WZ1001(E) LCT

WZ1001(E) LCT

MBT-2000

VT4A1

WZ1001(E) LCT

MBT-2000

VT4A1

China

VIII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
12.0	12.0	12.0

Class:

Medium tank

Research:400 000

Purchase:1 080 000

Show in game

Description

The Wu Zhuang 1001(E) LCT [Long Cannon Testbed] (Chinese: WZ1001(E) 125毫米多功能火炮试验车; lit. 125 mm Multipurpose Gun Test Vehicle) was one of the prototype of what later became the ZTZ99A. Visually, it distinguishes itself from the production version with a longer gun, a smooth finish for the FY-5 ERA instead of matte, and a different hull. Before ZTZ99 was introduced to PLAGF, there were already plans for a new "3rd generation tank" where the ZTZ99 (WZ123 at the time) would be the gap-filler before the new tanks could be introduced; as soon as ZTZ99 was certified in early 2000s, Institute 70 already started the WZ1001 program with various designs led by the new chief designer Mao Ming (毛明); the tank in-game represents the 2nd prototype of WZ1001 with a longer L/54 125 mm smoothbore cannon and a hull based on ZTZ99-III. Due to economics and better reliability for the gun system, the LCT was ditched and the other prototype with L/48 cannon was then certified as what known as ZTZ99A.

Introduced in Update "Apex Predators" and sitting at the end of PLAGF line of Chinese tech tree, players will soon get used to the overall identical performance to its (technological) successor ZTZ99A with better gun handling thanks to its experimental gun layer and the high muzzle velocity; but do remember the hybrid of ZTZ99's hull with a ZTZ99A-like turret means their flaws would inherit to WZ1001 and players would have to be cautious on when to utilize its great mobility to assault enemies- planning ahead is essential for the survivability of the tank.

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

LWS

Notifies about the vehicle's exposure to laser emissions

Armourfront / side / back

Hull70 / 50 / 45

Turret85 / 60 / 35

Crew3 people

Visibility75 %

When players take a first look at the WZ1001(E), they will soon be having deja vu from previous tanks: although the turret is mostly identical to the previous ZTZ99A other than the layout of side fences, the hull also looks very similar from ZTZ99-III (WZ123B; in fact this hull was modified from WZ123B but with an extended and elevated engine deck). This platform also marks the transition from low-profile, Warsaw-Pact/Chinese design to a more NATO approach and ensures the overall protection to be mostly identical to the ZTZ99(A). Players will still have to pay caution to their LFP, driver's port, and mantlet in case of a head-on fight. In some cases when an opponent first encounters a WZ1001(E) and mistakes it for the ZTZ99A, chances are they will land the shot on the left side of the UFP instead of the driver's seat on the centerline and failed to penetrate.

One notable armour difference between the WZ1001(E) compared to its production version is a lower coverage of FY-1D1 rooftop ERA. It is still present above the hatches of the gunner and commander but does not cover the gun breech or turret roof. This allows top-attack ATGMs like the TOW-2B or BILL to do more damage.

Armour type:

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	___ mm	___ mm Top ___ mm Bottom	___ mm	___ - ___ mm
Turret	___ - ___ mm Turret front ___ mm Gun mantlet	___ - ___ mm	___ - ___ mm	___ - ___ mm
Cupola	___ mm	___ mm	___ mm	___ mm

Notes:

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB84 / 38 km/h

RB and SB76 / 35 km/h

Number of gears12 forward

6 back

Weight55.0 t

Engine power

AB2 862 hp

RB and SB1 500 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB52.0 hp/t

RB and SB27.3 hp/t

Since the WZ1001(E) was the prototype of the ZTZ99A, players might find both tanks handle very similarly other than the longer hull; this is indeed true as this was also the prototype that set the 1,500 hp 12V150HB-1 turbocharged diesel engine and CH1000 transmission for future use. Be sure to make good use of the excellent top speed for taking vantage points while having the ability to reverse back to cover with ease.

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	84	38	55	_,___	2,862	__.__	52.04
Realistic	76	35		_,___	1,500	__.__	27.27

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB4 401 → 6 949

RB4 274 → 6 748

SB5 413 → 8 547

Total cost of modifications279 200

472 000

Talisman cost3 100

Crew training310 000

Experts1 080 000

Aces2 200

Research Aces1 280 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

150 / 190 / 210 %

250 / 250 / 250 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Research: 20 000 Cost: 31 000 490 Suspension Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 350 Brake System Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 350 Filters Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 370 Transmission Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 350 Engine Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 350	Improved Parts Research: 6 000 Cost: 31 000 490 Improved FPE Research: 4 200 Cost: 22 000 350 Crew Replenishment Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 370 NVD Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 370 ESS Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 350 Smoke grenade Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 350	Horizontal Drive Research: 20 000 Cost: 31 000 490 Adjustment of Fire Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 350 LWS/LR Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 350 Elevation Mechanism Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 370 125mm_china_ATGM_ammo_pack Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 370 Artillery Support Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 350 125mm_china_DTW_APDS_FS_ammo_pack Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 350 125mm_china_HE_VT_ammo_pack Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 350

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 L/54 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

Ammunition34 rounds

First-order22 rounds

Reload7.1 s

Vertical guidance-5° / 13°

In view for enemy tanks with even higher protection than what was foreseen by the WZ123 design, especially from Russia, the design team built a 125 mm smoothbore cannon that was compatible to previous shells and any future shells used by PLAGF, but having a longer barrel at L/54 distinguished by an additional section of heat sleeve (at 6,750 mm, the longest smoothbore gun in-game, beating out the Rheinmetall Rh 120 L/55). All previous shells from ZTZ99(A) now enjoy a higher muzzle velocity and thus higher penetration for the APFSDS (~11 mm increase for both 125-I and DTC10-125). Players will soon get used to the gun handling thanks to the identical traverse speed, though extra care will have to be taken to hide the gun from enemies when taking cover, as the longer barrel also means enemies can now hit that very additional section of the barrel, leading to the disabling of the gun.

125 mm L/54					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Autoloader
Arcade	34	-5°/+13°	±180°	Two-plane	36.2	50.1	60.8	67.2	71.5	7.10
Realistic					22.6	26.6	32.3	35.7	38.0

Ammunition

DTP-125 HEATFS - The good old stock 125 mm HEATFS for PLAGF but with a penetration at only 480 mm. While the shell is in most cases ineffective against tanks with composite armour and even ERA blocks, the spalling is also unsufficient like with most HEATFS rounfs. But 2.19 kg of explosives upon lightly-armoured vehicles is lethal to them by overpressure, still a fine placeholder before having 125-I darts researched.

DTB-125; HE-FS - Another long-time friend to the Chinese 125 mm gun, the shell has a large explosive content. If enemies happen to take cover and have vulnerable parts exposed (CITV cameras, gun sights, cupola, etc.), the DTB-125 will make sure the target will be knocked out right away by overpressure, tanks that are known for their excellent protection i.e. Strv 122 and T-80BVM will still fall victim to it. Because of the high explosive content, it is extremely lethal to light vehicles in sight. Just in case players opted for flanking tactics, it is better to bring some HEATFS for the sides and hit enemies from the ammunition instead.

125-I; APFSDS - The stock APFSDS and one of the most long-lasting shells for the 125 mm gun, players would still find this shell for research even when it was first appeared on ZTZ96s from 9.3; although having a slightly higher penetration at 476 mm point blank, it will not always penetrate top-tier MBTs up-front (other than Leopard 2A5/A6 and Ariete), but players can always opt for lower plates or mantle. This will be the go-to shell before better DTC10/GP125 are researched.

DTC10-125; APFSDS - The tier III APFSDS for the WZ1001 with a high penetration at 588 mm point-blank than ZTZ99A (thanks to the higher caliber); while it is nowhere the best APFSDS at its tier, the relatively heavy projectile mass and the fastest muzzle velocity in-game (at whopping 1,810 m/s) will certainly makes long-engagement enjoyable. This will be the go-to shell for WZ1001 once researched.

GP125; ATGM (Tandem) - Another tier III modification for the WZ1001, it performs identically to its Soviet counterpart, the 9M119M1 Refleks. The missile can take down most MBTs at top tier with hits to the hull thanks to its high penetration tandem warhead and good post-penetration damage, although the APFSDS tends to be more convenient in general. Using it as a makeshift method to take out hovering helicopters is also viable as well as this will not trigger their LWS (given they are within 5 km)

DTB12-125; HE-VT - The tier IV shell for the WZ1001; it is also the only HE-VT shell in-game for MBTs (others are time-fused). Like ZTZ99A, this also turns WZ1001 into the longest anti-aircraft gun in game. Although marked as VT shell, it works both against ground targets or aerial targets where its explosive content is more than enough to inflict overpressure damage to armoured targets or disintegrate aerial targets that are within the gun's elevation range. Because it only contains slightly less explosive filler than DTB-125, it is generally recommended to take this as the only HE shell to simplify logistics.

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	476	475	468	460	452	445
DTC10-125	APFSDS	588	586	578	568	557	546
GP125	ATGM (tandem)	850	850	850	850	850	850
DTB12-125	HE-VT*	43	43	43	43	43	43

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	930	18	0.05	0.1	2.62	65°	72°	77°
DTB-125	HE	870	23	0.3	0.1	5.46	79°	80°	81°
125-I	APFSDS	1,770	4.02	-	-	-	78°	80°	81°
DTC10-125	APFSDS	1,810	4.85	-	-	-	78°	80°	81°

Missile details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity (m/s)	Range (m)	Projectile mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg)	Ricochet
								0%	50%	100%
GP125	ATGM (tandem)	445	5,000	17.2	0.4	0.01	5.72	80°	82°	90°

Proximity-fused shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Arming distance (m)	Trigger radius (m)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg)	Ricochet
									0%	50%	100%
DTB12-125	HE-VT*	870	23.2	0.3	0.1	500	7	5.3	79°	80°	81°

Ammo racks

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	6th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
34	__ (+__)	__ (+__)	__ (+__)	__ (+__)	__ (+__)	__ (+__)	__

Machine guns

14.5 mm QJG02 machine gun

Ammunition200 rounds

Belt capacity50 rounds

Reload8.0 s

Fire rate600 shots/min

Vertical guidance-5° / 60°

5.8 mm QJT machine gun (coaxial)

Ammunition2 600 rounds

Belt capacity200 rounds

Reload8.0 s

Fire rate801 shots/min

Instead of the conventional 12.7x108 mm QJC88 from previous tanks, WZ1001(E) planned for a larger calibre 14.5x114 mm QJG02 with a lighter weight than Type 56 (KPV). Good news is that this can also cause major havoc against light vehicles or aircraft within its range, but this also trades the overall capacity with only 200 rounds onboard at 50 rounds per belt.

14.5 mm QJG02
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Pintle	200 (50)	600	-5°/+60°	±180°

5.8 mm QJT
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Coaxial	2,600 (200)	801	-	-

Usage in battles

A major difference of WZ1001 to its technological predecessors/successor is the gun barrel itself. In most cases, the PLAGF adopted for a L/48 gun, but due to the need for greater penetration against potential foes, the WZ1001 has a longer barrel than most MBTs in game, while retaining the very familiar 125 mm calibre.

The WZ1001 prototype adopted some design features certified for the ZTZ99A, namely the turret design and elevated engine deck. While the new design enhanced its mobility vastly thanks to the new transmission, this also means that the WZ1001 is afflicted by the "NATO hump", where the gun will be blocked by the powerplant at rear angles. This might not be a major problem against other NATO tanks with high profiles, but the limited depression may not be enough to be able to deal lethal damage to Warsaw Pact tanks; in most cases, be sure to rotate the hull towards enemies' positions for protection and chance to retaliate. Thanks to its sufficiently tough turret, shots hitting the turret will likely do no harm to the tank (other than in the mantlet); however, be sure to never show the sides or angling to enemies due to the WZ1001's lack of side protection.

Players will soon find themselves at home if they are familiar with the ZTZ99A thanks to the identical mobility and very similar gun handling. While the tank itself looks very similar to the ZTZ99A, the longer barrel and different driver placement give the WZ1001 away. In most cases, due to the long-lasting flaws of the mantlet and LFP, the WZ1001 can be dealt with just like any other Warsaw Pact MBTs. Those on the receiving end should be extra cautious of the positioning of the tank. At longer ranges, the protection is enough to stop most shells. Thus, it is recommended to concentrate on long range enemy targets if possible; along with the greater survivability, it has the fastest muzzle velocity among any smoothbore gun-equipped MBT in-game, which further enhances its capability in sniping long-range targets. The railgun-like muzzle velocity of the top DTC10-125 dart will easily bypass the Iron Fist APS of the Challenger 2 Black Night even at considerable distances. Be sure to utilize the mobility of the WZ1001 to gain vantage points thanks to its powerplant, and make sure every shot counts against enemies due to the inferior reload rate.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Shares very similar, if not identical excellent mobility of ZTZ99A
• Uses a 14.5 mm HMG which is devastating to light vehicles or aircraft
• Long barrel L/54 smoothbore cannon with extremely high muzzle velocity for darts
• Sturdy frontal protection against both kinetic and chemical shells
• Shares identical gun handling from predecessor

Cons:

• "NATO hump" that hinders gun depression at rear angles
• Shares similar weak spots from predecessors (i.e. LFP and gun mantlet)
• The hull and turret are longer than ZTZ99A, making its profile even larger
• Same insufficient vertical traverse for the main cannon
• The penetration of DTC10-125 is still below average for top tier, despite improvements
• More vulnerable to top-attack ATGMs than ZTZ99A

History

As part of the "3rd Generation MBT" program of the PLAGF after the introduction of the "placeholder" WZ123/ZTZ99, the new MBT started its prototype production and trials. Designed by a new engineer, Mao Ming (毛明), the tank was built with 3 different prototypes: a "123AY" with higher engine deck for the latest 12V 150HB-1 engine and CH1000 transmission developed by Zhou Guangming (周广明), and two other prototypes, now dubbed WZ1001, one with a turret similar to the mass-produced ZTZ99A, and the other with a 125 mm L/54 for higher velocity and penetration.

Due to the limited increase of performance on the new L/54 gun and short barrel-life, the L/48 variant with later revised hull design passed the certification as the WZ1001, then the later ZTZ99A - the latest MBT in PLAGF service.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the WZ1001(E) LCT from live.warthunder.com.

See also

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;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.

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