Difference between revisions of "ZTZ96A"

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{{Specs-Card|code=cn_ztz_96a}}
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{{About
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| about = Chinese medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other versions
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| link = ZTZ96 (Family)
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}}
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{{Specs-Card
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|code=cn_ztz_96a
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
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<!-- [[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (ZTZ96A式主战坦克; industry code '''WZ122R''') is a major upgrade to the [[ZTZ96]] with new FCS, upgraded protection and powerplant, presenting a more economical MBT to support the superior but more expensive fleet of [[ZTZ99 (Family)|ZTZ99]]s and [[ZTZ99A]]s in PLAGF service. By the time the ZTZ96 joined the PLAGF in 1999, the overall performance of the tank lagged behind the mainstream of overseas countries. Thanks to the finalization of the ZTZ99 around the same time, plans for upgrading the ZTZ96 with new powerplant, FCS, and protection were proposed by 2001 for later production runs of the ZTZ96. An earlier prototype included a domestic (or imported) JD-3 IR jammer on the side of turret and an arrow-shaped applique armour on the front, while [[ZTZ96A (P)|another prototype]] was mostly identical to the former except the turret applique armour design was changed to a pike. The former design eventually won the competition and entered service in 2005 as the ZTZ96A; this design was also retained to the future ZTZ96B with overhaul upgrades to the design. Although being named as "ZTZ96", the earlier ZTZ96 (WZ122H) cannot be upgraded to ZTZ96A or ZTZ96B standards.
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{{Break}} -->
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]].
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Introduced in [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]], the ZTZ96A is an upgraded variant of the [[ZTZ96]] that improves on several of its predecessor's deficiencies. FY-4 ERA blocks have been installed on the turret and hull, changing the appearance of the tank and offering drastically improved protection against both kinetic and chemical munitions. The engine has been slightly improved and the gunner now has access to thermal sights. While it still isn't the most mobile or well-protected tank around, the ZTZ96A has enough tricks up its sleeve to be a flexible and capable fighter on the battlefield.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
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''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
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<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 +
The most noticeable change on the ZTZ96A is the new armour profile. The design of the ZTZ96A's turret is a further drastic departure from the traditional Chinese and Soviet dome turret design. The turret front is equipped with a wedge or arrowhead shaped block of applique armour, which is modeled as being made of FY-4 ERA tiles. It looks somewhat like the [[Leopard 2A5]]; however, the armour stops short at the coaxial gun port, providing a weak spot for the enemy to exploit. Shooting this area does not usually result in an instant knock-out as it will only disable the gun breech and take out the commander or gunner (depending on which side is shot). The protected areas of the turret cheeks are quite strong for the ZTZ96A's rank; total kinetic protection is around 600 mm of RHA equivalent, which is sufficient to resist any APFSDS fired by Rank VI tanks. Chemical protection is around 1,100 mm, enough to stop many ATGMs. ERA has also been added to the exterior of the storage racks on the turret sides, but there is not enough total protection to stop anything more than light autocannon fire or small HEAT rounds.
 +
 
 +
As for the hull, the added FY-4 ERA on the upper glacis increases the survivability of the tank. Total kinetic protection is around 540 mm and chemical protection is upwards of 1,000 mm. Even a direct shot from most APFSDS can be resisted.
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 +
It is worth remembering that ERA tiles are destroyed upon absorbing fire and can also be stripped off by autocannons. Without the FY-4 ERA, the base armour of the ZTZ96A is exactly the same as the ZTZ96 and can be easily penetrated by 105 mm DM33 rounds for example. The general weak spots of the ZTZ96 still exist; as mentioned before, the gun breech area does not enjoy the benefits of the new turret armour, and the lower glacis is still completely unprotected. Shots to the lower glacis will often detonate the ammunition in the autoloader and total the tank.
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 +
'''Armour type:'''
 +
 
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret)
 +
* Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet, commander cupola)
 +
* Rubber-fabric screens (side skirts)
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 20 mm (69°) ''Outer UFP'' <br> 100 mm (67°) ''Inner UFP'' <br> 60 mm (51°) ''LFP'' || 50 mm || 45 mm (52°) ''Top'' <br> 45 mm (15°) ''Bottom'' || 20-30 mm
 +
|-
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| Turret || 220 mm ''Turret front'' <br> 310 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 50-80 mm || 20 mm || 30 mm
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|-
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|Cupola|| colspan="3" | 30 mm (cylindrical) || 30 mm (spherical)
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|-
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|}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
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! Composite armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides
 +
|-
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| Hull ||'''Upper glacis:''' <br> 350 mm ''Kinetic'' <br> 480 mm ''Chemical'' <br> ''{{Annotation|FY-4|ERA}}'' <br> 180 mm ''Kinetic'' <br> 550 mm ''Chemical'' || N/A
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|-
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| Turret || '''Turret front:''' <br> 400 mm ''Kinetic'' <br> 520 mm ''Chemical'' <br> ''{{Annotation|FY-4|ERA}}'' <br> 180 mm ''Kinetic'' <br> 550 mm ''Chemical'' || '''Rear:''' <br> ''{{Annotation|FY-4|ERA}}'' <br> 50 mm ''Kinetic'' <br> 350 mm ''Chemical''
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|-
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|}
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'''Notes:'''
 +
 
 +
* Suspension wheels, tracks, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
 +
* Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
 +
* Side skirts are 8 mm thick.
 +
* Mudguards and storage boxes are 4 mm thick.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
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''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
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<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
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{{tankMobility}}
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,240|rbMinHp=708}}
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 +
The ZTZ96A's 12V150ZLD engine outputs an additional 70 horsepower compared to the ZTZ96's, which is a small but welcome improvement. It still will not win any speed races against most Western MBTs like the [[Leopard 2K]] or [[MBT-70]], and even the [[Challenger Mk.2]] can match the ZTZ96A's mobility; but its power-weight ratio is still on par with his Soviet/Russian counterparts. Oddly enough, due to the increased weight from applique ERAs, the reverse speed of -6 km/h is actually worse than the original ZTZ96, so be careful not to overextend.
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 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
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{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
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''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Advise about how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
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<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
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{{main|Type 88C (125 mm)}}
  
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=== Additional armament ===
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The ZTZ96A makes up for its drawbacks in mobility with a superb gun. The 125 mm Type 88C smoothbore gun is capable of firing APFSDS, HE and HEAT-FS ammunition. For its battle rating, the 125-I shell performs very well, offering 466 mm of flat penetration at point-blank and dropping only to 434 mm at 2 km. Its angled performance is exceptionally good at 269 mm at 60 degrees, outperforming even the best Soviet APFSDS round, 3BM42 whose angled penetration is only 248 mm. For reference, the 125-I performs comparably to Western long-rod sabot rounds such as DM33. The HEAT-FS round is nothing special with a standard 480 mm of penetration that is only really effective at destroying lightly armoured vehicles such as SPAA. The HE round is of the Soviet-style, packing a whopping 5.4 kg of TNT equivalent that can deal devastating damage against Western tanks' weak spots of the hull and turret roof and turret ring. It's recommended to entirely ditch the HEAT-FS for HE as it arguably performs better in the anti-tank role, ironically.
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''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on about how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
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 +
Both T-72s and ZTZ96A now shares the same reload rate at 7.1 second per shot.
 +
 
 +
It should be noted that the ZTZ96A's gun depression and gun elevation have declined by 1 and 2 degrees, respectively, compared to the ZTZ96. The latter doesn't make much of a difference, but the former is concerning on hilly maps.
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 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[Type 88C (125 mm)|125 mm Type 88C]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds)
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|-
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! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
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! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
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! Autoloader
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|-
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! ''Arcade''
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| rowspan="2" | 40 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+12° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 28.6 || 39.5 || 48.0 || 53.1 || 56.5 || rowspan="2" | 7.10
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|-
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! ''Realistic''
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| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
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|-
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|}
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 +
==== Ammunition ====
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{{:Type 88C (125 mm)/Ammunition|DTP-125, DTB-125, 125-I}}
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 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
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[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
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<!-- '''Last updated: 2.5.1.99''' -->
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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|-
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! Full<br>ammo
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! Ammo<br>part
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! 1st<br>rack empty
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! 2nd<br>rack empty
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! 3rd<br>rack empty
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! 4th<br>rack empty
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! 5th<br>rack empty
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! 6th<br>rack empty
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! 7th<br>rack empty
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! 8th<br>rack empty
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! 9th<br>rack empty
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
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|-
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| '''40''' || ''Projectiles''<br>''Propellants'' || 40&nbsp;''(+0)'' <br> 39&nbsp;''(+1)'' || 38&nbsp;''(+2)'' <br> 38&nbsp;''(+2)'' || 37&nbsp;''(+3)'' <br> 37&nbsp;''(+3)'' || 35&nbsp;''(+5)'' <br> 31&nbsp;''(+9)'' || 32&nbsp;''(+8)'' <br> 27&nbsp;''(+13)'' || 29&nbsp;''(+11)'' <br> 23&nbsp;''(+17)'' || 24&nbsp;''(+16)'' <br> 39&nbsp;''(+1)'' || 23&nbsp;''(+17)'' <br> N/A || 39&nbsp;''(+1)'' <br> N/A || No
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|-
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|}
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'''Notes''':
 +
 
 +
* The 9th projectile rack and the 7th propellant rack are a mechanized first stage ammo rack. As such the tank has a fixed reload as it uses an autoloader to reload the main gun, and the main gun cannot be reloaded when these ammo racks are empty.
 +
* It takes around 25s per shell to reload the first stage ammo rack. Additionally, there is a 10s interval between when the gun is fully loaded and the crew starts to reload the first stage ammo rack.
 +
* It is advised to take at most 37 rounds in order to empty the turret's ammo racks.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
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''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
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<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
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{{main|QJC88A (12.7 mm)|Type 86 (7.62 mm)}}
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 +
The {{PAGENAME}} comes equipped with a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun as well as a roof mounted 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. The QJC88A 12.7 mm machine gun has similar gun depression to the tank itself, and has a very wide angle of fire up to 85 degrees in the vertical. This lets the {{PAGENAME}} deal with close range aerial threats, such as low flying aircraft or helicopters, as well as lightly armored or open-top vehicles such as a side-on IFV or an anti-aircraft vehicle. Against enemy MBTs, however, the most the HMG will do is track them if you pepper their tracks insistently with a full belt of gunfire. The coaxial 7.62 mm lacks penetration and is affixed to the tank's turret traverse, so its best use is marking targets on the map for your teammates to notice.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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|-
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! colspan="5" | [[QJC88A (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm QJC88A]]
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|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Commander's cupola || 600 (150) || 600 || -6°/+85° || ±180°
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
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|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[Type 86 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Type 86]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Coaxial || 2,500 (250) || 700 || - || -
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
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''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''
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<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 +
The ZTZ96A has a different playstyle than most MBTs do. Instead of being a king of mobility, this tank trades speed for improved armour protection. The tank's mobility is improved from that of the [[ZTZ96]], but it is still below average for this battle rating. It can keep up with some IFVs, but against MBTs, this tank can't match their speed and acceleration. It also has a poor reverse speed, which can make getting out of sticky situations difficult. This lack of mobility means that the ZTZ96A can't rush objectives or favourable locations at the beginning of battle like faster vehicles can. Additionally, it takes longer to relocate around the map to deal with enemies or to attack and defend capture zones. Flanking manoeuvres are also difficult. However, the ZTZ96A's below-average speed doesn't hinder its abilities to brawl in close quarters situations or to snipe from afar.
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 +
Both of these playstyles benefit from the tank's strong armour protection, which features ERA on the front of the hull and turret. The turret cheeks and upper glacis are especially well-defended--even a direct APFSDS shell can't always penetrate. In general, the tank is hard to damage from the front. This does not mean that it has no weakpoints, though: the gun breech is exposed and unprotected, and a shot there can do great damage inside the turret compartment. In addition, the vehicle sports an ammunition carousel in the bottom of the hull; a side shot here will very often detonate the ammo storage, causing immediate destruction of the tank. And finally, the ZTZ96A only has three crew members, so long-term endurance is lacking. Even one crew member being knocked out makes taking any more damage much riskier. As a whole, the ZTZ96A's protection is potentially strong but inconsistent, so it's best to stick to cover and not trust the armour as a first line of defense. Even gentle ridgelines can help mask the vulnerable lower glacis.
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 +
The ZTZ96A also makes up for its mobility drawbacks with its powerful cannon. Its APFSDS shell has high penetration against both flat and angled armour, and can perform even at long ranges. The gun also makes use of a very powerful HE shell which can deal devastating damage if fired at the roofs of enemy tanks. This gun is reloaded by an autoloading system, which can get a new shell in the breech every 7.1 seconds. The reload speed is worse than that of many MBTs, and skilled players will be able to take advantage of this to destroy the ZTZ96A. It is important to try to destroy the enemy in one shot, or else there may not be enough time to try again. And, the slow reload means that dealing with multiple enemies in quick succession is more difficult than normal. Be careful about the gun's poor turret elevation speed. It can take longer than expected to get sights on a target. The ZTZ96A is equipped with thermal sights which help visibility in night battles or for spotting targets during daytime. Make good use of the thermal sights as they are one of the ZTZ96A's selling points; most contemporary Soviet tanks lack them.
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 +
This tank is a good sniper thanks to its strong frontal armour and powerful gun. When sniping, poor mobility is not an issue and the long reload rate doesn't overly hurt the ZTZ96A's performance. It is also more difficult for enemies to target the ZTZ96A's weak spots. If firing from behind ridgelines, remember that the gun depression is below average, at only -5 degrees. The ZTZ96A is also effective in close-quarters brawls, where its armour provides a great advantage against the enemy. An opponent like the [[Leopard 2K]] or [[M1 Abrams]] will have to aim for the ZTZ96A's weak spots while the 125-I APFSDS can penetrate these tanks anywhere. Although the gun handling isn't outstanding, it's enough to get the job done with some situational awareness.
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 +
===Assault mode===
 +
For players grinding the APFSDS in assault mode, it is recommended to bring full ammo, with around half HEAT and half HE. As the countdown goes at the start of the match, quickly find a spot where you will not get shot from every direction and stay there until you run out of ammo or get destroyed. The HEAT is great at knocking out weakly armoured Cold War tanks with a single shot, while the HE is capable of destroying those heavily protected top tier MBT. Given that you do not have APFSDS therefore lacking the ability to knock out some AI frontally, you will have to rely on assists to get scores. Firing HEAT/HE at tracks, roof mounted MG, turret ring, cannon barrel, etc can at least immobilise/disarm the AI, granting you an assist. The 7.1 second reload will be quite slow when facing a huge wave of AI so you must aim each shot carefully, but other times it is generally fast enough. The ZTZ96's armour can take quite some beating but is also prone to ammo rack explosion, or penetrating shots from the lower front plate and gun mantlet.
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 +
'''Enemies worth noting:'''
 +
 
 +
* Leopard 2A5: this is the most protected Leopard you will see in assault, usually in Mozdok and Fulda. When facing it frontally or with slight angles, load HE and aim for its turret ring where the crosshair is green. It is very likely to destroy it instantly. When facing its side, load HEAT and aim for its central hull. Don't expect to block any of its shells as its APFSDS can easily go through the ZTZ96's frontal armour, or the AI can just target your weak spots.
 +
* M1A2: you will see it mostly in Fulda and Ardennes. When facing it frontally or with slight angles, load HEAT and aim for its turret ring where the crosshair is green. It is very likely to destroy it instantly. HE might not work here since it cannot effectively hurt the turret crew. But HE works great when aiming at the M1's turret roof. Items like the MG and the optics will all detonate the HE, causing the downward shrapnel to knock out all the crew. When facing its side, load HEAT and aim for its central hull.
 +
* Challenger 2F: you will see it mostly in Sands of Sinai. It is one of the toughest AI to destroy, especially when there are waves of them. When facing it frontally or with slight angles, load HE and aim for the hull side above the tracks where the crosshair is green. It is very likely to detonate random ammo inside. When facing its side, still load HE and aim for its central hull for an ammo detonation. The Challenger 2F's sides are covered with ERA blocks thus HEAT will get absorbed.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''
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<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Powerful gun with access to high-penetrating APFSDS (same as [[ZTZ96]])
 +
* Autoloader reloads the cannon even when putting out fires or replacing crew members
 +
* HE shell is extremely powerful (more than 5 kg TNT) for a MBT, can cripple or outright destroy enemies via overpressure
 +
* Low profile compared to Western counterparts
 +
* FY-4 ERA cover turret cheeks and upper glacis, significantly improving protection against common foes (e.g. [[XM-1 (GM)|XM-1]], [[Leopard 2A4]])
 +
* Roof-mounted heavy machine gun is useful against aircraft and light targets
 +
* Relatively fast turret rotation speed compared to contemporary Soviet tanks
 +
* 2nd generation TVD for gunner gives the vehicle noticeably better all-weather fighting capabilities as well as awareness
 +
* Slightly improved mobility over the preceding ZTZ96
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Only 3 crew members, can be knocked out easily by a single round
 +
* Large weak spots
 +
** Large and weak mantlet
 +
** Lower plate is very weak, with penetrating shells killing crew or detonating the autoloader's ammo carousel
 +
* Mobility is below average at its rank
 +
** Poor reverse speed
 +
** Heavier than the preceding ZTZ96 due to added FY-4 ERA - slightly lower reactive mobility
 +
* Poor gun handling characteristics
 +
** Below average gun depression (-5°)
 +
** Slow vertical gun aiming
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''
+
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 +
 
 +
The [[ZTZ96]] main battle tank entered service with the People's Liberation Army starting in the late 1990s. The Gulf War had shown that older tanks like the [[T-55A|T-55]] or [[Type 69]] were no match whatsoever for modern MBTs like the [[M1 Abrams]], and the ZTZ96 was derived from the export Type 85-IIAP as a stopgap. It was a significant improvement over the old stocks of [[Type 59]] variants that formed the bulk of the PLA's tank forces, featuring modular composite armour and a powerful 125 mm smoothbore gun. However, the basic ZTZ96 was still below par in terms of engine power, electronics, and overall protection compared to many Western main battle tanks. The next-generation [[ZTZ99]], which had been under separate development for years, was a significantly more competitive design with heavier armour, superior mobility, and a sophisticated suite of electronics. However, the ZTZ99 was heavier and more expensive than the ZTZ96, limiting how quickly it could be adopted and where in China it could be deployed. The ZTZ96 could still occupy a niche as a lighter and cheaper MBT for the rapid modernization of the PLA, but it needed upgrades to bring it closer to parity with its rivals.
 +
 
 +
The ZTZ96A variant was developed through the early 2000s and first unveiled in 2006. The upgrades consisted of applique armour on the turret front in an "arrowhead" shape, a new gunner's sight with thermal imaging, an improved fire control system, and a slightly more powerful 800 horsepower engine. At least [[ZTZ96A (P)|one prototype vehicle]] was tested with an unusual "needle-nose" applique armour format while both prototypes installed JD-3 infrared dazzlers akin to the Soviet Shtora system. The aforementioned prototype failed the bid while the JD-3 dazzler didn't make into production runs of ZTZ96A, likely due to cost reduction.
 +
 
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The ZTZ96A was used by the Chinese team from 2014-2016 at the Tank Biathlon competition hosted by Russia. The Chinese team placed third in 2014 and second in 2015 and 2016 in the final results. From 2017 onward, it was replaced for competition use by the upgraded ZTZ96B variant with a more powerful engine developing between 1,000 and 1,130 horsepower and general improvements to the systems and chassis.
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The ZTZ96A has been offered for export by Norinco under the name of "VT-2", first demonstrated in 2012.
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At present, more than 1,100 examples of the ZTZ96A are currently in service with the PLA. It is more numerous than the elite [[ZTZ99]] and will continue to serve for the forseeable future.
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 +
=== [[wt:en/news/6630-development-ztz96a-can-take-a-punch-en|Devblog]] ===
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 +
Development of the ZTZ96A began in the early 2000s, once it became clear that the introduction of the ZTZ99 MBT would be delayed due to issues surrounding its development. As a result, Chinese engineers developed an improved version of the existing ZTZ96, in order to counter the threat of the most advanced fighting vehicles of other nations, such as the USA, Russia, Japan, Korea or India.
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Two different prototypes were built as part of the development work, of which one was chosen for further development and eventually entered production as the ZTZ96A. With the ZTZ96A, Chinese engineers addressed two of the biggest shortcomings of the original ZTZ96 - mobility and protection - by installing additional ERA packages to the turret and hull front as well as fitting a more powerful engine.
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The ZTZ96A was first revealed in 2006 and served as the basis for the development of more advanced versions of the vehicle. The ZTZ96A is still in service and makes for the most widely used main battle tank in service with the PLA today.
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== Media ==
 
== Media ==
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;Skins
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_ztz_96a Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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;Images
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<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
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File:ZTZ-96A WTWallpaper 01.jpg|
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File:ZTZ-96A WTWallpaper 02.jpg|
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File:ZTZ-96A WTWallpaper 03.jpg|
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File:ZTZ-96A WTWallpaper 04.jpg|
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File:ZTZ-96A WTWallpaper 05.jpg|
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File:ZTZ-96A WTWallpaper 06.jpg|
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</gallery>
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;Videos
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{{Youtube-gallery|86-UrgRQQ5k|'''ZTZ96A Slightly Improved''' - ''JustinPlaysYT''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
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<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
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* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
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* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
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;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
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* [[ZTZ96]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
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* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
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* ''other literature.'' -->
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* ''other literature.''-->
 
  
 
* [[wt:en/news/6630-development-ztz96a-can-take-a-punch-en|[Devblog] ZTZ96A: Can take a punch!]]
 
* [[wt:en/news/6630-development-ztz96a-can-take-a-punch-en|[Devblog] ZTZ96A: Can take a punch!]]
  
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{{TankManufacturer Norinco}}
 
{{China medium tanks}}
 
{{China medium tanks}}

Latest revision as of 18:53, 13 March 2024

Rank VI USSR | Premium | Golden Eagles
Su-25K Pack
This page is about the Chinese medium tank ZTZ96A. For other versions, see ZTZ96 (Family).
ZTZ96A
cn_ztz_96a.png
GarageImage ZTZ96A.jpg
ZTZ96A
China flag.png China
VII Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
10.3 10.3 10.3
Class:
Research:260 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:710 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The ZhuangJia Tanke ZhuZhan 96A (ZTZ96A式主战坦克; industry code WZ122R) is a major upgrade to the ZTZ96 with new FCS, upgraded protection and powerplant, presenting a more economical MBT to support the superior but more expensive fleet of ZTZ99s and ZTZ99As in PLAGF service. By the time the ZTZ96 joined the PLAGF in 1999, the overall performance of the tank lagged behind the mainstream of overseas countries. Thanks to the finalization of the ZTZ99 around the same time, plans for upgrading the ZTZ96 with new powerplant, FCS, and protection were proposed by 2001 for later production runs of the ZTZ96. An earlier prototype included a domestic (or imported) JD-3 IR jammer on the side of turret and an arrow-shaped applique armour on the front, while another prototype was mostly identical to the former except the turret applique armour design was changed to a pike. The former design eventually won the competition and entered service in 2005 as the ZTZ96A; this design was also retained to the future ZTZ96B with overhaul upgrades to the design. Although being named as "ZTZ96", the earlier ZTZ96 (WZ122H) cannot be upgraded to ZTZ96A or ZTZ96B standards.

Introduced in Update 1.97 "Viking Fury", the ZTZ96A is an upgraded variant of the ZTZ96 that improves on several of its predecessor's deficiencies. FY-4 ERA blocks have been installed on the turret and hull, changing the appearance of the tank and offering drastically improved protection against both kinetic and chemical munitions. The engine has been slightly improved and the gunner now has access to thermal sights. While it still isn't the most mobile or well-protected tank around, the ZTZ96A has enough tricks up its sleeve to be a flexible and capable fighter on the battlefield.

General info

Survivability and armour

ERA
Effective action against the cumulative ammunition
Composite armour
Balanced protection against all types of ammunition
Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
ESS
Creation of a smoke screen in the direction of movement of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull100 / 50 / 45
Turret220 / 50 / 20
Crew3 people
Visibility75 %

The most noticeable change on the ZTZ96A is the new armour profile. The design of the ZTZ96A's turret is a further drastic departure from the traditional Chinese and Soviet dome turret design. The turret front is equipped with a wedge or arrowhead shaped block of applique armour, which is modeled as being made of FY-4 ERA tiles. It looks somewhat like the Leopard 2A5; however, the armour stops short at the coaxial gun port, providing a weak spot for the enemy to exploit. Shooting this area does not usually result in an instant knock-out as it will only disable the gun breech and take out the commander or gunner (depending on which side is shot). The protected areas of the turret cheeks are quite strong for the ZTZ96A's rank; total kinetic protection is around 600 mm of RHA equivalent, which is sufficient to resist any APFSDS fired by Rank VI tanks. Chemical protection is around 1,100 mm, enough to stop many ATGMs. ERA has also been added to the exterior of the storage racks on the turret sides, but there is not enough total protection to stop anything more than light autocannon fire or small HEAT rounds.

As for the hull, the added FY-4 ERA on the upper glacis increases the survivability of the tank. Total kinetic protection is around 540 mm and chemical protection is upwards of 1,000 mm. Even a direct shot from most APFSDS can be resisted.

It is worth remembering that ERA tiles are destroyed upon absorbing fire and can also be stripped off by autocannons. Without the FY-4 ERA, the base armour of the ZTZ96A is exactly the same as the ZTZ96 and can be easily penetrated by 105 mm DM33 rounds for example. The general weak spots of the ZTZ96 still exist; as mentioned before, the gun breech area does not enjoy the benefits of the new turret armour, and the lower glacis is still completely unprotected. Shots to the lower glacis will often detonate the ammunition in the autoloader and total the tank.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret)
  • Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet, commander cupola)
  • Rubber-fabric screens (side skirts)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 20 mm (69°) Outer UFP
100 mm (67°) Inner UFP
60 mm (51°) LFP 		50 mm 45 mm (52°) Top
45 mm (15°) Bottom 		20-30 mm
Turret 220 mm Turret front
310 mm Gun mantlet 		50-80 mm 20 mm 30 mm
Cupola 30 mm (cylindrical) 30 mm (spherical)
Composite armour Front (Slope angle) Sides
Hull Upper glacis:
350 mm Kinetic
480 mm Chemical
FY-4
180 mm Kinetic
550 mm Chemical 		N/A
Turret Turret front:
400 mm Kinetic
520 mm Chemical
FY-4
180 mm Kinetic
550 mm Chemical 		Rear:
FY-4
50 mm Kinetic
350 mm Chemical

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels, tracks, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
  • Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
  • Side skirts are 8 mm thick.
  • Mudguards and storage boxes are 4 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB66 / 7 km/h
RB and SB60 / 6 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
1 back
Weight42.8 t
Engine power
AB1 526 hp
RB and SB800 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB35.7 hp/t
RB and SB18.7 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 66 7 42.8 1,240 1,526 28.97 35.65
Realistic 60 6 708 800 16.54 18.69

The ZTZ96A's 12V150ZLD engine outputs an additional 70 horsepower compared to the ZTZ96's, which is a small but welcome improvement. It still will not win any speed races against most Western MBTs like the Leopard 2K or MBT-70, and even the Challenger Mk.2 can match the ZTZ96A's mobility; but its power-weight ratio is still on par with his Soviet/Russian counterparts. Oddly enough, due to the increased weight from applique ERAs, the reverse speed of -6 km/h is actually worse than the original ZTZ96, so be careful not to overextend.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB4 193 → 6 620 Sl icon.png
RB4 063 → 6 415 Sl icon.png
SB4 748 → 7 497 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications206 600 Rp icon.png
344 000 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 800 Ge icon.png
Crew training200 000 Sl icon.png
Experts710 000 Sl icon.png
Aces2 100 Ge icon.png
Research Aces1 080 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
150 / 200 / 250 % Sl icon.png
232 / 232 / 232 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
23 000 Sl icon.png
450 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
8 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
8 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
18 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
28 000 Sl icon.png
540 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
18 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
28 000 Sl icon.png
540 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
4 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
23 000 Sl icon.png
450 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
2 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods thermal sight.png
NVD
Research:
8 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement cn.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods engine smoke screen system.png
ESS
Research:
18 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
28 000 Sl icon.png
540 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
15 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
23 000 Sl icon.png
450 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
8 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
125mm_china_APDS_FS_ammo_pack
Research:
8 500 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods tank laser rangefinder.png
Laser rangefinder
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
18 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
28 000 Sl icon.png
540 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Laser rangefinder
Reduces the error and increases the maximum measurable distance of the rangefinder
Night vision device
Improves visibility by enhancing natural light or active illumination.
Thermal imager
Allows to see thermal radiation in the infrared range day and night

Main armament

125 mm Type 88C cannon
Two-plane stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in two planes while moving
Autoloader
Automatically feeds projectiles into the breech. The speed does not depend on the skills of the loader
Ammunition40 rounds
First-order22 rounds
Reload7.1 s
Vertical guidance-5° / 12°
Main article: Type 88C (125 mm)

The ZTZ96A makes up for its drawbacks in mobility with a superb gun. The 125 mm Type 88C smoothbore gun is capable of firing APFSDS, HE and HEAT-FS ammunition. For its battle rating, the 125-I shell performs very well, offering 466 mm of flat penetration at point-blank and dropping only to 434 mm at 2 km. Its angled performance is exceptionally good at 269 mm at 60 degrees, outperforming even the best Soviet APFSDS round, 3BM42 whose angled penetration is only 248 mm. For reference, the 125-I performs comparably to Western long-rod sabot rounds such as DM33. The HEAT-FS round is nothing special with a standard 480 mm of penetration that is only really effective at destroying lightly armoured vehicles such as SPAA. The HE round is of the Soviet-style, packing a whopping 5.4 kg of TNT equivalent that can deal devastating damage against Western tanks' weak spots of the hull and turret roof and turret ring. It's recommended to entirely ditch the HEAT-FS for HE as it arguably performs better in the anti-tank role, ironically.

Both T-72s and ZTZ96A now shares the same reload rate at 7.1 second per shot.

It should be noted that the ZTZ96A's gun depression and gun elevation have declined by 1 and 2 degrees, respectively, compared to the ZTZ96. The latter doesn't make much of a difference, but the former is concerning on hilly maps.

125 mm Type 88C Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Autoloader
Arcade 40 -5°/+12° ±180° Two-plane 28.6 39.5 48.0 53.1 56.5 7.10
Realistic 17.9 21.0 25.5 28.2 30.0

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
DTP-125 HEATFS 480 480 480 480 480 480
DTB-125 HE 45 45 45 45 45 45
125-I APFSDS 466 464 458 450 442 434
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
DTP-125 HEATFS 905 18 0.05 0.1 2.62 65° 72° 77°
DTB-125 HE 850 23 0.3 0.1 5.46 79° 80° 81°
125-I APFSDS 1,730 4.02 - - - 78° 80° 81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the ZTZ96A
Full
ammo 		Ammo
part 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		6th
rack empty 		7th
rack empty 		8th
rack empty 		9th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
40 Projectiles
Propellants 		40 (+0)
39 (+1) 		38 (+2)
38 (+2) 		37 (+3)
37 (+3) 		35 (+5)
31 (+9) 		32 (+8)
27 (+13) 		29 (+11)
23 (+17) 		24 (+16)
39 (+1) 		23 (+17)
N/A 		39 (+1)
N/A 		No

Notes:

  • The 9th projectile rack and the 7th propellant rack are a mechanized first stage ammo rack. As such the tank has a fixed reload as it uses an autoloader to reload the main gun, and the main gun cannot be reloaded when these ammo racks are empty.
  • It takes around 25s per shell to reload the first stage ammo rack. Additionally, there is a 10s interval between when the gun is fully loaded and the crew starts to reload the first stage ammo rack.
  • It is advised to take at most 37 rounds in order to empty the turret's ammo racks.

Machine guns

12.7 mm QJC88A machine gun
Ammunition600 rounds
Belt capacity150 rounds
Reload5.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Vertical guidance-6° / 85°
7.62 mm Type 86 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition2 500 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reload8.0 s
Fire rate700 shots/min
Main articles: QJC88A (12.7 mm), Type 86 (7.62 mm)

The ZTZ96A comes equipped with a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun as well as a roof mounted 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. The QJC88A 12.7 mm machine gun has similar gun depression to the tank itself, and has a very wide angle of fire up to 85 degrees in the vertical. This lets the ZTZ96A deal with close range aerial threats, such as low flying aircraft or helicopters, as well as lightly armored or open-top vehicles such as a side-on IFV or an anti-aircraft vehicle. Against enemy MBTs, however, the most the HMG will do is track them if you pepper their tracks insistently with a full belt of gunfire. The coaxial 7.62 mm lacks penetration and is affixed to the tank's turret traverse, so its best use is marking targets on the map for your teammates to notice.

12.7 mm QJC88A
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Commander's cupola 600 (150) 600 -6°/+85° ±180°
7.62 mm Type 86
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 2,500 (250) 700 - -

Usage in battles

The ZTZ96A has a different playstyle than most MBTs do. Instead of being a king of mobility, this tank trades speed for improved armour protection. The tank's mobility is improved from that of the ZTZ96, but it is still below average for this battle rating. It can keep up with some IFVs, but against MBTs, this tank can't match their speed and acceleration. It also has a poor reverse speed, which can make getting out of sticky situations difficult. This lack of mobility means that the ZTZ96A can't rush objectives or favourable locations at the beginning of battle like faster vehicles can. Additionally, it takes longer to relocate around the map to deal with enemies or to attack and defend capture zones. Flanking manoeuvres are also difficult. However, the ZTZ96A's below-average speed doesn't hinder its abilities to brawl in close quarters situations or to snipe from afar.

Both of these playstyles benefit from the tank's strong armour protection, which features ERA on the front of the hull and turret. The turret cheeks and upper glacis are especially well-defended--even a direct APFSDS shell can't always penetrate. In general, the tank is hard to damage from the front. This does not mean that it has no weakpoints, though: the gun breech is exposed and unprotected, and a shot there can do great damage inside the turret compartment. In addition, the vehicle sports an ammunition carousel in the bottom of the hull; a side shot here will very often detonate the ammo storage, causing immediate destruction of the tank. And finally, the ZTZ96A only has three crew members, so long-term endurance is lacking. Even one crew member being knocked out makes taking any more damage much riskier. As a whole, the ZTZ96A's protection is potentially strong but inconsistent, so it's best to stick to cover and not trust the armour as a first line of defense. Even gentle ridgelines can help mask the vulnerable lower glacis.

The ZTZ96A also makes up for its mobility drawbacks with its powerful cannon. Its APFSDS shell has high penetration against both flat and angled armour, and can perform even at long ranges. The gun also makes use of a very powerful HE shell which can deal devastating damage if fired at the roofs of enemy tanks. This gun is reloaded by an autoloading system, which can get a new shell in the breech every 7.1 seconds. The reload speed is worse than that of many MBTs, and skilled players will be able to take advantage of this to destroy the ZTZ96A. It is important to try to destroy the enemy in one shot, or else there may not be enough time to try again. And, the slow reload means that dealing with multiple enemies in quick succession is more difficult than normal. Be careful about the gun's poor turret elevation speed. It can take longer than expected to get sights on a target. The ZTZ96A is equipped with thermal sights which help visibility in night battles or for spotting targets during daytime. Make good use of the thermal sights as they are one of the ZTZ96A's selling points; most contemporary Soviet tanks lack them.

This tank is a good sniper thanks to its strong frontal armour and powerful gun. When sniping, poor mobility is not an issue and the long reload rate doesn't overly hurt the ZTZ96A's performance. It is also more difficult for enemies to target the ZTZ96A's weak spots. If firing from behind ridgelines, remember that the gun depression is below average, at only -5 degrees. The ZTZ96A is also effective in close-quarters brawls, where its armour provides a great advantage against the enemy. An opponent like the Leopard 2K or M1 Abrams will have to aim for the ZTZ96A's weak spots while the 125-I APFSDS can penetrate these tanks anywhere. Although the gun handling isn't outstanding, it's enough to get the job done with some situational awareness.

Assault mode

For players grinding the APFSDS in assault mode, it is recommended to bring full ammo, with around half HEAT and half HE. As the countdown goes at the start of the match, quickly find a spot where you will not get shot from every direction and stay there until you run out of ammo or get destroyed. The HEAT is great at knocking out weakly armoured Cold War tanks with a single shot, while the HE is capable of destroying those heavily protected top tier MBT. Given that you do not have APFSDS therefore lacking the ability to knock out some AI frontally, you will have to rely on assists to get scores. Firing HEAT/HE at tracks, roof mounted MG, turret ring, cannon barrel, etc can at least immobilise/disarm the AI, granting you an assist. The 7.1 second reload will be quite slow when facing a huge wave of AI so you must aim each shot carefully, but other times it is generally fast enough. The ZTZ96's armour can take quite some beating but is also prone to ammo rack explosion, or penetrating shots from the lower front plate and gun mantlet.

Enemies worth noting:

  • Leopard 2A5: this is the most protected Leopard you will see in assault, usually in Mozdok and Fulda. When facing it frontally or with slight angles, load HE and aim for its turret ring where the crosshair is green. It is very likely to destroy it instantly. When facing its side, load HEAT and aim for its central hull. Don't expect to block any of its shells as its APFSDS can easily go through the ZTZ96's frontal armour, or the AI can just target your weak spots.
  • M1A2: you will see it mostly in Fulda and Ardennes. When facing it frontally or with slight angles, load HEAT and aim for its turret ring where the crosshair is green. It is very likely to destroy it instantly. HE might not work here since it cannot effectively hurt the turret crew. But HE works great when aiming at the M1's turret roof. Items like the MG and the optics will all detonate the HE, causing the downward shrapnel to knock out all the crew. When facing its side, load HEAT and aim for its central hull.
  • Challenger 2F: you will see it mostly in Sands of Sinai. It is one of the toughest AI to destroy, especially when there are waves of them. When facing it frontally or with slight angles, load HE and aim for the hull side above the tracks where the crosshair is green. It is very likely to detonate random ammo inside. When facing its side, still load HE and aim for its central hull for an ammo detonation. The Challenger 2F's sides are covered with ERA blocks thus HEAT will get absorbed.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Powerful gun with access to high-penetrating APFSDS (same as ZTZ96)
  • Autoloader reloads the cannon even when putting out fires or replacing crew members
  • HE shell is extremely powerful (more than 5 kg TNT) for a MBT, can cripple or outright destroy enemies via overpressure
  • Low profile compared to Western counterparts
  • FY-4 ERA cover turret cheeks and upper glacis, significantly improving protection against common foes (e.g. XM-1, Leopard 2A4)
  • Roof-mounted heavy machine gun is useful against aircraft and light targets
  • Relatively fast turret rotation speed compared to contemporary Soviet tanks
  • 2nd generation TVD for gunner gives the vehicle noticeably better all-weather fighting capabilities as well as awareness
  • Slightly improved mobility over the preceding ZTZ96

Cons:

  • Only 3 crew members, can be knocked out easily by a single round
  • Large weak spots
    • Large and weak mantlet
    • Lower plate is very weak, with penetrating shells killing crew or detonating the autoloader's ammo carousel
  • Mobility is below average at its rank
    • Poor reverse speed
    • Heavier than the preceding ZTZ96 due to added FY-4 ERA - slightly lower reactive mobility
  • Poor gun handling characteristics
    • Below average gun depression (-5°)
    • Slow vertical gun aiming

History

The ZTZ96 main battle tank entered service with the People's Liberation Army starting in the late 1990s. The Gulf War had shown that older tanks like the T-55 or Type 69 were no match whatsoever for modern MBTs like the M1 Abrams, and the ZTZ96 was derived from the export Type 85-IIAP as a stopgap. It was a significant improvement over the old stocks of Type 59 variants that formed the bulk of the PLA's tank forces, featuring modular composite armour and a powerful 125 mm smoothbore gun. However, the basic ZTZ96 was still below par in terms of engine power, electronics, and overall protection compared to many Western main battle tanks. The next-generation ZTZ99, which had been under separate development for years, was a significantly more competitive design with heavier armour, superior mobility, and a sophisticated suite of electronics. However, the ZTZ99 was heavier and more expensive than the ZTZ96, limiting how quickly it could be adopted and where in China it could be deployed. The ZTZ96 could still occupy a niche as a lighter and cheaper MBT for the rapid modernization of the PLA, but it needed upgrades to bring it closer to parity with its rivals.

The ZTZ96A variant was developed through the early 2000s and first unveiled in 2006. The upgrades consisted of applique armour on the turret front in an "arrowhead" shape, a new gunner's sight with thermal imaging, an improved fire control system, and a slightly more powerful 800 horsepower engine. At least one prototype vehicle was tested with an unusual "needle-nose" applique armour format while both prototypes installed JD-3 infrared dazzlers akin to the Soviet Shtora system. The aforementioned prototype failed the bid while the JD-3 dazzler didn't make into production runs of ZTZ96A, likely due to cost reduction.

The ZTZ96A was used by the Chinese team from 2014-2016 at the Tank Biathlon competition hosted by Russia. The Chinese team placed third in 2014 and second in 2015 and 2016 in the final results. From 2017 onward, it was replaced for competition use by the upgraded ZTZ96B variant with a more powerful engine developing between 1,000 and 1,130 horsepower and general improvements to the systems and chassis.

The ZTZ96A has been offered for export by Norinco under the name of "VT-2", first demonstrated in 2012.

At present, more than 1,100 examples of the ZTZ96A are currently in service with the PLA. It is more numerous than the elite ZTZ99 and will continue to serve for the forseeable future.

Devblog

Development of the ZTZ96A began in the early 2000s, once it became clear that the introduction of the ZTZ99 MBT would be delayed due to issues surrounding its development. As a result, Chinese engineers developed an improved version of the existing ZTZ96, in order to counter the threat of the most advanced fighting vehicles of other nations, such as the USA, Russia, Japan, Korea or India.

Two different prototypes were built as part of the development work, of which one was chosen for further development and eventually entered production as the ZTZ96A. With the ZTZ96A, Chinese engineers addressed two of the biggest shortcomings of the original ZTZ96 - mobility and protection - by installing additional ERA packages to the turret and hull front as well as fitting a more powerful engine.

The ZTZ96A was first revealed in 2006 and served as the basis for the development of more advanced versions of the vehicle. The ZTZ96A is still in service and makes for the most widely used main battle tank in service with the PLA today.


Media

Skins
Images
  • ZTZ-96A WTWallpaper 01.jpg
  • ZTZ-96A WTWallpaper 02.jpg
  • ZTZ-96A WTWallpaper 03.jpg
  • ZTZ-96A WTWallpaper 04.jpg
  • ZTZ-96A WTWallpaper 05.jpg
  • ZTZ-96A WTWallpaper 06.jpg
Videos
ZTZ96A Slightly Improved - JustinPlaysYT

See also

Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

External links


Norinco (China North Industries Corporation)
Light AFV/IFV 
WZ501  ZBD86¹
WZ131  ▂Type 62 · Type 62
WZ211  Type 63 · ZTS63
WZ502  ZBD04A
MBT 
WZ120  Type 59¹ · ZTZ59A · ZTZ59D1
WZ121  Type 69
WZ122  ZTZ88B · ZTZ88A · ZTZ96 · ZTZ96A · ZTZ96A (P)
WZ123  ZTZ99-II · ZTZ99-III
WZ1001  WZ1001(E) LCT · ZTZ99A
Tank Destroyers  AFT09 · PTL02 · PTZ89 · ZLT11
SPH  PLZ83
SPAA  ZSD63/PG87² · PGZ09 · PGZ04A
Export 
WZ121  Type 69-IIa · T-69 II G
MBT2000  MBT-2000 · Al-Khalid-I
MBT3000  VT4A1
Other  WMA301 · WZ305
  ¹ License production / Reverse engineered · ² Field modifications

China medium tanks
ZTZ59  Type 59 · ZTZ59A · ZTZ59D1
ZTZ69  Type 69 · Type 69-IIa
ZTZ88/96  ZTZ88A · ZTZ88B
  ZTZ96 · ZTZ96A · ZTZ96A (P)
ZTZ99  ZTZ99-II · ZTZ99-III
ZTZ99A  ZTZ99A · WZ1001(E) LCT
Export series  MBT-2000 · VT4A1
ROC  CM11
Other  Т-34-85 Gai · Object 122MT "MC"
Bangladesh  T-69 II G
Japan  ␗Chi-Ha · ␗Chi-Ha Kai
Pakistan  Al-Khalid-I
USA  ␗M4A4 · ␗M4A4 (1st PTG) · ␗M4A1 (75) W · ␗M48A1 · ␗M60A3 TTS
USSR  ␗T-34 (1943) · ␗Т-34-85 (S-53) · T-34-85 No.215 · Т-62 №545

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