In a meeting between the PLA and design team in 1984 concluded that the new tank would be based on the T-72. ZHU Yusheng was appointed as the chief designer of the project. In 1986 the thrid-generation MBT project was officially approved by the Central Military Commission and the State Council. In Spring 1989 the PLA signed the contract with China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO), the parent company of 201 Institute and 617 Factory, to develop the third generation MBT.
I would like to delve to deeper into this error and how the PRC can correct this. I believe after the 91gulf war the PRC soon understood that it made a grievous error by going the way of the T-64/72 base design with its own future development of a MBT. I believe now with the development and deployment of the Type-96/98 you are looking at the attempted “patchwork temporary fix†with the ideas of the more advanced composite amour on the frontal arcs of the newer designs. I fully expect with in the next five years to see a whole new design concept appear if not already in the trail phase. Keeping such developments secret would prevent the ROC from appealing to the U.S for its M1A2 or going to another western power or Israel for such tank upgrade......cheers ute
I would like to delve to deeper into this error and how the PRC can correct this. I believe after the 91gulf war the PRC soon understood that it made a grievous error by going the way of the T-64/72 base design with its own future development of a MBT. I believe now with the development and deployment of the Type-96/98 you are looking at the attempted “patchwork temporary fix†with the ideas of the more advanced composite amour on the frontal arcs of the newer designs. I fully expect with in the next five years to see a whole new design concept appear if not already in the trail phase. Keeping such developments secret would prevent the ROC from appealing to the U.S for its M1A2 or going to another western power or Israel for such tank upgrade......cheers ute