I owe this answer to Mark from a couple of posts ago concerning basically my work list for the PLA tanks for the next patch within the next couple of years.
TYPE 99: This concerns the addition of the ATGM.
http://www.armyrecognition.com/weapo...d_missile.html
http://www.janes.com/article/48782/c...-type-99-tanks
My JANE's source is in the 404 cat. on this topic for now-sorry. Posted anyway in case it "clears up".
TYPE 98 (Vice 89 from my earlier response.): These tanks are just recently started mounting a tube launched MANPAD/SAM.
http://www.armyrecognition.com/weapo...e_missile.html
Light Tank: Some speculation that this isn't the TYPE 99 derivative (Can't remember it's designation off hand.) partly because it comes with a 105mm MG that however can fire and is supposedly equipped with an ATGM. No definitive proof that the TYPE 99 version went into production. Re-posting first source to report this tank again as well.
http://www.military-today.com/tanks/...light_tank.htm
http://www.armyrecognition.com/janua...t_0201153.html
Here are my concerns though with this tank...
1. That gun sure looks like a 125mm to me, at 30-35 tons (1/2 weight of an ABRAM's) and compared against the Japanese
TYPE 10 at about 45 tons w/120mm, I feel right about this. It also looks very similar (If not the same.) as the
TYPE 99 125mm.
2. Can anyone guess where I'm going next? Look at the turret that screams
TYPE 99 to me all day long. So yes I believe this to be the
TYPE 99 derivative.
3. I further feel based on the timeline to support my last from #2 above matches the known development of the
TYPE 99 derivative. I think Ref. 2 got the gun data confused with the
ZBD-2000 Light AMPHIB tank posted below which does have a 105mm and was developed along a similar time-frame.
http://www.military-today.com/tanks/...light_tank.htm
Bottomline: Though confident in my analysis, I still have some research to do here before it gets submitted.
Now to try to get back to sleep!!
Regards,
Pat