Al-Khalid Tank - Development

Development

In the 1970s, the leadership of China's People's Liberation Army was concerned about the Soviet threat and requested an improved main battle tank (MBT) to replace the old, obsolete Type 59. The existing Chinese tanks were direct descendants of the Soviet T-54A and were out-classed by more advanced Soviet models like the T-62 and T-64. Norinco and the Inner Mongolia First Machine Group Corporation were tasked to develop a series of new tanks.

After examining samples of T-72 delivered by Iran in the late 1980s (captured from the Iraqi Army), the Chinese military realized contemporary Chinese tanks were still vulnerable. Design features of the T-72 and some western tanks were used to develop a second generation of Chinese tanks, eventually incorporating a redesigned hull and suspension, a new welded turret and 125 mm autoloaded tank gun. The Type 80 and Type 85 tanks led to the Type 90. The Type 90 was rejected for Chinese service in favour of other designs, but it influenced further development which would lead to China's third-generation Type 98 and Type 99 tanks.

The Type 90 is an evolutionary design: the Type 90-II version shares 10% of its components with the Type 59, 15% with Type 69, 20% with Type 85/88C, and is built with 55% new components. This model was put up for sale on the international market.

A development deal was signed with Pakistan in January 1990 during Nawaz Sharif government. Initial Chinese-built prototypes were tested in Pakistan in August 1991. Pakistan spent more than US$20 million over the next ten years on the co-development of a model suitable for their needs and on creating a capability to manufacture it locally. Lt Gen Hamid Javaid as Director General of Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) and Brigadier (now Major General) Mohammad Asaad supervised the project. The design team modified the tank to accept a foreign-built power pack (engine). A number of different prototypes were evaluated.

In light of high ambient temperatures and fine sand/dust that would be encountered in operational areas such as the deserts of southern Pakistan, development of high performance cooling and air filtering systems was emphasised during the planning stage of the project. Implementation of a hydro-gas suspension system was considered but, after detailed technical evaluations, it was found to be impractical due to various limitations such as problems with reliability and maintainability. Installation of the Renk 304 transmission was also considered but disregarded.

An early version was armed with a Chinese gun and fire-control system, but had a German-designed MTU-396 diesel engine which was built under licence in China. Another version was equipped with a more advanced western digital fire-control system and powered by a Perkins 1,200 hp (890 kW) Condor diesel engine (as in the British Challenger) and SESM ESM500 automatic transmission (as in the French Leclerc). This version was considered too expensive and under-performing in the extreme heat of southern Pakistan. Finally, a version was tested with the compact Ukrainian 6TD-2 1,200 hp diesel engine (Ukraine also supplied Pakistan with T-80UD tanks, powered by a similar engine). This configuration was chosen for the production version of the tank and came to be known as Al-Khalid.

Yet another version—employing more western technology had been envisaged as an export product for Pakistan. The prototype had a 1,200 hp (890 kW) German MTU-871/TCM AVDS-1790 diesel engine and an LSG-3000 transmission. But this concept was abandoned due to the arms embargo imposed on Pakistan after the 1998 Pakistani nuclear tests.

The final tank design resulting from a decade of co-operative development was designated Type 90-IIM. Chinese company Norinco showed the new Type 90-IIM during the March 2001 Abu Dhabi Defense Expo, under the export name MBT 2000. The version powered by the Ukrainian engine, intended for domestic production in Pakistan, was named Al-Khalid.

During the development period, Heavy Industries Taxila gained experience building the Chinese Type 85-IIAP and prepared to begin production of the Al-Khalid tank in 1999. A pilot batch of fifteen tanks was inducted into the 31st Cavalry Regiment of Pakistan’s Armoured Corps on 20 July 2001. Pakistan signed a contract with Ukraine's Malyshev Factory in May 2002 for the delivery of 315 KMDB 6TD-2 diesel engines over three years. An additional batch of Al-Khalid tanks was delivered on 23 September 2004. Pakistan plans to build a total of 600 Al-Khalid MBTs for its armed forces.

In 2006 a U.S.-based market/special research organisation reported findings showing that the Al-Khalid, along with two other MBTs, would account for nearly 45% of all new MBTs built until 2015.

In April 2002 it was reported that Malaysia was considering purchasing the Al-Khalid after evaluation by Malaysian military personnel.

The Saudi Arabian Army began conducting trials of the Al-Khalid's desert performance in April 2006, after expressing interest in purchasing a batch of the tank 2 years earlier. No order for the tank was placed.

During the first week of May 2008, Lt-Gen Fonseka of the Sri Lanka Army held talks with his Pakistan Army counter-parts regarding the sale of military equipment, weapons and ammunition. The sale of 22 Al-Khalid MBTs to the Sri Lanka Army was finalised during these talks in a deal worth over US$100 million.