Pics are from Air Power Australia. Note. We can talk all we want but they have the best info on Chinese weapon systems with the added bonus of not having ugly ass watermarks all over the photos. Go to their website for more info on this and other threat weapons.
Army Recognition has this vehicle as having a top waterspeed of 45km. I seriously doubt it and I've never seen any pics of it planing.
I also wonder how many troops it can carry with the turret placed directly over the troop compartment. But on a sidenote. I once laughed at the thought of the Chinese attempting to duplicate USMC capabilities.
They're still not there.
But on a local level.
If they concentrate on say a particular island or island chain...They have the ability to "look" like US Marines in the assault. Whats probably more disturbing is that the Chinese are using this vehicle as a building block to something more advanced, which will mean increasing combat capability in the future.
I also wonder how many troops it can carry with the turret placed directly over the troop compartment. But on a sidenote. I once laughed at the thought of the Chinese attempting to duplicate USMC capabilities.
They're still not there.
But on a local level.
If they concentrate on say a particular island or island chain...They have the ability to "look" like US Marines in the assault. Whats probably more disturbing is that the Chinese are using this vehicle as a building block to something more advanced, which will mean increasing combat capability in the future.
That's the fire support version with a 105mm gun, not the IFV version that has a much smaller, 30mm, turret and a corresponding larger interior. Interesting video which includes the interior of the 30mm armed troop carrier version at 2:30 in link below. I believe the video also contains an image or two of the seldom seen command version without the 30mm cannon.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK7qey6-VTc
It's a very interesting "80/20 solution" approach to a modern AAV but every time I look at it I think that, in inland terrain, it will have the M114 "nose sticks into the opposite bank when its trying to get out of ditch / river" in spades.
If you want to create a link in a YouTube video that takes you to a specific time index, just can add #t=2m30s to the end of the link.
DeleteThe above link would then be:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK7qey6-VTc#t=2m30s
Works with just the seconds too e.g. #t=30s. Have a play around.
*you can just add
DeleteSo, you admit they have the best info on Chinese weapons, so why not also admit that they might also have pretty good info on the F-35, eh?
ReplyDeleteno.
ReplyDeleteAPA has taken some controversial positions in the past, but I still find their technical analysis to be some of the best for an open source. (including for the F-35)
ReplyDeleteAnd I can see their points, even in the controversial positions. (e.g. regarding the F-111, F-22 and F-35)
Of course there may be holes in their source data, methodology or conclusions, but is that any different than any other scientific analysis?
my point is this. they have the info and the rest of the internet is rather questionable at best. i mean army recognition (usually a decent site for armor info) has the water speed for the Chinese AAV to be 45Knots! seriously? so thats why i'd rather get something from a better source.
ReplyDeletebecause i use them does that mean that i agree with their analysis of the F-35? no. not at all. does their info on threat weapons represent the best single site for that info? yes, in my opinion.
45 kilometers per hour or about 24 knots. Still seems high but only about three times as fast as an AAV7. It doesn't seem crazy given all the effort they went to with that giant splash plate at the front.
DeleteI seem to remember Jane's reporting the hull is aluminum with some added armor in places. Most of the reporting indicates low weight and high water speed. It doesn't seem to be protected very well however. It's thus a capable but vulnerable AFV that western nations wouldn't consider putting into service.
ReplyDeleteAs an aside EFV had a 45km water speed so not unreasonable for the ZBD2000 family having the same. Of course EFV is more than 4 times heavier.