HJ-8 and Type-98

[Belisarius]

How good is the HJ-8? when compared to TOW, and Javelin, or some other ones?
How good is the Type-98? when compared to M1A1, A2, leopard II, challenger II?


After all that... what do you think of this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX_3TwHXhsI

[zraver]

How good is the HJ-8? when compared to TOW, and Javelin, or some other ones?

Which one? The TOW is a medium ranged heavy ATGM that uses raw power, the Javelin is a short ranged smart but light ATGM that uses top-down attacks. The HJ-8 is equivalent to a TOW is got a big warhead.

How good is the Type-98? when compared to M1A1, A2, leopard II, challenger II?

Its not, if you watched the video you see the HJ-8 achieves some level of behind armor effects (ERA was used you can see it on the tank). Had the tank been fully loaded with its T-72 cloned autoloader system the turret would bve flying through the air. It would not have done this with a level-frontal- turret attack vs any of the three western tanks you named. The only turret front penetration of an Abrams I ever seen confirmed was done by a Maverick missile which is much heavier and faster than a TOW.

After all that... what do you think of this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX_3TwHXhsI

I seen the version with out the claims that no ERA was used. It tells us 1- the HJ-8 used was a tandem warhead design, 2- it was a single layer of ERA 3- and that the Type 98's armor is not up to western standards which we knew anyway by its size and weight.

[Skywatcher]

The Type 98 is a prototype anyways, never quite reached production status.

[Skywatcher]

I think the important thing to remember about the Type 99 (and Type 98) by extension is that it seems to be in the role of providing the PLA with the idea of how to use a modern MBT in large scale formations. The Type 99 is in many ways a stop gap measure due to the various design compromises it has (for example, the T-72 style autoloader) which was churned out in the quickest reasonable time possible while allowing for the PLA to gain as much experience as possible while NORINCO has time to develop a truly world class tank. It gives their best units the idea of what to do with a modern MBT so that experience can be passed on latter to the next generation of PLA armor officers, just like the 052C is giving the PLAN an idea of what do with a modern naval C4I system (interestingly enough, the 052C is apparently sophisticated enough a leap in capabilities that the PLAN is still digesting it, as they haven't built anymore 052Cs despite their desperate need for modern naval area air defense systems).