New "King of Land Warfare" Makes First Appearance - Expert: More Powerful Firepower, Stronger Protection, Higher Level of Informatization!
Steel torrents are unstoppable. At the military parade held on September 3rd commemorating the 80th anniversary of China's victory in the Anti-Japanese War and World War II, three types of new armored combat vehicles made their debut for the first time, advancing in arrow formation. Military experts stated that the new main battle tanks and support vehicles displayed at this parade feature more powerful firepower, stronger protection, and higher levels of informatization and intelligence, with design concepts consistent with the naval Type 055 destroyer and the J-20 fighter aircraft.
The main battle tanks and heavy armored vehicles are vividly called the "Kings of Land Warfare" by military enthusiasts. At this parade, the ground assault formation consisting of three types of "Kings of Land Warfare" - the Type 99B tank, Type 100 tank, and Type 100 support vehicle - marched at the forefront of the equipment formations. Among them, the Type 99B tank is information-enabled and capable of heavy fire strikes. The Type 100 tank and Type 100 support vehicle feature high levels of intelligence and strong coordination capabilities. As the new generation of armored equipment for the army's ground assault forces, they fully demonstrate powerful combat capabilities for mobile seizure of key points and breakthrough operations.
Observers at the scene noted that the newly debuted tanks and support vehicles have quite high "appearance value" with extremely futuristic exteriors. Multiple types of electro-optical sensors are installed on the turrets and vehicle bodies, equipped with remote weapon stations and active defense systems.
"In addition to electro-optical sensors, the Type 100 tank and vehicles also defend against incoming anti-tank ammunition and drones through active defense interceptor missiles and unmanned weapon stations. These technologies give China's new generation of tank armored vehicles powerful combat and survival capabilities in the high-threat environment of modern ground warfare," military expert Fu Qianshao explained. The Type 100 tank belongs to China's fourth-generation tanks and is classified as a medium tank by weight. As a new-generation tank, its design concept differs from third-generation tanks. Previous tanks primarily enhanced passive defense capabilities by increasing armor thickness and using composite or reactive armor, but this concept has been proven inadequate for adapting to changing battlefield conditions in modern warfare environments.
He further explained that modern anti-tank ammunition and drones can often concentrate attacks on weak points of tanks and armored vehicles, such as the top sections where armor cannot be easily stacked. The newly debuted Type 100 tanks and armored vehicles have strengthened active defense systems based on passive defense. Additionally, interceptor missiles are used to intercept small drones, significantly enhancing the survival capabilities of tank armored vehicles in the drone era.
It was also noted that the Type 100 fire support vehicle carries a vehicle-mounted rotorcraft drone at its rear. Fu Qianshao explained that this type of drone can conduct forward reconnaissance and detection, further enhancing the situational awareness capabilities of tank armored vehicles and breaking enemy ambushes. "It's possible that this vehicle-mounted drone could also perform simple reconnaissance-strike integration missions or even undertake 'suicide attack' tasks."
Additionally, observers noticed that besides vehicle-mounted equipment, the new tanks and armored vehicles' crew wearable equipment is also a highlight, with drivers wearing devices similar to AR glasses.
Fu Qianshao explained that details shown in the footage indicate that drivers of the new armored combat vehicles can conduct 360-degree observation and aiming around the tank through screens or augmented reality headsets and quickly respond.
"Moving from the 'armor-projectile confrontation' between shells and armor as a battle between spear and shield, toward 'information-fire integration' combining informatization with firepower strikes, the firepower of new-generation tank armored vehicles will reach another level thanks to their information technology advantages," Fu Qianshao believes. The Type 100 tank doesn't pursue large calibers, but with support from various sensors and data links, it can select different ammunition types to achieve higher strike precision, accurately targeting opponents' weak points. The Type 100 fire support vehicle can coordinate and cooperate with the Type 100 tank in combat. Tank main guns have strong firepower but find it difficult to simultaneously engage multiple targets. In such cases, fire support vehicles can use higher rates of fire to suppress and eliminate targets without armor protection, such as anti-tank missile operators, or light armored targets.
"The Type 100 tank and Type 100 fire support vehicle use the same chassis. This design can reduce design and maintenance costs, enhance interconnectivity capabilities, and thereby improve combat efficiency," Fu Qianshao stated.