Meet the interesting Chinese VT5 light tank, used by the Bangladesh Armed Forces and coming to the game as a Squadron Vehicle in the Hornet’s Sting major update!
VT5: A Squadron Light Tank for China at Rank VII
At a glance:
- Good mobility.
- 105 mm gun with APFSDS.
- Thermal imager.
- Mediocre armor protection.
Vehicle History
[expand type=details]
During the late 1990s, Bangladesh did not consider defense spending a priority, as the country was going through hard times with its economy, and there was a friendship agreement with India. Later however, escalating border confrontations forced the government to urgently engage in strengthening its defense capability. In 2009, a plan for modernizing the Armed Forces was launched, which received significant funding. As part of the defense program, the existing armored vehicle fleet was repaired and the country also purchased new Chinese Al-Khalid MBTs and VT5 light tanks, which were primarily designed for export.
[/expand]
Introducing the VT5!
Coming to the game in the Hornet’s Sting major update as a Squadron Vehicle, the VT5 light tank is ready to fit into a variety of Chinese ground force lineups thanks to its mobility and good firepower. Today we’ll be taking a closer look at what this tank can offer!
The VT5 is an export variant of a modern Chinese light tank, with lighter armor and a more budget-friendly engine. Armed with a 105 mm gun, the VT5 has an autoloader where the shells are fed from the back of the turret into the gun, which is unusual for Chinese tanks. This autoloader provides an excellent reload speed, regardless of crew skills!
There are several types of ammunition that the VT5 can fire — the main ones include a HEATFS shell with 400 mm penetration and two APFSDS shells, with the more advanced shell of the two having penetration values of up to 480 mm at 100 m. Additionally, there’s a tandem ATGM, HE-VT for use against aircraft, and SAPCBC shells. To back up the fast fire rate and ammo is a laser rangefinder and a thermal imager for the gunner and commander, helping to obtain the distance instantly and hit targets with pin-point accuracy.
The VT5 was designed with good mobility in mind, essential to traversing Bangladesh’s rugged terrain. Featuring an 884 HP engine, the VT5 can reach speeds of over 70 km/h forwards and over 30 km/h in reverse. This allows the tank to roam around the map effectively, be it on open and rough terrain or through urban areas.
Good mobility often comes with the compromise of lighter armor, as is the case with the VT5. The front of the hull and turret has thin rolled homogenous armor and composite screens, with the latter helping to increase survivability against HEAT rounds.
That’s it for this one! Like all of the other Squadron Vehicles, you can get the VT5 for squadron activity points or buy it for Golden Eagles in the Hornet’s Sting major update, coming very soon!
Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.
