However, if China designed the T-96B specifically to win the Tank Biathlon, then if could be a waste of energy from a practical perspective. Nevertheless, China has a culture of "saving face," so putting tons of energy into winning a game (instead of preparing for war practically, like all armies should do) could be part of the military leadership's rationale.
New Type98/99 MBT thread
- Thread starter Dongfeng
- Start date
It's not a vehicle made specifically for the biathlon. The upgrades incorporated include changing to engine to a 1000hp design derived from the ZTZ-99A's 1500hp. Prototypes were sent to the 2016 Biathlon because why not, and their performance wasn't bad, although a tank did suffer a broke wheel.
State media has already revealed the intention is to finalise the design and begin equipping PLA units in 2017, which is this year. I expect to see a few brigades equipped with the 96B in next year's footage of PLA units.
TerraN_EmpirE
Tyrant King
Tank competitions like sniper competitions are not supposed to be about the Vehicles. They are supposed to be about the Crews.
If you look beyond the highly kinetic activitys, you will find mundane events like loading ammo, sometimes these events will include pistol and machine gun marksmanship. And parts that leave the tanks behind.
The Russian event even loans out tanks. You don't do that for a tech vs tech, you do that because it's about the doctrine, the training, who spends more weekends practicing gunnery and doing field exercises.
If you look beyond the highly kinetic activitys, you will find mundane events like loading ammo, sometimes these events will include pistol and machine gun marksmanship. And parts that leave the tanks behind.
The Russian event even loans out tanks. You don't do that for a tech vs tech, you do that because it's about the doctrine, the training, who spends more weekends practicing gunnery and doing field exercises.
Any possibility of the PLA addressing the turret geometry issues on the 96B?
What a bad ass beast.
kwaigonegin
Colonel
Word!
Many folks seem to think that this type of competitions is about technical abilities of a specific tank which as you so well put isn't.
The course and competition was purposely design so no one tank has any advantage over the others in terms of technological advancement.
A competent and fast crew in a previous generation tank will still win over a green crew in say a Leo 2 A7+.
If you lose odds are it because your crew suck not so much because your tank suck.. well unless it breaks down but that's a different story.
plawolf
Lieutenant General
A) the tanks loaned out are distinctly inferior to what the Russia team uses.
B) unlike many of the other participating countries and teams, China doesn't operate the T72.
Taking your sniper anology, it would be like going into a sniping competition with a rifle you never used before. Your daily training isn't going to count for much if the gun you use behaves vastly differently to what you were training with.
Besides, if China wanted to win at all costs, it would have sent 99s or the new 99Bs, which would have given them a near insurmountable advantage.