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In 2018, the ZTQ-15 (also called the Type 15) main battle tank entered into service with the People’s Liberation Army of China. From the outside, it looks like most other modern main battle tanks like the M1 Abrams or Leopard II. It has a 105 millimeter rifled main gun that can be outfitted to fire a wide variety of ammunition.
Power comes from a 1,000 horsepower diesel engine, giving it a top speed of just over 43 miles per hour, and it has a range of nearly 280 miles on a full tank of fuel. Performance and armament characteristics alone don’t really set the Type 15 apart from any other modern tank.
What makes the Type 15 different are its weight and stated purpose. First, the Type 15 is comparatively very light, at between 33 and 36 tons. The M1 Abrams and British Challenger 2 can weigh north of 60 tons. When it comes to size, the Type 15 is relatively small, too — measuring 24 feet, six inches. It’s a little longer in length to the United States’ Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle, which measures at 21 feet long.
The Type 15 utilizes a smaller crew than the Abrams, needing only three soldiers, whereas the Abrams needs four. Instead of a person loading rounds into the gun, the task is accomplished by an auto-loading mechanism.
Made for maneuverability
The Type 15 is not primarily meant to fight other tanks — that’s the job of the much larger Type 99 main battle tank. Instead, the Type 15 is designed to go where the Type 99 and potentially other larger tanks are incapable of going. China has a very wide range of terrain ranging from plateaus and mountainous snowy environments to jungles and forests.
It’s also meant to fight against smaller tanks fielded by other Asian countries, according to the United States Army. Additionally, the Type 15 can produce oxygen onboard to deal with high altitudes where both the crew and engine are exposed to less breathable air.
China’s new tank fits into an odd niche. It’s too small and likely doesn’t have enough tonnage to be a significant competitor to tanks from Western forces. Yet, it’s not meant to transport troops into combat like other vehicles closer in size like the aforementioned Bradley. It’s a unique vehicle for China’s unique geographic position.
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