Jane's defence

http://www.janes.com/defence/news/jd...0617_1_n.shtml

China tests new AFV developments

By Christopher F Foss JDW Land Forces Editor
London

China is testing a number of new armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs), including a modified Type 98/99 main battle tank (MBT) fitted with a 140 mm smoothbore gun, it has been revealed. If fielded, the latter would constitute the largest MBT armament currently deployed.

For many years Chinese AFVs have been based on foreign designs, especially Russian, or used foreign sub-systems. However, the Chinese defence industry has made rapid progress in recent years and is now self-sufficient in most of the key areas of AFV design, especially MBTs and light AFVs.

The Type 99 MBT is now in production and service with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and is a further development of the Type 98, which was first seen in public late in 1999 during a parade of Chinese equipment.

The main difference between the two MBTs is that the latter has a more advanced arrowhead passive armour package over the frontal turret arc, similar to that of the German Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Leopard 2A5/Leopard 2A6 MBT, which has been in service for some years.

The MBTs are both armed with a 125 mm smoothbore gun fed by an automatic loader, which has enabled the crew to be reduced to three: commander, gunner and driver.

Wow 140mm! That's pretty darn big for a tank!
Shame there are no pictures

in my opinion that 140mm gun is beyond sane limits, increasing the gun size isn't an answer they need to work on the ammunition for their existing tank guns. Bigger gun would mean less ammunition, heavier ammunition, more stress to the tank structure overall more negative sides comparing to the benefits.
Just my two cents.

I can see what you mean, Armyjaeger. It makes sense.
Less is more concept....kind of like the rooikat we discussed earlier. Maybe a smaller, higher velocity gun. I would be extremely nervous if I was in an abrahms and a 140mm anything was aimed at me. It's not like it will just bounce off the armour like some other rounds!

140 is not insane, most countries are considering it. Russia had a prototype if im not mistaken.

Sherman is right. The US has developed a 120mm canon that can be easily switched out to a 140mm. It's part of the FCS (Future Combat Systems).

The 120 mm XM291 Gun used enhancements developed by Watervliet Arsenal (WVA) and Benet Laboratories to improve gun performance. Compatibility for refit to the M1A1 or M1A2 Abrams MaBattle Tank was another design requirement. Gun enhancements include improved breech design, thermal shroud, modular recoil design, and improved firepower. The cannon can be increased in caliber, if required, to 140mm with a simple tube change.
The 120mm/140mm XM91 Autoloader was designed, fabricated, installed, and successfully tested in the Advanced TAnk Cannon (ATAC) System vehicle testing. The Autoloader automatically takes rounds from tank storage areas and loads them into the breech of the tank gun -- previously a manual operation. The Autoloader can be upgraded to support automated replenishment of the tank's ammunition from a resupply vehicle. Development has involved mechanical design and analysis, writing of control algorithms, and control system design. The project also involved extensive prototype testing, both in the laboratory and at proving grounds. An innovative feature of the Autoloader is control of projectile loading velocity by gripping the shell and adjusting (in real time) its acceleration and deceleration.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...ound/fcs-t.htm

BTW the concept seems to have been around since at least 1997.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...997/4fcs97.pdf[/url]

It sounds more like the soviets. Since their T-90s are using a 125mm gun. Eventally, someone might build a gun like a battleship. The Chinese are smart, so it is possible that they will use the 140mm on their tanks. Only question is, how much ammo they can fit inside the tank.

Hi there,
Is there any info on the 140 example: what is it smoothbore or rifled, and whats the actual ammunition caliber?

thanks,

Nick

Check the links provided (I believe they're smooth bore).

hey, im new here. well i do think the chinese hav a reason for that 140mm cannon. pretty darn big. but the russians hav like a 152mm cannon on one of their tanks.

yes their smoothbore. much more accurate right? i mean t-98 r somewhat obsolete compared to M1A2's, but with an 140mm cannon, i believe it'll level the playing field. the range is much longer and the tank can fire from a longer range, but with less ammo.

Mod edit: Avoid double posting in the future, tnx.