PLA Next Generation Main Battle Tank

ETC guns would require horrendously high electric storage and/or generation. It would increase, not decrease, the weight of the tank.
The main advantage is perhaps you could get by with ammo which uses explosives which are more insensitive to detonation. And hence increase survivability of the tank.

what kind of tank would be used in a taiwan scenario? 99 or 15?

There would be a lot of city fighting. I am not sure if Type 15 would have enough protection.
Is there a HESH round for Type 15?

alfreddango said:

what kind of tank would be used in a taiwan scenario? 99 or 15?

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15 and 96 initially, 99s might come afterwards.

And ofc, spearheading would be zbd 04s

Yeah it might be hard to transport and land the latest Type 99.

Also, the type 15 and 96s should be enough tbf, the 99s can be considered a bit overkill, and their weight is eh... quite a bit too much probably.

Not to mention, a lot more than just tanks will be involved.

Michaelsinodef said:

So I took a look through this whole thread, and it really, and I mean really seems like the next new tank for the PLA is gonna be another light tank (40 tons maximum), quite possibly also with a 105 gun (could end up being ETC).

It is gonna be a 4th gen tank, but just like 96, 99 and 15 are all 3th gen, a heavier 4th gen tank might also emerge afterwards (it seems like the PLA doesn't feel like there's that big of a pressing need for a ~50 to 55 tons heavy 4th gen tank).

Besides being so light, I think it might actually end up diverting quite a lot from what other countries are gonna end up fielding as their 4th gen tanks.

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Thanks, I hope this turns out to be true.

I get the impression that the PLA is waiting for a tech breakthrough before moving ahead, such as

Propoulsion, batteries of course but could it use CTB tech? This would provide a lot of power.
Two man crew also seems to be discussed a lot, This could help reduce weight.
Gun updates as you say, could also be to do with increased energetic explosives.

I see 3 technologies that can be achieved in the next 10-20 years that may revolutionize tanks as we know it.

1) Unmanned, remote controlled and AI assisted. This has been discussed quite often, the advantages are obvious.
2) Electric motor. Batteries are too heavy/bulky, and charging is too slow, so it'd have to be hydrogen fuel cells. This would offer much greater torque and enable electrically powered weapons.
3) Electrically powered weapons. Railgun or coilgun as main gun, possibly with higher powered laser +/- EM wave weapons for self defense or anti-infantry.

None of the tech involved is so science fiction that it can't be achieved in the next 10-20 years if there's a great need. If desired, a tech demonstrator including above techs can probably be built today. The end result would be a tank that's much smaller (no crew, far less bulky ammo), much lighter, considerably more mobile, much more survivable (smaller, quicker, less IR signature, etc.), and much more lethal.

Firepower wise they could go for a long rod autoloader like vacuum round for Armata. It should be sufficient for any future peer to peer threat. 1000mm pen should take care of likes or Armata and that new German tank. Therefore I think 125mm gun can stay.

Further more there can be more investment on crew survival like armata. More design to accomodate active protection system and protection vs top attack.

TK3600 said:

Firepower wise they could go for a long rod autoloader like vacuum round for Armata. It should be sufficient for any future peer to peer threat. 1000mm pen should take care of likes or Armata and that new German tank. Therefore I think 125mm gun can stay.

Further more there can be more investment on crew survival like armata. More design to accomodate active protection system and protection vs top attack.

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I dunno if 1000mm pen is gonna be enough for to penetrate the Armata frontally, aren't the 99As armor like 1200mm at the front or something crazy like that? (not fully sure, but I'm pretty sure it was quite a lot above 800 mm at least, so I don't think it's a stretch that 1000mm pen won't be enough to penetrate the Armata from the front).

Although, it should be able to mission kill if it hits the turret and also 100% kill the tank if it hits the sides or back ofc.

But then again, there might be improvements to APS that can actually take on APFSDS, although if we go with the PLA getting ETC cannons on their next gen tanks (wouldn't say it's that much of a stretch, definitely think its achievable in the next 10 years), then the speed of rounds will go up a lot and the APS might not be able to react/counter it.