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 Al-Khalid MBT (MBT 2000)
Development
The
initial Al-Khalid prototype was revealed in June 1991, based on the NORINCO
Type 90-II MBT, which compared to earlier Chinese MBTs, has significant
improvements in the three key areas of MBT design: armour, mobility and
firepower. Under the initial contract signed in 1990, the Type 90-II was to
be licensed produced at Heavy Industries Texila (HIT) but further
developments resulted in Al-Khalid, which is tailored to meet the specific
operational requirements of Pakistan Armoured Corps.
Description
The overall layout of the Al-Khalid is conventional with the driver's
compartment at the front, fighting compartment in the centre and power pack at
the rear. The hull is of welded steel construction with an additional layer of
composite armour at the front. Explosive reactive armour has been added to the
glacis plate and nose of the vehicle. The driver is seated in the centre and
has a single-piece hatch cover that lifts and swings to the right and in front
of this are three periscopes, the centre one of which can be replaced by a
passive periscope for driving at night. The turret is in the centre and is of
all welded steel armour construction to which a layer of composite armour has
been added over the frontal arc. In addition, to the turret front, sides and
forward roof has been added packs of explosive reactive armour. The commander
is seated on the right and the gunner is seated on the left with both provided
with single-piece roof hatches and vision devices. Main armament consists of a
125 mm smoothbore gun fitted with a thermal sleeve and fume extractor which is
fed by an automatic loader which holds a total of 22 projectiles and charges
which can be loaded at the rate of six to eight per minute. After the gun has
fired it returns to an angle of 4 ° 15 ' for loading and then returns to the
firing position.
Types of separate loading ammunition that can be fired by the 125 mm smoothbore
gun include APFSDS (muzzle velocity 1760 m/s), HEAT (muzzle velocity 850 m/s)
and HE-FRAG (muzzle velocity 950 m/s). Barrel life is quoted as 1200 rounds. A
total of 39 projectiles are carried in the normal ratio of four APFSDS-T, three
HEAT and three HE-FRAG. Mounted coaxial to the right of the main armament is a
7.62 mm machine gun while mounted on the commander's cupola is a 12.7 mm
machine gun for engaging ground and aerial targets. The 7.62 mm coaxial machine
gun has a cyclic rate of fire of 700 to 800 rds/min with a practical rate of
fire of 250 rds/min. Effective range is quoted as 1,000 m. The 12.7 mm machine
gun has a cyclic rate of fire of 650 to 700 rds/min with a practical rate of
fire of 80 to 100 rds/min. Traverse is 360° with elevation from -4.5 to +70°.
Effective range is quoted as 1,600 m.
The commander is provided with a two-axis stabilised hunter-killer panoramic
sight while the gunner has a two-axis stabilised fixed roof-mounted sight. The
image stabilised fire-control system (ISFCS) includes a laser rangefinder
integrated into the gunner's sight, control panel, ballistic computer and a
sensor for crosswind, tilt and angular velocity. This, together with the
stabilised 125 mm gun and roof-mounted stabilised sights, enables the Al-Khalid
to engage stationary and moving targets while it is stationary or moving. If
required, the tank commander can take over and lay and fire the main armament.
Target engagement time, stationary to stationary target is quoted as seven
seconds, while on the move 10 seconds. Mounted either side of the turret is a
bank of six electrically operated smoke grenade launchers which fire forwards
and to the rear of this is a large stowage basket. When not required, the
snorkel is normally carried in this stowage basket. The power pack consists of
the engine, transmission and cooling system and can be removed as a complete
unit in 30 minutes. The engine is a Ukrainian 6TDF diesel developing 1,200 hp.
Suspension is of the torsion bar type and consists of six large dual
rubber-tyred roadwheels with the drive sprocket at the front, idler at the rear
and track return rollers. The upper part of the suspension is covered by a
rubber skirt with the forward part on either side being covered by explosive
reactive armour. Standard equipment includes an anti-neutron liner for the crew
compartments, collective NBC system, explosion/fire detection and suppression
system and infrared reflecting paint. It can also lay a smoke screen by
injecting diesel fuel into the exhaust outlets at the rear of the hull.
Six prototypes of Al-Khalid were built and tested for Pakistan Army's needs and
future export market.
Prototype I:
It was based on using Chinese systems only. It includes Chinese 125 mm gun and
a autoloader augmented by a Chinese Fire Control System. Power terrain was a
Chinese license build German MTU-396 diesel engine with as LSG-3000 automatic
transmission.
Prototype II:
It used the same Chinese 125 mm smoothbore gun and autoloader coupled with a
western Fire Control System, powered by a Perkins 1200hp Condor diesel engine
mated to a French SESM-500 automatic transmission. This configuration was
dropped since Perkins engine did not perform well in the southern Pakistan's
hot climate during the summer where most of the expected tank battle is
supposed to take place.
Prototype III:
Same as Prototype II but, powered with a Ukrainian 6TDF diesel engine.
Prototype IV:
It was designed with western 120 mm gun and Fire Control System. It was also
fitted with a 1200hp German MTU-871/TCM AVDS-1790 diesel engine coupled with an
LSG-3000 transmission. This model was intended only for export customers who
trust western systems.
CREW BAY EXPLOSION, DETECTION AND SUPPRESSION SYSTEM
A military vehicle is designed for strength, its armour affording protection to
the crew and giving them the confidence to perform in battle. But the
possibility remains that penetration of its fuel tanks or fuel and hydraulic
lines can lead to a devastating fireball, causing severe burning and toxic gas
poisoning within milliseconds. This threat inevitably affects crew morale and
it is therefore important to give the crew a means of surviving in the
battlefield environment. The crew bay system is able to sense the incipient
hazard and recognise it as an explosive fire within 2-3ms and to effect
complete suppression in approx 100ms. It uses fast response sensors and rapid
acting high-rate discharge suppressors. Because suppression has taken place in
a few tens of milliseconds, the radiation from the fireball is harmless, the
temperature rise is minimal, the pressure increase is survivable and, most
importantly, the amount of toxic gas generated is limited to safe levels. The
vehicle and crew have survived to fight another day. Crew bay systems are
fitted to a range of vehicles including Leopard 2, CRARRV, Tariq, Al-Khalid,
Marconi Marksman, T90, Leclerc, M1A1, M1A2, LAV25, C1 Ariete MBT and Chunma
amongst others.
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE DETECTION & EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM
The engine compartment fire protection system has been designed to detect and
extinguish engine fires caused by fuel leaks or overheating of the engine.
Several seconds are typically available to suppress the fire and, generally,
temperature detection is sufficiently rapid. A typical engine compartment
system consists of a control unit, fire sensors (either continuous linear
thermal or infrared optical fire/explosion) and an extinguisher distribution
system. Engine compartments can be protected by installing linear thermal
sensors, optical infrared sensors or an optical/thermal hybrid system to suit
the specific application requirements. The control unit provides a warning
signal if the fire is detected within the engine compartment. Extinguishing is
achieved using an electrically or mechanically actuated high rate discharge
system. AS90, CRARRV, Challenger, Leopard, T90, Al-Khalid, C1 Ariete MBT and
Chunma are just some of the vehicles which have been fitted with such a system.
Dynamic Integrated
Training Simulator (DITS)
DITS for Al-Khalid tank is
developed by Military Vehicle Research and
Development Establishment (MVRDE) with the aim
of developing and maintaining the tank's crew at
the highest readiness state with operational
weapon systems.
Some of the DITS features
are:
• Tank Crew Training in an
integrated environment
• 6 Degree of Freedom motion effects
• State-of-the-art 3D graphics with Night Vision
& TI
• Both generic and specific terrains
• Replica in function & form of the instruments
& interior of the tank cupola
• Simulated Exercises for Driver, Commander and
Gunner
• Detection and identification of targets,
firing on static to static, static to moving and
moving to moving targets under different weather
and visibility conditions
• Search, designate and engage the enemy, use of
the anti aircraft gun and smoke grenades
• Instructor Console with Monitoring screens for
the status of all instruments and visuals as
seen by the crew
• Cutting edge scenario generation and game
setting features
• Game record and replay including voice
communication recording and playback
Additional Features:
• Based on highly modular
and flexible distributed simulation architecture
• Based on COTS hardware for easier maintenance
and support
DITS is a customizable
system and is also being used for training of
Al-Zarrar and T-80UD tank crew in Pakistan Army
service.
SPECIFICATIONS
| General |
| Combat Weight |
48 Ton |
| Crew |
3 |
| Cruising Range |
430 Km |
| Power to Weight |
> 25 HP/Ton |
| MMP |
~ 260 kN/m2 |
| Powerpack |
| Power |
1200 HP |
| Cooling |
Water Cooled |
| Fuel |
Diesel (Multiple Fuel) |
| Transmission Type |
Fully/Semi Automatic |
| Turning |
Pivot/Skid |
| Final Drive |
Planetary Type |
| Running Gear |
|
| Tracks |
Rubber Bushed & Padded (replaceable) |
| Suspension |
| Type |
Shock Absorber & Torsion bars |
| Bump Stop |
Hydraulic |
| Performance |
| Max Speed |
70 Km/hr |
| Acceleration |
0~32 Km/hr in < 10 seconds |
| Trench Crossing |
>2.7 m |
| Obstacle Crossing |
>0.85 m |
| Gradient/Side Slope
|
60% / 40% |
| Armament |
| Main Gun |
125mm Smooth Bore, Chrome Plated, Autofrettaged
|
| Ammunition Type |
Seperatley Loaded (split type) |
| Co-Axial MG |
7.62 mm |
| AA MG |
12.7 mm, Remote Firing |
| Ammunition |
|
| Main Gun |
39 |
| AA MG |
500 |
| Co-Axial MG |
2000 |
| Grenades |
16 (12 Smoke, 4 HE) |
| Autoloader |
| Type |
Circular Carousel (Cassette Type) |
| No of Rounds |
22 |
|
Rate of Loading |
6~8 Rounds/Minute |
| Navigation & Battlefield
Management |
| Navigation |
GPS based |
| Battlefield Management System |
YES |
| FCS/GCS |
| Type |
Image Stabilised (3rd generation director type stabilisation)
|
| Optics |
LASER protected |
| Gunner Sight |
| Type |
Integrated, Bi-axis Stabilised Day/Night, TI, LRF
|
| Magnification |
Dual, 3x & 10x
|
| Field of View |
20O & 6O
|
| Commander Sight |
| Type
|
Panoramic, Bi-axis stabilised, LRF, 2nd Generation IIT
Hunter-Killer Capability
|
| Magnification |
7.5x |
| Field of View |
7.5O
|
| LRF |
|
| Type |
ND YAG |
| Range |
200 ~ 7000 m |
| Auto Tracker |
|
| Tracking Error |
<0.1 mils |
| Interfaced with |
Gunner Sight |
| Protection |
|
| Armour |
Composite (Frontal Arc) |
| ERA |
Optional |
| NBC |
Pressurized Cabin |
| Fire Extinguishing & Explosion Suppression
|
YES |
| Thermal Smoke Screen |
Installed |
Al-Khalid Picture Gallery
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