From what iv'e read the carousel auto loader is in the most well armored spot on the tank and the main reason for the now infamous turret flying of the tank into the air is because the extra ammo and propelent not in the auto loader is left just lying a round in the fighting compartment waiting to be ignited. if this is in fact true wouldnt storing the extra ammo at least the explosive ammo either in blow out compartments or externaly on the tank greatly improve its survivability?
You’re right on this point, despite what many analysts have been saying, really, just think about it, which is safer, placing ammos in the hull where they’re protect by layers of amour or in compartment behind turret? It is common knowledge that around 80% of hits are on the turret, in fact this design on many western MBT is mainly to facilitate rapid loading, not so much as preventing second impacts.
While blow out compartment is a good design feature for safety, however, I believe the single most important factor in the prevention of second impact is the role played by modern Fire Detection and Suppression System, I don’t know why it is rarely mentioned by people, but this is the technology that made such contrasting outcome between Soviet-designed tanks and Israeli-western tanks on the battlefield. Second impact occurred because old T series tanks lacked this system which could very effectively deal with problem; this was one of the major combat conclusions of the Israeli-Lebanese war in early eighties. You may or may not believes all those stories about China-Israel military cooperation, but this is one piece of technology that China definitely got it from their friends in Tel Aviv back in the eighties. Also should be mentioned here is the another technique pioneered by the Israeli, that is individual protective casing for each rounds stored inside a tank, together with FDSS, these technologies prevented second impact on Israeli tanks and saved the lives of many its crew, it is advisable in my opinion not only for China but many western tank designers to follow suit, yes, it is costly to have such protective casing for every single round, but a team of well-trained and motivated crew is worth much more.
Lastly, about that fixation with T-72, just imagine this, give T-72 to US force and M1s to Iraq, now, US has complete air dominance with A-10 and AH-64 firing those amour piecing 30mm rounds and Hellfires above you, complete battlefield situation awarenence so any attempt of tactical maneuvering from your side are detected, complete CI3 about where your amour groups are, so you are attacked from all side before you’re even aware of it, do you really think those M1s in Iraqi hands are going to perform better than T-72s. When strategical and tactical circumstance are overwhelmingly working against you, it really doesn’t matter if you tanks have that wonderful little piece of technology which could prevent the turret being blown toward the sky when you’re hit.
