Type 69 | |
---|---|
![]() Iraqi Type 69-II captured during the Gulf War. | |
Type | Main battle tank |
Place of origin | China |
Service history | |
In service | 1974–present (Type 69) 1982–present (Type 69-II) 1984–present (Type 79) |
Used by | See Operators |
Wars | Iran–Iraq War Gulf War Battle for Border Post 9631 Iraq War War in Iraq (2013–2017) |
Production history | |
Designer | No. 60 Research Institute |
Designed | 1963–1974 |
Manufacturer | First Inner Mongolia Machinery Factory (Inner Mongolia First Machinery Group Corporation) |
Specifications | |
Mass | 36.7 tonnes[1] |
Length | 6.24 m (Hull)[1] |
Width | 3.3 m[1] |
Height | 2.80 m |
Crew | 4 |
Armor | 203 mm |
Main armament | 100mm smoothbore/105 mm rifled tank gun |
Secondary armament | 7.62 mm coaxial and bow machine guns, 12.7 mm antiaircraft machine gun |
Engine | 12150L-7 V-12 diesel engine 580 hp[1] (430 kW) |
Power/weight | 15.8 hp/tonne[1] |
Suspension | torsion-bar |
Operational range | 440 km[1] |
Maximum speed | 50 km/h[1] |
The Type 69 (Chinese: 69式; pinyin: Liùjiǔ shì) and Type 79 (Chinese: 79式; pinyin: Qījiǔ shì) are Chinese first generation main battle tanks. Both were developments of the Type 59 medium tank (a locally produced Soviet T-54A) with technologies derived from the T-62. They were the first indigenously developed main battle tanks by China, although also classified as medium tanks while in development and service.[2][3] Their lineage from the T-54A can be seen through the distinct gap between the first and second road wheels. Other improvements included a new engine, ballistic computers, and laser rangefinders. The more advanced Type 79 variant was equipped with a 105 mm rifled gun which was also found on the Type 80 tank.[1]
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