Chinese Military,Political and Social Superthread

[Colin Parkinson]

Philippines, needs a icestrengthened/armoured, highspeed ship to play these games with.

 

[GR66]

The changing relationship and power dynamic between China and Russia is being reflected in Chinese force design:

China moves away from heavy tank armadas

China is moving away from massed formations of heavy tanks in favor of specialized combat vehicles tailored to particular theaters of war. That shift was highlighted during today’s military parade in Beijing, where the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) unveiled an entire family of new armored...

defence-blog.com

China is moving away from massed formations of heavy tanks in favor of specialized combat vehicles tailored to particular theaters of war. The appearance of the Type 100 and related platforms is being interpreted as clear evidence of a doctrinal pivot. Rather than focusing on large numbers of heavy main battle tanks, Beijing is directing resources toward vehicles that are lighter, more mobile, and better suited to operations in difficult terrain or amphibious landings.

Armored vehicle expert and lead analyst Serhiy Berezutskiy said in an interview that “China no longer needs armadas of main battle tanks, since Russia, once considered its most likely adversary, has faded from the scene. India has now assumed that role, and because the only land border with India is the Ladakh corridor, lighter vehicles that can be rapidly moved along mountain roads are more relevant. Their engines will not choke under the load at high altitude.”

The choice of Ladakh as a likely operational theater underscores the logic of developing lighter armored platforms. At altitudes of more than 4,000 meters, heavy tanks like the Type 99A2 encounter severe limitations in engine performance and maneuverability. In contrast, the new Type 100 medium tank and Type 15 light tank are designed to maintain power and mobility in high-altitude conditions, while still delivering sufficient firepower to counter India’s armor in the Himalayas.

“Another role of these tanks is a potential second-wave landing on Taiwan. They are much more suitable for deployment from ships,” he explained.

The evolution of China’s armored forces reflects its changing view of Russia. For decades, Beijing prepared its tank divisions for possible large-scale campaigns across the open steppes of Mongolia or into Siberia. That concept, Berezutskiy argued, is now outdated.

“The previous tank fleet was designed primarily for battles in the steppes of Mongolia and breakthroughs in Siberia. Today, Russia has become a vassal critically dependent on China. If Beijing wanted to reclaim the territories that Russia seized in the 17th to 19th centuries, it could do so simply by providing Moscow with a massive loan for war—one that Russia would be unable to repay. In that case, repayment would come in the form of territory. This scheme has its risks, but they are far smaller than conducting a full-scale armored campaign.”