PLA Next Generation Main Battle Tank

lcloo

Captain
With advance of batteries for EV in China, electric motors will eventually be found in armour vehicles and tanks. Future tanks will need a lot of electrical power for self protection like laser weapon, ECM, radar etc. against guided smart munitions, IED and smart drones.

Current generations of tanks lack effective air defense, lack detection sensors against air attacks and ATGM etc. The new generation of tanks have to be as smart as possible and able to share info to as many assets as possible. Electrification and AI in tanks in future would be much needed. Propulsion plant could be pure electric or hybrid.

Though I am not referring to the NG tank spotted at this moment, may be the Next new generation design.
 

A potato

Junior Member
Registered Member
I find it absolutely dumb for PLA to overly praise the Type 15 and subsequently proceed to give up on any heavier "proper" MBTs. All other countries are making 4th gen tanks like Leopard 3 with 140mm gun and heavy protection or unmanned MBTs. And did they not remember the campaign in Vietnam all the Type 62 light tanks are completely useless because they are so easily penetrated?

I like the Type 15, but going all in on a light tank while exporting better, proper tanks overseas just baffles me.

Also, a universal platform that can be configured into a light tank or a heavy MBT also doesn't make sense, because the engine space is going to be the same, which means the MBT version are inherently going to be underpowered.

With so much budget going to the navy and air force, the ground force is really looking dire right now...
The reason the type 62 even existed in the first place was because MBTs will have a hard time manuvering the Jungle in southern China and good luck getting any armor in the Himalayas incase the Jai hinds want to cross so it makes sense. And the Type 62 was proven to perform well in the vietnam war because of its manuverability in the Vietnamese jungles.
 
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