China Airdrops a Tank?

choi

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The summary of my posting:
(A) source of photographs: two file photos of airdrop; a Xinhua report;
(B) The "armored fighting vehicle"--NOT a tank--in the Xinhua report is NOT
ZBD-03 but ZLC2000 (a precursor of ZBD-03);
(C) ZBD-03 is very FLIMSY; and
(D) US and Western European nations use "low level extraction" to air drop a
tank, if necessary (naturally aircraft landing and removal of heavy
equipment is preferable).


(A)
(1) Airdrop
http://pixdaus.com/single.php?id=80888

Note: Of course, this is not the primary source, which should be in
possession of People's Liberation Army PLA).

(2) 谭洁、费士廷, 解放军首次伞兵与车辆同机空降试验获成功. 解放军报, Sept. 19
, 2008.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-09/19/content_10077765.htm

My comment:
(a) This is the first time both paratroopers and "vehicle(s)" airdropped in
the same cargo planes. But China showed off its capability to airdrop an
armored fighting vehicle in 2005. See (C)(2).

(b) Pay attention to "B-4033" in the wing of airdrop photos in both (a) and
(b) above.

(i) The cargo plane is Il-76MD. See

Ilyushin Il-76
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilyushin_Il-76
(variant: "Il-76MD - Improved military transport version, ([Russian]
modifitseerovannyy Dahl'ny - modified, long-range")

(ii) "B-4033" and its sisters are registered to China United Airlines.
http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?placesearch=Zhuhai+-+Sanzao+(ZUH+%2F+ZGSD)&distinct_entry=true&sort_order=photo_id+desc&page=2&page_limit=15&sid=b168a27f197d0bfc23feb3a568af25f3&unique=true

My comment: Photos Nos. 7 and 8 show entire planes of B-4038, B-4030,
respectively--and photo No. 10, the front portion of B-4033.

(iii) China United Airlines is a civilian arm of PLA Air Force.


(B) Take notice that while using the "file photo" of a vehicle airdrop, 解放
军报 did not identify the vehicle. Specifically the newspaper did not claim
the vehicle at issue was ZBD-03 (most likely because it was not, see (C)(1)(
China did not parade ZBD-03 until Oct. 1, 2009)).


(C)
(1) ZBD-03 Airborne armoured infantry fighting combat vehicle
http://www.armyrecognition.com/china_chinese_light_armored_armoured_vehicle_uk/zbd-03_airborne_armoured_infantry_fighting_vehicle_technical_data_sheet_specifications_information_u.html

Quote:

Description: "The first generation of the ZBD-03 was called ZLC2000, this
vehicle was designed, developed and manufactured by the Chinese Defense
Company Norinco [China North Industries Corporation; 北方工业]. The ZLC2000
tracked vehicle was introduced by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (
PLAAF) in 2003. It has been designed for being air dropped by medium-sized
transport aircraft such as Il-76M.  * * * The ZBD-03 was presented for the
first time to the public, during the military parade in Beijing, the 01
October 2010 [sic; 2009], for the 60th Anniversary of the People's Republic
of China 1949 - 2009.

"Protection: The ZBD-03 armour protection is limited by its weight
restrictions for air dropping. With a combat weight of 8 tonnes, the vehicle
’s armour is supposed to be thin and can only resist small calibre weapons.

(2) ZLC2000 Airborne Fighting Vehicle. Sinodefence.com, undated.
http://www.sinodefence.com/army/armour/zlc2000.asp
(The vehicle "was spotted during the ‘Peace Mission 2005’ China-Russia
joint exercise * * * the development of the K/STW-17 vehicle air dropping
system was completed in 2004")

My comment: I am clueless about the meaning of "ZBD03的空投系统为山寨毛子的
舍利夫型." But it is "K/STW-17 vehicle air dropping system"--from Russia.

(D)
(1) airdrop
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airdrop
("As aircraft grew larger, the U.S. Air Force and Army developed low-level
extraction — allowing tanks and other large supplies to be delivered, such
as the M551 Sheridan or M2 Bradley")

My comment:
(a) One can find a photo of C-130 in the bottom low with the legend "
Extraction airdropping a light tank."
(b) The weights of M551 Sheridan (in service 1969–96) and M2 Bradley (in
service 1981-present) are 15.2 and 27.6 tonnes, respectively (according to
Wikipedia).
(c) To airdrop a tank or armored vehicle is liable to crash or upend it. (
What can you do with an upside vehicle so heavy? That can happen with or
without wind.)

(2) Airbus A400M is a military cargo plane in the final stage of development.

(a) Flexibility
http://www.a400m.com/Flexibility.aspx
(Under the caption "Airdrop," a photo with the legend: "The Very Low Level
Extraction mode enables airdrop from a height of 4.5 m (15 ft) above ground.
")

(b) The A400M has maximum payload of 37,000 kg (or 37 tonnes)--in reality
about 20 tonnes--but "very-low-level extraction (VLLE) of a single load up
to 6.35t."
A400M (Future Large Aircraft) Tactical Transport Aircraft, Europe
http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/fla/

So, it can not drop even (light-weight) ZBD-03.

Recall that in 2008 Sichuan earthquake, PLA had trouble airlifting earth
moving equipment such as backhoe (which weighs more than 7 tonnes).

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※ 修改:．choi 于 Jul 31 15:02:31 修改本文．[FROM: 128.197.0.0]