Type 80
Summary
| Origin country | 🇨🇳 China |
| Category | Main Battle Tank |
| Sub-type | Medium Main Battle Tank |
| Manufacturer | Norinco |
| Number built | None units |
Technical specifications
| Crew | 4 personnels |
| Range | 430 km |
| Mass | 38.0 tons |
| Height | 2.29 m (7.5 ft) |
| Width | 3.35 m (11.0 ft) |
| Length | 9.32 m (30.6 ft) |
| Max. speed | 60 km/h (37 mph) |
| Engine | Diesel Engine with 730 hp |
| Weapon 1 | 1 L7/M68 105mm rifled barrel (44 shells) gun |
| Weapon 2 | 1 NSV 12.7mm machine gun (500 rounds) |
| Weapon 3 | 1 7.62mm PKT machine gun (2,250 rounds) |
Further Reading
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Profile of Type 80
Description
Development of the Type 80 main battle tank began in 1978 at Factory 617 and Institute 201, with participation from Factories 447 and 616. It was designed to replace the Type 59 and Type 69 tanks, which were based on older Soviet technology. The Type 80 was the first Chinese vehicle designated as a main battle tank and served as the technical foundation for a family of vehicles, including the Type 85 export series and the Type 88 domestic variants. The Type 88 entered service with the People’s Liberation Army in 1988.
The design incorporates a chassis with six road wheels and a front-left driver position. Initial Type 80 and Type 88 models utilize a cast steel turret, while the Type 85 and Type 88C feature an angular welded turret. Protection includes composite armor plates on the frontal hull and side skirts. Later iterations, such as the Type 85-III and certain Type 88 variants, utilize explosive reactive armor. All versions are equipped with collective NBC protection, automatic fire suppression, and thermal suppression paint.
Firepower varies by variant. The Type 80 and Type 88 use 105mm rifled guns, such as the ZPL-83 and ZPL-83A, which are based on the Western L7 design and feature dual-axis stabilization. The Type 88A utilizes the longer, 62-caliber ZPL-94 gun capable of launching laser-guided missiles. The Type 85-IIAP and Type 88C are armed with a 125mm smoothbore gun and an autoloader, which reduces the crew requirement from four to three members. Fire control systems integrate digital ballistic computers, laser rangefinders, and passive night vision; later batches of the Type 88A and 88B feature thermal imaging. Secondary armament includes a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun and a roof-mounted 12.7mm machine gun.
The vehicle family is powered by 12150ZL diesel engines. Transmission systems include manual and semi-automatic options, with the Type 85-III utilizing a transmission derived from the T-72.
The tank is operated by the People's Liberation Army and has been exported to several countries, including Pakistan, Sudan, and Uganda. In 2012, Sudanese Type 85-IIM tanks engaged South Sudanese T-72AV units; Sudanese forces reported four T-72s destroyed without the loss of any Type 85s. The Type 88 was deployed during the 2020–2021 China–India skirmishes. The vehicle has also seen service during the Sudanese civil war starting in 2023.