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G’day lads. Im about to suggest an anti tank vehicle for the chinese tech tree, which would be the the VN-1 AFT-10 Multi Purpose Anti Tank Missile System!
Description:
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The AFT-10 is a multi-purpose anti-tank missile system developed by China. It’s designed to engage not only armored vehicles however also other important targets like fortifications and engineering structures. It can also however engage flying targets too, like helicopters or other slow air targets and surface targets like ships, it can do all of this under any weather condition. The HJ-10 anti-tank guided missile was adopted by the People’s Liberation Army of China in 2012. The AFT-10 system was mounted on the VN-1 (export ZBL09) chassis and the ZBD04A infantry fighting vehicle chassis. The system was designed by the China Aerospace Science & Industry Corporation Limited (short for CASIC). The guidance system is a combined system that includes a television/thermal imaging homing head, an inertial system, and a two-way fiber optic data transmission channel. The missile has a length of 1850 mm, hull diameter 165 mm, launch weight 43 kg. Maximum flight range is up to 10 km. Its speed is around 150m/s.
History:
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The VN1, also known as the ZBL-09 or Type 08, is a family of eight-wheeled amphibious, modular armored vehicles developed by Norinco. The development of the Type 08 vehicle family started in the 1990s as the successor to other aging Chinese wheeled vehicles. It was first seen in 2006, undergoing road tests.
China started to market the VN1 in 2008 and the vehicle was unveiled for the first time to the public in February 2009 during IDEX, the International Defense Exhibition in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
VN-1 has been sold to several countries including Venezuela, Argentina, and Thailand. In June 2017, the government of Thailand planned to purchase 34 VN1 wheeled armored vehicles from China.
The first platform carrying the AFT-10 system was the ZBD04A. It made its first public appearance during the Peace Mission 2014 joint military exercise, where it launched several HJ-10 missiles.
During 2018 the 6th International Exhibition of Arms IQDEX 2018, the launcher was this time found on a different chassis, the VN-1 chassis (export ZBL09), which was capable of firing the B variant of the HJ-10, difference between the A and B variant is that the B variant has a more better IR seeker. It features around 12 smoke grenade launchers.
Armaments:
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8 HJ-10B Missiles (Better seeker compared to the A variant)
Range: Up to 10km
Weight: 43kg
Length: 1,85m
Diameter: 165mm
Penetration: 1200-1400mm of penetration RHA after ERA (Tandem), however most sources say 1400mm
Speed: 150m/s
Tracking: Television/Thermal imaging (IIR), inertial system and a two-way fiber optic data transmission channel
G-Overload: Around 15G thanks to its massive fins
Specifications:
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The VN-1 weights around 20 tons while it gets powered by the Deutz BF-6M 1015CP giving it around 440hp, which makes its top speed around 100km/h! Its length is around 8 meters, width: around 3.02 meters and its height is around 3.3 meters. Do note this is the normal VN-1 size, this one is bigger and most likely heavier too, but I cannot find exact dimensions of it.
Electronics:
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Positioned between the two rows of HJ-10s, there exists a retractable sensor pod mounted on the mast. This pod houses an optronics package that includes TV and infrared sensors capable of detecting targets under nearly all weather conditions. Additionally, it carries a laser missile guidance package.
Sources:
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AFT-10 (HJ-10) multi-purpose anti-tank missile system | Missilery.info
https://mil.news.sina.com.cn/jssd/2019-03-20/doc-ihsxncvh4120437.shtml
IDEX 2019: NORINCO displayed Red Arrow 10 antitank guided missiles on
https://maquina-de-combate.com/blog/archives/60787
Red Arrow strikes [IDEX19D3] | Jane's 360
https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/vn-1.htm
Thanks a lot for reading! If you have any extra information, then feel free to share them in the replies! I’ve also made a suggestion for the same system, but mounted on the ZBD04A chassis, which you can find here. As always, have a good day :)