New land-based export weapons show off
China demonstrated many of its domestically developed tanks and other land-based weapons in an arms show before hundreds of foreign military officers in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region on Wednesday.
The event was held by Stateowned China North Industries Group Corp, commonly known as Norinco, the country’s biggest maker of landbased armaments. It was meant to show the latest achievements of the Chinese land-based weapons industry, Norinco said in a statement.
About 230 officers from more than 50 foreign nations, mostly military attaches to Beijing and procurement officials, attended the demonstration. It included live-fire performances by battle tanks and anti-tank missiles, at a shooting range of the Inner Mongolia First Machinery Co, a subsidiary of Norinco, in the industrial city of Baotou.
Dozens of tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and mine-resistant/ambush protected vehicles roared onto the proving ground in formation and then conducted tactical maneuvers. Several amphibious assault vehicles and allterrain vehicles cut through bodies of water.
The weapons displayed were the export versions, not those used by the Chinese military.
During the live-fire exercise, a VT-4 main battle tank and a ST-1 tank destroyer fired rounds of armor-piercing ammunition, and a VT-5 lightduty tank launched anti-tank missiles. A GL-5 active protection system mounted on a tank intercepted an incoming anti-tank rocket.
Afterward, many foreign guests were invited to drive and operate several types of tanks and armored vehicles.
Zhu Zheng, a senior armored vehicle researcher at Norinco and spokesman for this year’s show, said the company wanted to feature the VT-5 light-duty tank and VN-17 tracked infantry fighting vehicle this year.
The VT-5, which the company called the most advanced light-duty tank available in the international market, is based on proven technologies and has a powerful, Chinese designed engine, Zhu said.
Wednesday was the first field demonstration of the VT-5. It was first shown to the public at the 11th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in November but there was no demonstration at the time.
The company said the VT-5 is capable of operating in terrains such as desert, forest, urban areas and in soft soil that cannot support heavy-duty tanks. Its maximum weight is 36 metric tons, and it has a crew of three. The tank is armed with a 105-mm rifled tank gun, which can fire armor-piercing shells, highexplosive warheads and antitank missiles, and a 12.7-mm remotely controlled machine gun.
“The VT-5 has many advanced designs and equipment. It is the first Chinese export tank that has a conveyor-belt shell autoloader, which has better reliability and safety and higher speed when loading the main gun,” Zhu said.
The VN-17 infantry fighting vehicle made its public debut at the demonstration. Many of its large parts, like the chassis and engine, are the same as those used by the VT-5. It features an unmanned turret.
“Both the VT-5 and VN-17 are powered by domestically developed engines, which means we will no longer be bothered by interventions from some foreign suppliers,” Zhu said.
Xiao Ning, editor-in-chief of Beijing-based Weapon magazine, attended the event and said the VT-5 is capable of confronting most kinds of tanks.
“Its firepower, armor and mobility are equally good for the needs of most developing countries, which can’t afford, and don’t necessarily need, high-priced Western tanks such as the US M1A2 Abrams and the German Leopard 2 series,” he said.
Both the VT-5 and VN-17 are powered by domestically developed engines.” Zhu Zheng, a senior armored vehicle researcher at Norinco