The two main tanks from Red Alert 2, Rhino and Grizzly, are still not as good as the heavily revised Type 99 in terms of technical content, even if they have been upgraded to the elite level. Mainly because these two main battle tanks are still based on second-generation tanks. After the elite level, they can generally be squeezed into the third generation. After the magic modification, the Type 99 has become a third-generation +++ type Bug weapon.
Factory 617 has both the Grizzly and Rhino. Frankly speaking, it is not difficult for the 617 Factory, which has pretty good technology, to copy these two tanks. However, they can only copy the basic Rhino and Grizzly tanks and upgrade them to the elite level. Later high-horsepower engines, more advanced fire control systems, and composite armor with stronger protection will all require comprehensive breakthroughs, which are not something that can only be achieved by one car manufacturer.
Compared with the Rhino, the Grizzly tank has a smaller gun caliber. It uses a 105mm smoothbore gun. Although it can shoot depleted uranium bullets, tungsten alloy armor-piercing bullets and other relatively powerful penetrating bullets, it is not as powerful as the larger-caliber 120mm and 125mm main guns. , both the range and power are smaller. But the Grizzly Tank has a very compact design and is particularly maneuverable. With a 1,200-horsepower engine, it only takes 6 seconds to accelerate from standstill to 32 kilometers per hour. The maximum highway speed is 80 kilometers per hour, and the maximum off-road speed is 55 kilometers per hour. hours, it can achieve zero-radius turning and excellent reverse performance. The maximum weight is only 33 tons, which should be regarded as a light main battle tank in terms of magnitude. Its main gun and protection are relatively average, but its fire control system is pretty good.
With just the 1,200-horsepower diesel engine of the Grizzly tank, plus some associated fire control systems, Factory 617 still couldn't break through at once. Therefore, this tank was temporarily put aside, and the Rhino tank, which was relatively simple in design and not difficult to replicate technically, became the first choice of the 617 factory.
Even Qi Yiming did not expect that the working ability and research level of Factory 617 were quite extraordinary. They only obtained the design drawings and various technologies of the Rhino tank in February. Factory 617 had already produced it in mid-April. Out of the car. As the eight-part article in the official media of later generations said, as long as the Chinese people want to do something, the absolute efficiency is so high that people can even call it a miracle and call it invincible
The key point of being able to copy the Rhino at such a fast speed is that the Rhino has many similarities with the 80 series main battle tanks being developed by the 617 Factory. In some details, in order to pursue progress, the 617 Factory directly copied the mature 80 series tanks. The relevant parts of the Japanese tank were moved to the Rhino tank. The technology used in the Rhino tank that has not been broken through in the Type 80 series before has formed a perfect integration.
The newly designed 617 version of the Rhino tank weighs 48 tons, which is a bit overweight than the ordinary second-generation main battle tank, mainly because the special composite armor used in it is heavier. This armor technology is called R-type armor, which has not appeared in the real world. It is similar to the K-type composite armor of the Soviet T-64 tank. It is made up of multiple layers of different materials, but it is more complicated than the T- 64. Rhino's R-type armor has a simple structure and low cost. It is mainly made of alloys, ceramic armor, quartz sandwich, etc. Its defensive power is equivalent to 2000-meter armor-piercing bullets equivalent to 400mm homogeneous armor, and its resistance to 2000-meter armor-piercing bullets is equivalent to 650mm homogeneous armor. Quality armor. In addition, this Rhino tank can also be equipped with external reactive armor or fence armor to further enhance its damage resistance.
This kind of defensive capability is not far behind the early models of M1.
The fire control system of the entire Rhino tank is relatively primitive: a monocular periscope gunner's sight, day and night aiming, ranging integration and laser ranging three-in-one. The night vision scope uses a second-generation low-light night vision device, and the laser rangefinder can measure 260-6000 meters. Other components include a fire control computer and control panel, a ballistic correction sensor, a target angular velocity sensor, a gun trunnion tilt sensor, and a two-way composite control stabilizer.
Although it is said to be "original", such a complete steady-line fire control system has basically reached the final milestone of the Type 80 series, which is the level of the early Type 96 tanks that were equipped with a large number of Army Rabbits in later generations.
Because the Rhino in Red Alert 2 uses a 120mm main gun, but the actual caliber of the Soviet army should be 125mm, the Rhino tank version of the 617 Factory can replace the above two different caliber barrels.
Factory 617 knows very well that when it comes to good things, everyone should share this truth. Of course, in fact, first of all, they don¡¯t expect the PLA to get orders for the new tank they ¡°developed¡±. The Type 99 blocks all roads. Secondly, they really don¡¯t think that even if they order, how much PLA can order for the current cash-strapped PLA.
So Huang Lianggong, the general manager of Factory 617, took advantage of the fact that the last batch of Type 59 tanks was about to be delivered to the Pakistan Army, and enthusiastically pulled out their new Rhino tanks in front of Pakistani representatives for Pakistan to watch.
Pakistani Army Colonel Mubashar asked curiously: "Is this a newly developed tank by the Chinese brothers? It looks completely different from the Type 59 and Type 69. Is it the latest model of the Type 80 tank by the Chinese brothers?" celestial dynasty?The relationship between GMB and GMB has always been an all-weather actual alliance that is not a superficial alliance. Sino-Pakistani relations are written into the constitution of Pakistan, so the Pakistani Army actually knows what China is doing.
In fact, they also want to get some of China's latest main battle tanks, but the Great China has always made a thing tasteless, or it is much worse than what it uses itself, and then exports it to others. Even so, it is still It looks very painful and makes people feel that they lack tolerance and are too cautious. It was not until the 2010s that this situation slowly reversed. For example, in 2013, China Precision Machinery Corporation participated in the bidding with its main air defense missile HQ-9. Of course, it was rumored that the next generation of air defense missiles such as the PLA's HQ-19 and HQ-26 were almost mature at that time, and China had already completed its mid-stage anti-missile test. The HQ-9 did not seem to be the most advanced thing.
Huang Lianggong told lies without blushing, patted his chest and said: "Yes, this is the new main battle tank that we finally integrated based on the Type 80 tank with the latest technology developed by other brother units across the country. Alas, , we have already done well, but the country is now focused on strengthening the air force, and the army procurement is already insufficient. Now even if we come up with a new model, we have no money to buy it. Fortunately, we have obtained foreign trade qualifications for this tank. , now named MBT-1000, nicknamed Rhino, it has been officially put on our shelves.¡±
When he said this, Mubashar immediately understood that this new tank can be purchased by the Pakistani military.
In terms of absolute quantity, Uncle Saddam is the largest buyer of Chinese tanks, buying more than 2,000 59s and 69s. However, Pakistan is the consistent buyer of Chinese tanks. Starting from the 1970s, they started to buy Type 59. The Xiaoba brothers bought 69, 85-II, and finally got the MBT-2000 Khalid, which was useful. With the help of China, they established a heavy-duty independent production tank. Vehicle factory.
Mubashar and a group of Pakistani soldiers who had come to receive the new tanks did not care to look at the Type 59 that had already come off the production line and was ready to be packed and sent away. With the help of the technicians from the 617 Factory, they climbed into what looked like A more majestic and domineering rhinoceros tank.
From the appearance point of view, the so-called MBT-1000 Rhino tank is very different from the traditional 59 series. The most obvious difference is that the oval cast turret of the 59 series has been cancelled, and a taller tilted welded turret has been used. At first glance, In fact, it looks a bit like the M1 Abrams with a smaller turret. Moreover, the new tank uses light cyan and sandy yellow desert camouflage, and some parts do not look so "nostalgic" and look full of modernity. People who don't know much about tanks can probably tell with the naked eye that the new Rhino tank is much more advanced than the Type 59 sitting next to it.
Mubashar jumped on the tank, touched the muzzle of the majestic gun, turned to Huang Lianggong and said: "The caliber has been increased, right?"
Huang Lianggong smiled and said: "Yes, we have made breakthroughs in tank gun switch remelting, barrel self-tightening and gun barrel chrome plating, and we can also replace the NATO standard 120mm caliber 44 times the main gun according to customer needs. We have verified that these two guns have roughly the same muzzle velocity and damage capabilities as the Soviet-standard 125mm 48-caliber main gun. "In actual operation, the performance of the Soviet-made tank gun is slightly worse, but we will start with the Soviet-made tank gun. Rabbit, who stayed at home and chanted sutras, finally came up with a tank gun with a stronger caliber of 125mm.
When he heard the two numbers 125 and 120, Mubashar's eyes almost rolled with laughter. Their main opponent, India, a major South Asian country that had fought three wars, introduced the T-72M1 to the Soviet Union in the 1970s. Type tank, this second-generation tank began to use a 125mm main gun very early, unlike the American M1 which used a 105mm main gun in the early days. It can be said that before the T-72 was completely beaten by the M1 in the Persian Gulf War, especially in the 1970s and 1980s, the T-72 was still a quite deterrent weapon.
Sure enough, a Pakistani officer asked: "How is the new tank of the Chinese brothers compared to the T-72?"
Huang Lianggong snorted disdainfully and said: "Things like the T-72 are not worthy of being compared with our MBT-1000 Rhino. It is more reasonable to compare the T-64, which the Soviets are unwilling to sell, with our Rhino. Our Rhino tank can outperform the T-72 in terms of firepower, protection, and mobility. The T-72's 2A46 gun cannot fire fin-stabilized discarding sabots, armor-piercing projectiles, or armor-piercing grenades. They can defeat our Rhino tanks head-on at a distance of 2,000 meters. In addition, considering the poor fire control system of the T-72, their hit rate at long distances is, according to our calculations, less than one-third of that of our Rhino tanks. . Moreover, our Rhino tank uses the second-generation low-light night vision device developed by our country. Although it is not as good as the thermal imager during night battles, it is still much more powerful than the active infrared search and sight of the T-72. of."