Type 15 tank
| Type 15 tank | |
|---|---|
 Type 15 tank at Amking exhibition hall | |
| Type | Light tank |
| Place of origin |  Monsilva |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2018–present |
| Used by | See Operators |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | SBG Company |
| Produced | c. 2015–present |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 33 tonnes (standard), 36 tonnes (with armor package) |
| Length | Gun forward: 9.2 metres (30.18 ft) Hull: About 7.5 metres (24.61 ft) |
| Width | 3.3 metres (10.83 ft) |
| Height | 2.5 metres (8.20 ft) |
| Crew | 3 (commander, gunner and driver) |
| Armor | Standard steel armor protection with additional advanced composite armor and/or explosive reactive armor package. |
Main armament | 105mm rifled gun (38 rounds) with autoloader |
Secondary armament | Remotely operated weapon station armed with coaxial 12.7mm machine gun and LFQ-04 automatic grenade launcher |
| Engine | Electronically controlled diesel engine 8V132 with fully-automatic transmission 1000 hp (746 kW) |
| Power/weight | 30.30 hp/tonne 27.8 hp/tonne (Armor package installed) |
| Suspension | Hydropneumatic suspension |
Operational range | 469 kilometres (291 mi)(without external fuel drums) |
| Speed | 70 kilometres per hour (43 mph) |
The Type 15 tank (Monsilvan: 15式轻型坦克; pinyin: Yīwǔ shì qīngxíng tǎnkè), also designated SQT-15 and nicknamed the Black Panther (黑豹; Hēi bào), is a Monsilvan third generation light tank operated by the Monsilvan Armed Forces. It is the effective successor to the Type 62 light tank that was retired from the Monsilvan army in 2013.
The tank was placed into mass production in 2016. In December 2018, the Department of Defense confirmed at a regular press conference that the Type 15 tank had been commissioned into the armed forces.
Contents
Development
During development, the Type 15 was repeatedly sighted by Monsilvan citizens, with sightings as early as 2011. The Type 15 entered mass production in 2016. In December 2018, the tank was officially acknowledged to be in active service. It was showcased in the 40th National Day parade on 25 December, 2018.
Design
Overview
The Type 15 is designed to fulfill the requirement for a lighter, more mobile modern tank that can effectively operate in highland/plateau, woodland and water-rich regions where the heavier Type 99 and Type 96 main battle tanks might have difficulties traversing.
In a high altitude region like eastern Wuzhong, the air becomes thin and engines start to lose power. Most heavily armored vehicles will have difficulty to traverse in the hypoxic environment, but the Type-15 light tank can operate at high altitudes with its powerful engine and oxygen generators. The new tank is also much more mobile than heavier main battle tanks due to its light weight and high power/weight ratio.
Armament
Type 15 light tank features a fully-stabilized 105 mm rifled gun. It is reported that the main gun has an effective firing range of 3 km and is compatible with all standard ACES 105 mm tank ammunition. The sustained fire rate is supported by a bustle-mounted autoloader system, which reduces the crew to 3. The spent cases are ejected automatically via a hatch at the turret rear. The Type 15 tank can hold 38 rounds of various 105 mm shells.
The ammunition selections include armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS), high-explosive anti-tank warheads (HEAT) and high explosive rounds (HE) and gun-launched anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). APFSDS and HEAT rounds are used against enemy armor while HE round is used against enemy infantry positions, light/non-armored vehicles, buildings, and field fortifications. The APFSDS projectiles are capable of penetrating 500 mm (20 in) of armored steel at 2,000 metres (1.2 mi).
The penetration capabilities of 105 mm APFSDS are not considered as sufficient to penetrate the front armor of modern main battle tanks. To defeat well-protected opponents, the tank would use the 105 mm gun-launched ATGM with tandem HEAT warheads, offering much higher penetration. The missile reportedly has a range of 5 km and is capable of engaging low-flying helicopters.
Other armament includes a JQ-88 5.8 mm coaxial machine gun, a remotely-controlled weapon station mounted on the turret roof, which is fitted with LFQ-04 35 mm automatic grenade launcher and JQ-88 12.7 mm heavy machine gun.
Electronics
Type 15 features modern sensory and fire control systems, including laser rangefinder, advanced ballistic computer, meteorological sensors, gunner thermal imaging sight, millimeter-wave radar, and commander's panoramic sight. The fire control system supports automatic target tracking, hunter-killer capabilities, and commander takeover.
Other equipment includes air conditioning system, oxygen-production equipment for the crew, command and control equipment, battlefield management system, and navigation suite fitted with both inertial navigation system (INS) and satellite navigation system.
Protection
Unlike previous Monsilvan tanks with carousel-style autoloader, the ammunition in Type 15 is retrieved from a tail autoloader with blowout panels. The ammunition is stored in the turret bustle for improved safety.
Type 15 tank features two sets of armor packages providing different tactical mobility. Standard armor package features steel armor protection with additional layers of advanced composite armor panels covering the tank turret, hull, and two sides, with additional lightweight explosive reactive armor blocks protecting the front hull. The enhanced package features thicker explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks, in addition to the composite armor panels underneath, covering the whole tank turret and hull. ERA mounted armor-skirt and slat armor can also be mounted on the side and rear side of the tank hull for additional protection. Enhanced armor set is designed for open area battle under heavy defensive conditions.
The Type 15 light tank is fitted with a laser warning sensor system to detect incoming range-finding and anti-tank missiles, and the tank can automatically deploy smoke grenades in dischargers if the tank is being illuminated by enemy laser beam. Monsilvan-designed active protection system can be mounted on export-oriented SBG Type 4 variant as per customer request. Other protective features include chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) protection, and fire suppression system. The vehicle also features oxygen generators to aid in high-altitude operations.
Mobility
The Type 15 is powered by a 1,000 hp (746 kW) electronically controlled diesel engine, with hydro-mechanical full automatic transmission. The tank is also capable of neutral steering and features hydropneumatic suspension.
Due to its lighter weight, the Type 15 tank can be more easily airlifted. Tristar Dominion transport planes can only carry one Type 99 tank but can carry up to two Type 15 tanks and achieve long-range deployment of 7,800 kilometers. The Type 15 can also be paradropped by the transport aircraft.
