmanned turret has several advantages such as more space for armaments, ammunition and mission payloads,” suggested China Daily. “It allows more armor to be used on the tank’s hull that houses the crew.”
Is the Type 100 Tank the Real Deal?
If the reporting is accurate, these features sound similar to those on Russia’s T-14 Armata MBT, which is also equipped with an unmanned turret and advanced sensors. The Kremlin has been unable to produce the Armata in the planned initially large numbers due to its high cost, but such concerns have not deterred China’s military ambitions.
The Chinese Type 100 also takes tank development in a new direction, with a greater focus on sensors rather than simply adding composite and reactive armor.
“Through active protection interceptors and the remote weapon station to defend against incoming anti-tank ammunition and drones, these technologies enable China’s new generation of tank and armored vehicle to have strong combat and survival capabilities in the high threat environment of modern ground warfare,” Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times.
The Type 100 was developed in response to the threat from drones and modern anti-tank weapons that typically target the weak areas of an MBT, notably its top. In addition to its sensors and cameras, the Type 100 can carry and deploy a rotor-wing drone, which can be deployed to conduct reconnaissance missions that provide the crew with greater situational awareness.
“From the clash between munitions and armors, the new tank and support vehicle have stepped further to embrace the integration of informatization and firepower. Thanks to advantages granted by high-level informatization, their firepower will also see significant increase,” Fu added.
The Chinese Tank Comes With a Support Vehicle, Too
In addition to the MBT, the PLA will also employ a support vehicle—also designated the Type 100—that will be armed with lighter weapons with a higher rate of fire to “suppress and eliminate unarmored targets such as foot soldiers operating anti-tank missiles or lightly armored vehicles.” The two vehicles will utilize data links designed to exploit an enemy’s battlefield weaknesses.
“The Type 100 tank and the Type 100 support vehicle share the same vehicle body design. This can lower the design and maintenance cost, boost interconnectivity and interoperability, and enhance combat efficiency,” Fu continued.
It is unclear when the Type 100 MBT and Type 100 support vehicles will enter service, or even reach initial production. However, unlike Russia, China generally does not tout systems that remain in the vaporware stage for long.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
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