Type 63 light tank
Encyclopedia
The Norinco
Type 63 is a Chinese
amphibious light tank
. First fielded in 1963, it is in many ways similar to the earlier Soviet PT-76
. However, contrary to the popular belief, it does have some essential differences from the PT-76 in the vehicle's waterjet propulsion system, etc. It is also known under its industrial designation, WZ211.
wasn't satisfied with the performance of the vehicle, which led to the development of an improved version. It was jointly developed by Military Engineering Institute (MEI) and the No. 60 Research Institute of Fifth Ministry of Machine Building. The prototype was completed in 1962 and was sent to Norinco Factory 615, the Shaanxi Weiyang Diesel Engine Plant (陕西渭阳柴油机厂), for continued research. After it later passed the extensive trials (mostly dealing with crossing river, lake and sea water obstacles), the amphibious light tank was finally approved for design finalization in April 1963, and was officially designated Type 63.
Because of continuing tension with Taiwan
, the PRC felt the need to upgrade its fleet of amphibious tanks as the original Type 63 was rapidly becoming obsolete and incapable of facing modern tanks. To prepare for a possible amphibious assault on Taiwan Island, the PLA requested a new amphibious tank that can be launched from tank landing ships over 10 kilometres offshore and reach the shore at a high swimming speed of 14 kilometres per hour. This improved mobility would reduce the risk to PLA Navy ships from enemy missiles, aircraft, ships, speedboats and mines and increase the survivability of the tank in the amphibious assault stage. The new version was designated Type 63A.
Type 63 has a typical tank layout: steering compartment at the front, fighting compartment in the center and the engine compartment in the back. Although it is externally similar to PT-76 it has some essential differences from its Soviet equivalent. Instead of a three-man crew on the PT-76, the Type 63 has a four-man crew for better efficiency. Unlike in the PT-76 where the driver's station is located in the center of the front of the hull, the type 63 has the driver's station located on the left hand side of the front of the hull. The driver has a round hatch with three periscope vision blocks over his station. Gunner and commander have their stations in the left hand side of the turret and the loader has his in the right hand side of the turret. The turret has two hatches. The right turret hatch opens backwards and has a mount for 12.7 mm Type 54 anti-aircraft heavy machine gun. The left turret hatch opens forwards, has a periscope vision block and can be fitted with the 7.62 mm Type 59T anti-aircraft medium machine gun. There's a dome-shaped ventilator behind the hatches. The tank is wider and higher than PT-76. The Type 63 has a flat, boat-like hull similar to the design of the PT-76, apart from a nearly horizontal glacis plate, higher gradient of the bottom of the bow, different engine grills with three separate vertical slot side air inlets on the Type 63, in contrast to the single large inlet with inset vertical baffle plate on the PT-76. There's also a slight bulge in the center of each side of the hull (hull sides in PT-76 are smooth). Also the tracks are mounted higher and the roadwheels are bigger. The half-egg-shape, cast turret, which is sometimes considered to be a modified Type 62
turret, is actually a modified Type 60 turret. It is placed in the center of the vehicle (unlike in PT-76 which has the turret closer to the front of the vehicle) and has a ventilator dome with a snorkel fitting. Apart from his usual duty of reloading the gun after it has been fired by the gunner, the loader is also responsible for operating the 12.7 mm Type 54 anti-aircraft heavy machine gun mounted on the turret's roof.
The weapons array consists of the 85 mm Type 62-85TC rifled gun, the 7.62 mm Type 59T coaxial
medium machine gun
and the 12.7 mm Type 54 anti-aircraft heavy machine gun which is a Chinese copy of Soviet 12.7 mm DShK 1938/46
heavy machine gun. Also a 7.62 mm Type 59T anti-aircraft medium machine gun can be additionally fitted to left hand side turret hatch. 85 mm Type 62-85TC rifled gun is the same gun as the one fitted in Type 62 light tank and can fire AP, APHE, HE, Frag-HE, HEAT, APFSDF-T and smoke rounds. The gun has maximum range of 12,200 m and maximum aimed range of 1,870 m and has a rate of fire of eight round per minute. The HEAT projectile can penetrate 495 mm of armour at 1,000 m while the APFSDF-T projectile can penetrate 360 mm of armour at 1,000 m. The gun is not stabilized and is aimed via an optical gun sight. It can be elevated or depressed between +22 and -4 degrees. The Type 63 amphibious light tank is characterized by having poor accuracy, given the primitive optical gun sights that the gunner has to use and lack of a gun stabilizer, a fire control system and a night vision equipment. Type 63 amphibious light tanks are also equipped with a man-portable anti-aircraft missile launcher which is fired by a crew member standing in one of the turret hatches. Type 63 cannot fire its main gun while it swims due to the lack of fire control system. The vehicle carries 47 rounds for the 85 mm Type 62-85TC rifled gun, 2000 rounds for the 7.62 mm Type 59T medium machine gun(s) and 500 rounds for the 12.7 mm Type 54 anti-aircraft heavy machine gun.
The hull of the Type 63 is composed of welded rolled steel. The hull is 11 millimetres thick at the front, 14 millimetres thick at the upper sides and 10 millimetres thick at the rear. The top and bottom of the hull are both 10 millimetres thick. This gives it protection against 7.62 mm calibre small arms fire and small artillery shell fragments, but it is not sufficient to protect from either heavy machine gun fire and bigger artillery shell fragments. The tracks aren't protected by any armour and are easily damaged.
The torsion bar suspension consists of six road wheels with the drive sprocket at the rear and the idler at the front. The suspension doesn't have return rollers. The track is composed of metal and is 2.82 meters long. The first limited production variant of Type 63 was powered by the same 6-cylinder 4-stroke inline water-cooled diesel engine developing 241 hp (180 kW) at 1800 rpm as the one used in early Type 60 amphibious light tank. The second production run, designated Type 63-I, was given the more powerful 12150L-2 12-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine
, which developed 402 hp (300 kW) at 2,000 rpm. The more powerful engine gave the Type 63-I a maximum road speed of 64 kilometres per hour and a maximum cross country speed of 30 km/h. The Type 63 can cross 2.9 meter wide trenches and 0.87 meter high vertical obstacles, as well as climb 60° gradients and handle 38° side slopes. The vehicle has a manual, planetary transmission system with five forward gears and one reverse gear. The tank can fitted with additional fuel tanks to increase vehicle's operational range.
Type 63 is amphibious thanks to its flat boat-shaped hull. Preparation for swimming involves switching on the bilge pumps, erecting the trim vane at the front of the vehicle and switching the driver's periscope vision blocks for a swimming periscope vision block that enables the driver to see over the trim vane. The trim-vane improves the vehicle's stability and displacement in water and prevents water from flooding the bow of the tank. When not in use the trim vane is placed in its laying position in the front of the bow over the barrel of the main gun and serves as additional armour. Like the PT-76 it is propelled in the water by two water jets, one in each side of the hull, with the jet exits at the rear of the tank, however it has its entrances located in the front of the vehicle and not in the bottom as in case of PT-76. Unlike the PT-76, Type 63 also uses its moving tracks to swim. The waterjet propulsion system gives it the maximum swimming speed of 12 kilometres per hour and top swimming range of 120 kilometres.
Type 63 is equipped with an A-221A internal telephone and A-220A receive/transmit radio for which it has a radio antenna on the left hand side of the center of the turret. It also has two IR driving lights on the right hand side of the hull and an IR searchlight on the right hand side of the turret.
light tank). The Type 63 was intended for inland river and lake crossing operations and amphibious landing in the coastal regions and can swim long distances in harsh sea conditions at high speeds. It can also support infantry in the attack and engage lightly armoured vehicles and fortifications. It can also be used in reconnaissance and patrol roles. Type 63's high amphibious ability was proved in 1966 the Type 63s crossed the 31 km long Qiongzhou Strait
between mainland China
and the Hainan
island.
Later the tank was also adopted by the People's Liberation Army Marine Corps
for the amphibious assault operations along with various other amphibious
units stationed near the Taiwan strait
s. Some Type 63 and Type 63-I amphibious light tanks were upgraded to Type 63-II standard in the 1970s. The original Type 63 and Type 63-I amphibious light tanks has been gradually phased out since the late 1990s and replaced by the more capable Type 63A which entered service in 1997. The PRC currently has an estimated number of 800 of both types, though only around 300 of these are Type 63A, Type 63A-I and Type 63A-II, the remainder being Type 63-II and old Type 63 and Type 63-I amphibious light tanks. The original Type 63 and Type 63-I amphibious light tanks are kept in reserve and for training purposes. Because the Type 63A was mostly designed for amphibious operations against Taiwan, it is presumed that it would be the basic vehicle used in an amphibious invasion of Taiwan Island.
The Type 63 was exported to Albania
, Pakistan
, Myanmar
, Cambodia
, Sri Lanka
, North Korea
and Vietnam
. It saw action during the final phases of the Vietnam war
, the Sino-Vietnamese War
and the Sri Lankan Civil War
. By all accounts, the Type 63 showed great mobility in terrains that are difficult for the heavy tanks, but its thin armour has caused heavy losses and casualties.
Norinco
The China North Industries Corporation , official English name Norinco, manufactures vehicles , machinery, optical-electronic products, oil field equipment, chemicals, light industrial products, explosives and blast materials, civil and military firearms and ammunition, etc...
Type 63 is a Chinese
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
amphibious light tank
Light tank
A light tank is a tank variant initially designed for rapid movement, and now primarily employed in low-intensity conflict. Early light tanks were generally armed and armored similar to an armored car, but used tracks in order to provide better cross-country mobility.The light tank was a major...
. First fielded in 1963, it is in many ways similar to the earlier Soviet PT-76
PT-76
The PT-76 is a Soviet amphibious light tank which was introduced in the early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armed forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like India, Iraq, North Korea and North Vietnam. Overall,...
. However, contrary to the popular belief, it does have some essential differences from the PT-76 in the vehicle's waterjet propulsion system, etc. It is also known under its industrial designation, WZ211.
Development history
The Chinese obtained a few PT-76 amphibious light tanks in mid 1950s. In October 1958, the PLA decided to develop an indigenous amphibious tank based on the PT-76 design. The development program was carried out by 201 Institute and the 615 Factory. A prototype known as WZ221 (Type 60) was built and tested in 1959, but the design suffered from a number of problems including engine overheating. The PLAPeople's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
wasn't satisfied with the performance of the vehicle, which led to the development of an improved version. It was jointly developed by Military Engineering Institute (MEI) and the No. 60 Research Institute of Fifth Ministry of Machine Building. The prototype was completed in 1962 and was sent to Norinco Factory 615, the Shaanxi Weiyang Diesel Engine Plant (陕西渭阳柴油机厂), for continued research. After it later passed the extensive trials (mostly dealing with crossing river, lake and sea water obstacles), the amphibious light tank was finally approved for design finalization in April 1963, and was officially designated Type 63.
Because of continuing tension with Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, the PRC felt the need to upgrade its fleet of amphibious tanks as the original Type 63 was rapidly becoming obsolete and incapable of facing modern tanks. To prepare for a possible amphibious assault on Taiwan Island, the PLA requested a new amphibious tank that can be launched from tank landing ships over 10 kilometres offshore and reach the shore at a high swimming speed of 14 kilometres per hour. This improved mobility would reduce the risk to PLA Navy ships from enemy missiles, aircraft, ships, speedboats and mines and increase the survivability of the tank in the amphibious assault stage. The new version was designated Type 63A.
Description
Type 62
The Norinco Type 62 is a Chinese light tank developed in the early 1960s and is based on the Chinese Type 59 with a reduced main gun caliber, lighter armour and a smaller suite of electronics and other equipment to help reduce weight. The Type 62 is still used by the Chinese People's Liberation...
turret, is actually a modified Type 60 turret. It is placed in the center of the vehicle (unlike in PT-76 which has the turret closer to the front of the vehicle) and has a ventilator dome with a snorkel fitting. Apart from his usual duty of reloading the gun after it has been fired by the gunner, the loader is also responsible for operating the 12.7 mm Type 54 anti-aircraft heavy machine gun mounted on the turret's roof.
The weapons array consists of the 85 mm Type 62-85TC rifled gun, the 7.62 mm Type 59T coaxial
Coaxial
In geometry, coaxial means that two or more forms share a common axis; it is the three-dimensional linear analogue of concentric.Coaxial cable, as a common example, has a wire conductor in the centre a circumferential outer conductor and an insulating medium called the dielectric separating...
medium machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
and the 12.7 mm Type 54 anti-aircraft heavy machine gun which is a Chinese copy of Soviet 12.7 mm DShK 1938/46
DShK
The DShK 1938 is a Soviet heavy machine gun firing the 12.7x108mm cartridge. The weapon was also used as a heavy infantry machine gun, in which case it was frequently deployed with a two-wheeled mounting and a single-sheet armour-plate shield...
heavy machine gun. Also a 7.62 mm Type 59T anti-aircraft medium machine gun can be additionally fitted to left hand side turret hatch. 85 mm Type 62-85TC rifled gun is the same gun as the one fitted in Type 62 light tank and can fire AP, APHE, HE, Frag-HE, HEAT, APFSDF-T and smoke rounds. The gun has maximum range of 12,200 m and maximum aimed range of 1,870 m and has a rate of fire of eight round per minute. The HEAT projectile can penetrate 495 mm of armour at 1,000 m while the APFSDF-T projectile can penetrate 360 mm of armour at 1,000 m. The gun is not stabilized and is aimed via an optical gun sight. It can be elevated or depressed between +22 and -4 degrees. The Type 63 amphibious light tank is characterized by having poor accuracy, given the primitive optical gun sights that the gunner has to use and lack of a gun stabilizer, a fire control system and a night vision equipment. Type 63 amphibious light tanks are also equipped with a man-portable anti-aircraft missile launcher which is fired by a crew member standing in one of the turret hatches. Type 63 cannot fire its main gun while it swims due to the lack of fire control system. The vehicle carries 47 rounds for the 85 mm Type 62-85TC rifled gun, 2000 rounds for the 7.62 mm Type 59T medium machine gun(s) and 500 rounds for the 12.7 mm Type 54 anti-aircraft heavy machine gun.
The hull of the Type 63 is composed of welded rolled steel. The hull is 11 millimetres thick at the front, 14 millimetres thick at the upper sides and 10 millimetres thick at the rear. The top and bottom of the hull are both 10 millimetres thick. This gives it protection against 7.62 mm calibre small arms fire and small artillery shell fragments, but it is not sufficient to protect from either heavy machine gun fire and bigger artillery shell fragments. The tracks aren't protected by any armour and are easily damaged.
The torsion bar suspension consists of six road wheels with the drive sprocket at the rear and the idler at the front. The suspension doesn't have return rollers. The track is composed of metal and is 2.82 meters long. The first limited production variant of Type 63 was powered by the same 6-cylinder 4-stroke inline water-cooled diesel engine developing 241 hp (180 kW) at 1800 rpm as the one used in early Type 60 amphibious light tank. The second production run, designated Type 63-I, was given the more powerful 12150L-2 12-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
, which developed 402 hp (300 kW) at 2,000 rpm. The more powerful engine gave the Type 63-I a maximum road speed of 64 kilometres per hour and a maximum cross country speed of 30 km/h. The Type 63 can cross 2.9 meter wide trenches and 0.87 meter high vertical obstacles, as well as climb 60° gradients and handle 38° side slopes. The vehicle has a manual, planetary transmission system with five forward gears and one reverse gear. The tank can fitted with additional fuel tanks to increase vehicle's operational range.
Type 63 is amphibious thanks to its flat boat-shaped hull. Preparation for swimming involves switching on the bilge pumps, erecting the trim vane at the front of the vehicle and switching the driver's periscope vision blocks for a swimming periscope vision block that enables the driver to see over the trim vane. The trim-vane improves the vehicle's stability and displacement in water and prevents water from flooding the bow of the tank. When not in use the trim vane is placed in its laying position in the front of the bow over the barrel of the main gun and serves as additional armour. Like the PT-76 it is propelled in the water by two water jets, one in each side of the hull, with the jet exits at the rear of the tank, however it has its entrances located in the front of the vehicle and not in the bottom as in case of PT-76. Unlike the PT-76, Type 63 also uses its moving tracks to swim. The waterjet propulsion system gives it the maximum swimming speed of 12 kilometres per hour and top swimming range of 120 kilometres.
Type 63 is equipped with an A-221A internal telephone and A-220A receive/transmit radio for which it has a radio antenna on the left hand side of the center of the turret. It also has two IR driving lights on the right hand side of the hull and an IR searchlight on the right hand side of the turret.
Service history
Type 63 entered production and service in 1963. The initial production variant was quickly replaced by the Type 63-I which had a more powerful engine, the Model 12150-L2 12-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine. In all more than 1,550 Type 63 and Type 63-I amphibious light tanks were made. The tank was designed to operate in the wetland regions and rice paddy fields of southern China (duties also performed by the earlier non-amphibious Type 62Type 62
The Norinco Type 62 is a Chinese light tank developed in the early 1960s and is based on the Chinese Type 59 with a reduced main gun caliber, lighter armour and a smaller suite of electronics and other equipment to help reduce weight. The Type 62 is still used by the Chinese People's Liberation...
light tank). The Type 63 was intended for inland river and lake crossing operations and amphibious landing in the coastal regions and can swim long distances in harsh sea conditions at high speeds. It can also support infantry in the attack and engage lightly armoured vehicles and fortifications. It can also be used in reconnaissance and patrol roles. Type 63's high amphibious ability was proved in 1966 the Type 63s crossed the 31 km long Qiongzhou Strait
Qiongzhou Strait
The Qiongzhou Strait , also called the Hainan Strait, is a body of water that separates the Leizhou Peninsula in Guangdong, southern China, to the north from Hainan Island to its south...
between mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
and the Hainan
Hainan
Hainan is the smallest province of the People's Republic of China . Although the province comprises some two hundred islands scattered among three archipelagos off the southern coast, of its land mass is Hainan Island , from which the province takes its name...
island.
Later the tank was also adopted by the People's Liberation Army Marine Corps
People's Liberation Army Marine Corps
The People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps is marine corps of the People's Republic of China's People's Liberation Army Navy...
for the amphibious assault operations along with various other amphibious
Amphibious warfare
Amphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
units stationed near the Taiwan strait
Taiwan Strait
The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait, formerly known as the Black Ditch, is a 180-km-wide strait separating Mainland China and Taiwan. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to East China Sea to the northeast...
s. Some Type 63 and Type 63-I amphibious light tanks were upgraded to Type 63-II standard in the 1970s. The original Type 63 and Type 63-I amphibious light tanks has been gradually phased out since the late 1990s and replaced by the more capable Type 63A which entered service in 1997. The PRC currently has an estimated number of 800 of both types, though only around 300 of these are Type 63A, Type 63A-I and Type 63A-II, the remainder being Type 63-II and old Type 63 and Type 63-I amphibious light tanks. The original Type 63 and Type 63-I amphibious light tanks are kept in reserve and for training purposes. Because the Type 63A was mostly designed for amphibious operations against Taiwan, it is presumed that it would be the basic vehicle used in an amphibious invasion of Taiwan Island.
The Type 63 was exported to Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
and Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. It saw action during the final phases of the Vietnam war
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, the Sino-Vietnamese War
Sino-Vietnamese War
The Sino–Vietnamese War , also known as the Third Indochina War, known in the PRC as and in Vietnam as Chiến tranh chống bành trướng Trung Hoa , was a brief but bloody border war fought in 1979 between the People's Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam...
and the Sri Lankan Civil War
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
. By all accounts, the Type 63 showed great mobility in terrains that are difficult for the heavy tanks, but its thin armour has caused heavy losses and casualties.
Combat History
- 1959 - 1975 Vietnam warVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
- 1979 Sino-Vietnamese WarSino-Vietnamese WarThe Sino–Vietnamese War , also known as the Third Indochina War, known in the PRC as and in Vietnam as Chiến tranh chống bành trướng Trung Hoa , was a brief but bloody border war fought in 1979 between the People's Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam...
- 1983–2009 Sri Lankan Civil WarSri Lankan civil warThe Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
Models
| Type 63 | Type 63-I | Type 63-II | Type 63A | Type 63A-I | Type 63A-II | |
| Weight (tonnes) | 18.4 | 19.83 | Unknown | 22 | Unknown | |
| Length | 8.44 m (overall) 7.15 m (hull only) | 9.6 m (overall) | ||||
| Main gun | 85 mm Type 62-85TC rifled (47 rounds) | 105 mm low recoil rifled (45 rounds) | ||||
| Engine | 6-cylinder 4-stroke in-line water-cooled diesel 241 hp (180 kW) at 1,800 rpm |
12150L-2 12-cylinder 4-stroke in-line water-cooled diesel 402 hp (300 kW) at 2,000 rpm |
Diesel 581 hp (433 kW) | |||
Variants
- Type 63 - Basic amphibious light tank with half-egg-shape turret, armed with 85 mm Type 62-85TC rifled gun and powered by the 6-cylinder 4-stroke inline water-cooled diesel engine developing 240 hp (179 kW) at 1800 rpm from the Type 60 amphibious light tank. It entered service in 1963 and produced in small numbers. The industrial designator is WZ211.
- Type 63-I - Type 63 fitted with a new 12150-L2 12-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine developing 402 hp (300 kW) at 2,000 rpm. The industrial designator is WZ211-1.
- Type 63-II - Type 63-I fitted with the infraredInfraredInfrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
night vision equipment and Norinco external laser rangefinder which is the same laser rangefinder as the one fitted on Type 59-I main battle tank. This update was made in 1970s. The industrial designator is WZ211-2.- Type 63A - Improved Type 63-II. It was specially designed to suit the needs of the marines. Unlike the original Type 63 which was mainly intended for river-crossing operations at inland rivers and lakes, the Type 63A can be launched from amphibious warfare ships 5 – 7 km offshore and travel to the shore with the speed of 28 km/h (which was accomplished thanks to the new engine and redesigned water jet system). It has a new diesel engine developing 581 hp (433 kW) and computerized fire control system which gives it the capacity to shoot while it is on the move on land and on water. Type 63A has a redesigned welded turret with four smoke grenade dischargers on each side of the turret, a stowage bucket in the rear of the turret and two stowage buckets on the sides of the turret. The turret was armed with 105 mm rifled gun instead of the original 85 mm Type 62-85TC rifled gun. It is similar to those that are fitted on the Type 59Type 59The Type 59 main battle tank is a Chinese produced version of the Soviet T-54A tank, an improvement over the ubiquitous T-54/55. The first vehicles were produced in 1958 and it was accepted into service in 1959, with serial production beginning in 1963...
-II, Type 59Type 59The Type 59 main battle tank is a Chinese produced version of the Soviet T-54A tank, an improvement over the ubiquitous T-54/55. The first vehicles were produced in 1958 and it was accepted into service in 1959, with serial production beginning in 1963...
D, Type 69 and Type 80Type 80Type 80 may refer to:* one of the Type 88 family of Chinese tanks* Type 80 Air-to-Ship Missile, a Japanese ASM* Type 80 , a Chinese military pistol* Type 80 machine gun, a Chinese copy of the Soviet PKM...
main battle tanks but with reduced recoil force for firing while the vehicle is swimming. It is capable of firing all types of modern tank rounds, such as armour piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS), HEATHeatIn physics and thermodynamics, heat is energy transferred from one body, region, or thermodynamic system to another due to thermal contact or thermal radiation when the systems are at different temperatures. It is often described as one of the fundamental processes of energy transfer between...
and HE. It also has two extra floating tanks (one in the front and one in the rear) that provide better stability while in water, an improved snorkel fitting and three water inlets on either side of the hull. The tank also has side skirts protecting the tracks. To allow the tank to fire accurately while in water the 105 mm was given the ability to shoot laser-beam guided ATGM. The PRC has developed a 105 mm gun-launched ATGM based on the Russian 9M117 Bastion technology. The missile has a maximum firing range of 4,000 m - 5,000 m, with a single hit probability of over 90% against static targets. The ATGM can also be used to engage low-flying helicopters. The new fire control system includes a digital fire-control computer, integrated commander sight with laser rangefinder input, and light spot or image-stabilized gunner sight with passive night vision. The standard night vision is an image intensifier. Alternatively the gunner sight can be fitted with a thermal imager night vision with a maximum range of 2,100 meters. The tank is also equipped with the satellite positioning (GPS/GLONASS) system so that it can easily locate the correct landing coordinates in all kinds of weather and at day or night conditions. Because of the additional equipment the weight of the vehicle has increased to 22 tonnes and because of the two extra floating tanks (one in the front and one in the rear) and the longer gun, the overall length of the vehicle has increased to 9.6 meters. Type 63A was designed because of continuing tension with Taiwan and as such it can face Taiwanese M48 and M60 Patton main battle tanks when it has the upper hand. While its thin armour is still a rather big issue the Type 63A has the ability to attack its targets before being directly engaged by using ATGMs. It entered service in 1997. The industrial designator is WZ213. It is also known as Type 63M, Type 99 and ZTS-63A.- Type 63A equipped with a wind sensor.
- Type 63A-I - Type 63A fitted with a bow extension, bigger side skirts which cover the tracks more, attachments points for additional armour on the front of the turret (possibly ERA) and more advanced sighting devices (as evidenced by larger periscopes). It is also known by industrial designator, WZ213-1. It is also known as ZTS63A-1.
- Type 63A-II - Type 63A-I bolt mounts for additional armour all over the turret and hull sides. It is also known by industrial designator, WZ213-2. It is also known as ZTS63A-2.
- Type 63A - Improved Type 63-II. It was specially designed to suit the needs of the marines. Unlike the original Type 63 which was mainly intended for river-crossing operations at inland rivers and lakes, the Type 63A can be launched from amphibious warfare ships 5 – 7 km offshore and travel to the shore with the speed of 28 km/h (which was accomplished thanks to the new engine and redesigned water jet system). It has a new diesel engine developing 581 hp (433 kW) and computerized fire control system which gives it the capacity to shoot while it is on the move on land and on water. Type 63A has a redesigned welded turret with four smoke grenade dischargers on each side of the turret, a stowage bucket in the rear of the turret and two stowage buckets on the sides of the turret. The turret was armed with 105 mm rifled gun instead of the original 85 mm Type 62-85TC rifled gun. It is similar to those that are fitted on the Type 59
- Type 63HG (HG stands for Hai Gai - "Further Improved") - Prototype vehicle with improved amphibious capabilities. It has a rounded bow nose extension. The hull was enhanced to improve the vehicle's performance while it's swimming at long distances from the amphibious assault ships to the shore. It also has a new 105 mm rifled gun instead of the original 85 mm Type 62-85TC rifled gun. It is similar to those that are fitted on the Type 59Type 59The Type 59 main battle tank is a Chinese produced version of the Soviet T-54A tank, an improvement over the ubiquitous T-54/55. The first vehicles were produced in 1958 and it was accepted into service in 1959, with serial production beginning in 1963...
-II, Type 59Type 59The Type 59 main battle tank is a Chinese produced version of the Soviet T-54A tank, an improvement over the ubiquitous T-54/55. The first vehicles were produced in 1958 and it was accepted into service in 1959, with serial production beginning in 1963...
D, Type 69 and Type 80Type 80Type 80 may refer to:* one of the Type 88 family of Chinese tanks* Type 80 Air-to-Ship Missile, a Japanese ASM* Type 80 , a Chinese military pistol* Type 80 machine gun, a Chinese copy of the Soviet PKM...
main battle tanks but with reduced recoil force for firing while the vehicle is swimming. It is capable of firing all types of modern tank rounds, such as armour piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS), HEAT and HE. The turret was modified to accommodate the new armament. The cast turret retains its half-egg-shape while three stowage buckets have been added on both sides of the turret and on the rear of the turret. It was made in mid-1990s. It is also known as the Type 63G where G stands for Gai - "Improved". - Type 77 - Chinese tracked amphibious APC based on the Type 63-I amphibious light tank. Although not a clone of the BTR-50, the Type 77 has similar hull shape and layout. The industrial designator is WZ511.
- Type 77-1 - amphibious armoured personnel/artillery carrier designed to carry a disassembled gun (85 mm towed anti-tank gun or 120 mm towed howitzer) on the roof. The vehicle has hydraulic winch and ramps to load/unload the gun. The industrial designator is WZ511-1.
- Type 77-2 - amphibious armoured personnel carrier. No winch and ramps. The industrial designator is WZ511-2.
- Type 76 ARV - recovery vehicle.
- Type 89 - Type 77 converted into a self-propelled howitzer armed with 122 mm gun. Although most vehicles were based on Type 77 APCs, some vehicles were based on Type 63-I amphibious light tanks.
- Type 63-II - Type 63-I fitted with the infrared
- Type 7402 torpedo launcher - Requirement first issued by PLAN Lushun Naval Base, and in 1975, the 201st Research Institute was tasked to develop a torpedo launcher that can fire torpedoes both above and below the surface of the sea. Type 63 was selected as the chassis, with the turret replaced by a twin 533 mm torpedo launcher, and necessary fire control system was added. After prototypes were completed in August 1975, test first begun at the pool of 201st Research Institute. From mid September to early October 1975, intensive tests including night tests in open ocean were successfully completed around the PLAN Lushun Naval Base, and Type 7402 torpedo launching vehicle was accepted into Chinese service. The launcher can operate up to in sea state 4, and a maximum depth of 10 meter, and can operated either independently or in groups. The torpedoes can be fired at maximum rate of one per second. However, series production was delayed due to the political turmoil in China, namely, Cultural RevolutionCultural RevolutionThe Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
, and after the end of the Cultural Revolution, the production program was eventually canceled during the military downsizing. As a result, Type 7402 torpedo launcher only entered Chinese service in very limited numbers, with only a single unit formed for evaluation purposes.
- Type 63-I - Type 63 fitted with a new 12150-L2 12-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine developing 402 hp (300 kW) at 2,000 rpm. The industrial designator is WZ211-1.
Operators
- 20 - - More than 150 including 55 ordered in 1989 from PRC and delivered between 1989 and 1990 and 50 ordered in 1993 from PRC and delivered in 1993. - 50 ordered in 1969 from PRC and delivered in 1970 and 1971. - 1,200 in service as of 1985, 1990, 1995 and 2000. As of now there are more than 800 of those vehicles in service (About 500 Type 63, Type63-I and Type 63-II and over 300 Type 63A, Type 63A-I and Type 63A-II). - 8 - - 10 ordered in 1978 from PRC and delivered in 1978 and 2010 order PRC 40 and 2011 50 total Army envantare 100 . - 30 ordered in 1976 from PRC and delivered in 1977 and 1979. -Former operators
- 200 (all scrapped) - 150 ordered in 1969 from PRC and delivered between 1970 and 1972. Passed on to the successor states.External links
- http://www.sinodefence.com/army/tank/type63.asp
- http://www.sinodefence.com/army/tank/type63a.asp
- http://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=173
- http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htarm/articles/20041011.aspx
- http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/type-63-t.htm