Information AboutType 59 |
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The Chinese Type 59 Main Battle Tank is a copy of the ubiquitous Soviet T-55/54 medium tank. The Chinese based several later designs, such as the Type 69 and Type 79 , on the Type 59. Other developments included a variant sporting a 120mm gun, and the scaled-down Type 62 with an 85 mm gun. VARIANTS tanks approaching Beijing 's Tiananmen Square during the 1989 Protests Jeff Widener (The Associated Press)]] Type 59 The basic variant, a T-54A clone. Entered production in 1957. Type 59-I Improved variant fitted with a Type 69-II 100 mm Rifled gun, as well as a Laser Rangefinder , Hydraulic servo-system, primitive Fire Control , automatic fire suppression system, and rubber track skirt. The Type 59-I includes several versions with different Armour and fire control configurations. Type 59-II Manufacturer designation WZ-120B. Upgraded to the 105 mm Type 81 (copy of the L7) rifled gun design provided by Austria . The most distinctive feature of the Type 59-II is that its barrel fume extractor was removed from the front-end to the middle of the barrel. Other improvements include new radio and fire suppression system. The batch production began in 1982 and stopped in 1985 . Used to crush the Tiananmen Demonstrations . Type 59-IIA Fitted with thermal sleeve for 105 mm gun and some Composite Armor . Referred to as M-1984 by US Army . Variants include MBT, command tank, and mine-sweeper tank. Type 59 Gai This is an experimental variant to test various gun comparable in general performance to the US M-256. Type 59D Also known as WZ-120C. The Type 59D was developed in the 1990s. Instead of replacing all ageing Type 59s in service with newer models, the PLA decided that they should be upgraded with new technologies to meet the requirements for future land battle. The Type 59D is fitted with Explosive Reactive Armour , new tank gun, passive Night Vision , and new Fire Control . The 12150L Diesel Engine was also replaced by a 580 hp 12150L7 engine. Variants include Type 59D and Type 59D1. Others Other derivatives includes the Type 73 tank recovery vehicle. Foreign variants Heavy Industries Taxila of Pakistan has also introduced the Al-Zarar Main Battle Tank . The Al-Zarar series was designed to improve and rebuild the Pakistani army's Type 59 tanks by way of most modern armament, fire control, defensive equipment, etc. It is rumoured to have fifty-four improvements. Features:
Type 59 tanks played an important role during the Indo-Pakistani War Of 1971 . (See Battle Of Longewala ) EXTERNAL LINKS
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