New land-based export weapons show off
The VT-4 main battle tank is put through its paces at a demonstration held on Wednesday by State-owned arms-maker China North Industries Group Corp. Provided to China Daily |
Wednesday was the first field demonstration of the VT-5. It was first shown to the public at the 11th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in November but there was no demonstration at the time.
The company said the VT-5 is capable of operating in terrains such as desert, forest, urban areas and in soft soil that cannot support heavy-duty tanks. Its maximum weight is 36 metric tons, and it has a crew of three. The tank is armed with a 105-mm rifled tank gun, which can fire armor-piercing shells, high-explosive warheads and antitank missiles, and a 12.7-mm remotely controlled machine gun.
"The VT-5 has many advanced designs and equipment. It is the first Chinese export tank that has a conveyor-belt shell autoloader, which has better reliability and safety and higher speed when loading the main gun," Zhu said.
The VN-17 infantry fighting vehicle made its public debut at the demonstration. Many of its large parts, like the chassis and engine, are the same as those used by the VT-5. It features an unmanned turret.
"Both the VT-5 and VN-17 are powered by domestically developed engines, which means we will no longer be bothered by interventions from some foreign suppliers," Zhu said.
Xiao Ning, editor-in-chief of Beijing-based Weapon magazine, attended the event and said the VT-5 is capable of confronting most kinds of tanks.
"Its firepower, armor and mobility are equally good for the needs of most developing countries, which can't afford, and don't necessarily need, high-priced Western tanks such as the US M1A2 Abrams and the German Leopard 2 series," he said.
- Survivor of Japan's 'comfort women' system dies
- 19 foreigners among China's first officially certified hotpot chefs
- China approves new lunar sample research applications from institutions
- Fishing, Hunting festival opens at Chagan Lake in Jilin
- A glimpse of Xi's global insights through maxims quoted in 2024
- China's 'Ice City' cracks down on ticket scalping in winter tourism