China's VT4 MBT Underwhelmed At Recent Air Show
Despite its touted capabilities, the VT4 didn’t exactly impress at this month’s Airshow China, where the main battle tank broke down during an exhibition.
By all accounts, Beijing should feel pretty good following this month’s 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition. China showcased its two fifth-generation stealth fighters, the Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon and Shenyang J-35A. It further showcased a twin-seat variant of the former, the J-20S—the only two-seat fifth-generation fighter produced to date.
However, where Beijing came up short wasn’t in the sky but with its domestically-built VT4 main battle tank (MBT).
A Tank at an Airshow?
China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition—also known as Airshow China—is the country’s largest aviation trade event, but Beijing also uses it to showcase other military hardware, including the VT4, as the country looks to find foreign buyers.
The tank was developed by the Inner Mongolia First Machinery Group (FIRMACO), a subsidiary of China’s North Industries Group Corporation (Norinco) specifically for the international market. FIRMACO produces tanks and other armored vehicles for domestic use and foreign sales, and these include the Type 59, Type 88, Type 96, MBT-2000, and VT4.
It was the latter tank that caught the attention of at least one foreign buyer, Algeria—which had considered adopting the Chinese MBT over the additional Russian-made T-90SA MBTs. The Algerian Army currently operates Soviet-era T-54/55s, T-62s, and T-72s—while it also adopted the T-90SA (an Algerian-specific version of the export T-90S model) in 2005. Currently, more than 600 are now reported to be in service, according to the International Institute of Strategic Studies’ 2024 Military Balance report.
The VT4 is among China’s most advanced MTBs, developed for the export market. It features an automatic transmission and an autoloader, while it is also equipped with FY-4 explosive reactive armor. It is armed with a 125mm main gun. Norinco has found foreign buyers including Nigeria, Pakistan, and Thailand. It has been used in combat operations in Nigeria against the Islamic State and its affiliate Boko Harma.
Mishap at the Airshow
Despite its touted capabilities, the VT4 didn’t exactly impress at this month’s Airshow China, where the MBT broke down during an exhibition.
“The malfunction occurred during what was intended to be a high-profile demonstration of the tank’s capabilities, but mechanical issues left it immobilized on the field,” the Defence Blog reported, adding that the Chinese MBT was unable to complete its demonstration.
In a video posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, three VT4s were taking part in a presentation that was meant to highlight the tank’s ability to traverse uneven ground—when one stalled while going up a mound before rolling backward.
“This is really embarrassing. The Chinese-made VT4 tank broke down and stalled during the dynamic display at the Zhuhai Air Show, and it still stood there until the end of the performance,” the Taiwanese account @new27bridgade noted in its post. “Let the Taiwanese audience know how powerful China is.”
Dylan Malyasov of the Defence Blog said the incident with the VT4 was similar to when China’s Type-96B broke down during a “Tank Biathlon” at Russia’s annual Army Games.
“Despite high expectations, the tank’s failure at that international event highlighted persistent questions about the reliability of Chinese armored vehicles,” wrote Malyasov.
He made a good point and it may be enough to make Algeria think twice before placing an order for the VT4.
Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites, with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
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