Type 69 tank

Type 69 Main Battle Tank (MBT) north of the An Nu'maniyah Bridge on Highway 27 destroyed during the US Invasion of Iraq in April 2003

During the 1980s, China sold hundreds of Type 69 MBTs to Iraq. By the Persian Gulf War of 1990 and 1991, western analysts claim that Iraq had upgraded some Type 69s with a 105 mm gun, a 60 mm mortar, and a 125 mm gun with an auto-loader. All of them were reinforced with frontal layer armor welded on the glacis plate.[4] All these versions were known as Type 69-QMs. It was reported during the 1991 Gulf War that the Iraqi Type 69 units fought harder than the elite Republican Guard units, equipped with T-72 MBTs. One possible explanation is that Saddam ordered his Republican Guard units to preserve their strength, while sending the rest of the army, equipped with inferior Type 69 tanks, to the frontline.

According to battle reports from the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Type 69-QMs were used by the Iraqi Army units defending Nasiriyah in March 2003, most of them being employed as artillery pillboxes.[5] They played an important role in the ambushes mounted against the US Army 507th Maintenance Company and Charlie Company of the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines, before AH-1 Cobra helicopters wiped out the Iraqi tanks. Two Type 69s destroyed at least four vehicles of the 507th, among them a heavy truck rammed by one of the tanks.[6] There is also a first hand account of about four Type 69s hidden behind some buildings, pounding the Marines' Charlie Company with indirect fire and likely disabling several AAVs.[7] Some combat useless Type 59/69s were emplaced as decoys or mere obstacles.[8]

• Type 69 – Prototype based on the Type 59 hull, fitted with new 580 hp diesel engine, Type 69 100 mm smoothbore gun, IR searchlight, and laser rangefinder.
• Type 69-I – Prototype incorporating some technologies from captured Soviet T-62 MBT, such as the Luna IR searchlight system, and improved NBC protection.

• Type 69-IIA – First production version released in 1982, fitted with:
  • Type 69-II 100 mm smoothbore gun
  • New FCS system with:
    • TSFC 2-axis gun stabilization
    • Type 70 gunner sight
    • TCRLA Laser rangefinder
    • BCLA Ballistic computer
  • Type 889 radio
  • Armored track skirts
  • Storage racks on turret
  • Smoke grenade launchers
  • 2 diamond shaped oil cap on angled plate behind engine deck

This version was widely exported and produced under license in Pakistan by Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT). The Type 69-II is referred to as the Type 30 in the Royal Thai Army.[9]

• Type 69-IIB/C – Command version of the Type 69-II with additional communications equipment and auxiliary power pack. Features a long radio aerial and two storage boxes on the rear, containing cables and field phone.
• Type 653 ARV – Armored recovery vehicle based on the chassis of Type 69 MBT.[10] The Type 653 ARV is fielded with no turret but instead features a powered structure controlling a dozer blade at the front of the hull and a hydraulically powered crane. The crane is capable of lifting up to 70 tons.[11]

Chinese Type 79 (Type 69-III, WZ-121D).

• Type 69-III (Type 79) – Also designated WZ-121D, an improved Type 69-II incorporating Western technologies. In service with the PLA as the Type 79 MBT. In 1981, the first prototype was modified as per specification as Type 69-III. Two formal prototypes were built in 1983, equipped with key components such as a laser rangefinder. The Type 79 entered production in 1984, and was shown in public at the PRC's 35th anniversary parade in 1984. Improvements include:
  • Rubber-padded tracks
  • Hatches that automatically close on detection of NBC agents
  • Type 83 105 mm gun (improved L7 copy) with replaceable indigenous thermal sleeve (Type 79-II)
  • Passive IR sights or thermal imaging system
  • British Marconi FCS with:
    • TLRLA laser rangefinder
    • BCLA ballistic computer
    • TGSA gunner sight
  • Type 79 liquid-cooled 730 hp diesel engine
• Type 79 fitted with Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA)
• GCZ-110: armored engineering vehicle[12]

• Type 69-QM – Also known as T-55B inside the Iraqi Army. Type 69-II with standard 100 mm rifled main gun, armour reinforced with layer armour on the front glacis, an observation mast and, on some units, a 60 mm mortar. Command vehicles often fitted with blocks of appliqué spaced armour, similar to the so-called Enigma T-55s. Produced 1986–1988.
• Type 69-QM1 – Type 69-II upgraded with NATO standard 105 mm rifled gun and laser range-finder. Produced 1984–1988.
• Type 69-QM2 – Type 69-II upgraded with Warsaw Pact standard 125 mm (L80) smoothbore main gun and laser range-finder. Produced 1986–1991.

Type 69-IIG MBT of Bangladesh Army

Bangladesh Army Engineers improved its weaponry and armor system to make it more effective.

• Type 69-IIG – An upgraded Bangladeshi model with the following modifications:
  • Bi-axis stabilised Type-83A (improved L-7 with bigger bore) 105mm smoothbore gun (NATO compatible), with semi-automatic loader, capable of firing ATGMs
  • New fire control system (FCS), laser range-finder, thermal imaging sights & Combat data link
  • 850 hp diesel engine
  • Chinese 3rd generation explosive reactive armour (ERA) protection, automatic collective fire suppression system, Laser warning receiver, NBC suite.
  • New communications and navigation equipment (including GPS receiver)
  • Rubber padded track

• Myanmar army have Type-69 MBT 50 and Type-69-2 MBT 80. All were upgraded in 2007 May.

A civilian variant of the Type 69/79 was used to develop the Chinese firefighting tank. Currently only three fire brigades in China have purchased such a vehicle.

Map of Type 69 operators in blue with former operators in red

•  Bangladesh: 50 Type 69-I and IIA tanks were purchased from China in 1991. 5 Type 653 ARV received in 1993 and 3 Type 654 in 2012. 58 Type-69-II tanks were rebuilt to the Type 69-IIG version in 2010-2013.[13]
•  China: ~200 in 2002,[9] used by reserve and training units
•  Iran: 500 Type 62-II received in 1986-1988 from China or North Korea.[13] ~200 in 2002[9]
•  Iraq: Approximately 1,500 Type 69-I and Type 62-II tanks received between 1983 and 1988 from China.[13] ~200 in service in 2002.[9]
•  Myanmar: 80 Type-69 II[13][9]
•  Sudan: Manufactured under license in Sudan by MIC and PRC in Type-69 l 100, Type-79 100
•  Thailand – Royal Thai Marine Corps: has 5 Type 69-II (local designation Type 30) in service.[14]
  • Royal Thai Army: 53 Type 69-II and 5 Type 563 entered service with the Thai Army in 1987-1989[13] and were decommissioned in 2004. But 5 T-69s which were upgraded still be used as the opposing forces.
•  Zimbabwe: 10 Type-69-IIs received in 1987[13][9]

•  Sri Lanka: The Type 69-IIs of the Sri Lanka Army have been phased out in favour of the Czech T55AM2B MBTs, heavily modernised variants of the T55 and the MBT 2000. But about 30 tanks in reserve.[15]