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QN-506 "King of Land Warfare" Fire Support Vehicle

QN-506 "King of Land Warfare" Fire Support Vehicle was developed by Wuhan Guide Infrared, to build a vehicle similar to the Russian Terminator but using a Type 59 chassis. In late October 2018, the prototype was taken to Zhuhai, where it hit the camera lens. A curious snapshot of an experimental machine appeared, part of the aggregates from which it was covered with a translucent film. It consisted of a modified Type 59 hull with an extra superstructure, housing an unmanned ZPT-99 turret with multiple weapons systems.

Finally, on 06 November 2018, the opening of the military-technical exhibition took place, and its visitors were able to see a promising BMPT model in detail. In addition, the organization's developer was placed next to the machine's information board. It is curious that the text attached with the description of the sample was given in four languages: Chinese, English, Russian and Arabic. Unfortunately, the tablet does not reveal all the details of the project, but studying it, together with a careful examination of the machine itself, can seriously complement the existing image.

The original T-54 underwent a series of improvements over the decades that followed, eventually evolving into the T-55 in 1958, but that doesn’t change the fact that, despite its numerous upgrades, the tank design itself is veritably ancient and practically worthless on modern battlefields.

But, despite that fact, it is still in service all over the world. During the Soviet era, thousands upon thousands were sold to the third world (often at a loss) in an effort to gain influence and many of these are actively used (including combat) even today. And there’s a good reason for it – the parts are cheap (even though not as cheap as they used to be), these tanks are easy to repair and maintain and, most importantly, their owners can rarely afford something better.

However, recent conflicts have shown us that even though these tanks can still bite, the proliferation of cheap Chinese, Russian and other ATGMs makes them incredibly dangerous to operate on any battlefield a superpower takes an interest in. Which brings us to the question many of their users have been asking themselves as of late – since they can no longer effectively operate as tanks, what should be done with them?

According to the new information, the Chinese BMPT was developed by Wuhan Guide Infrared. This organization is involved in the creation of a variety of electronic and optical systems. Now she shows how her designs can be applied to new armored vehicle designs with special capabilities. The war machine project has the official name QN-506. Its class is defined as "multi-weapon combat vehicle" - "multi-weapon combat vehicle". The Russian text of the information board calls, without modesty, QN-506 "the new king of terrestrial war".

An official demonstration of the prototype confirmed that the BMPT QN-506 is built on the chassis of the "Type 59" medium tank. Instead of a standard roof, the hull of the tank receives a new wheelhouse, performing the functions of a tower box. It is a conical superstructure with a shoulder strap tower. The rebuilt hull receives overload protection that complements the standard homogeneous armor. The front plates of the old hull and the new cabin are equipped with aerial parts. The side projection of the cabin is covered by cutting screens. The armored vehicle is equipped with a new design turret. It has a relatively small dome, within which a part of the weapons is placed. Other systems are located on the side covers.

In the corners of the cabin roof there are several blocks of characteristic shape. Its purpose is not specified, but Chinese engineers apparently equipped their BMPT with a laser radiation detection system. At the same time, she can apparently only raise an alarm or fire smoke grenades automatically. The active protection complex is absent. In any case, there are no units on the machine that are similar to the well-known KAZ of Chinese design.

The company's developer confirmed that a 30 mm caliber automatic weapon is installed in the central part of the tower. This product is a copy of the Soviet / Russian cannon 2A72. To the left in the same installation is a 7.62 mm machine gun caliber. The double installation ensures that the sleeves are directed towards the roof of the box. It is argued that the QN-506 is able to function effectively in urban areas. For this, the maximum elevation angle of the receiver systems reaches 53 °. On the tower's forehead, on the sides of the weapon's installation, there are two blocks of smoke grenade launchers, three units each.

the prototype of the tank support vehicle is equipped with a pair of guided blocks for rocket armament. Unified devices are placed on the sides of the tower and have their own vertical orientation units, probably unrelated to the barrel's arming mechanisms. The blocks accommodate tubular guides or fasteners 12 for transporting and launching containers. In the upper half of the block there are two lines with five guides / TPK in each, while the lower one has only two. In the front wall of the block there are openings for the exit of rockets, in the back - for the discharge of gases. Holes are covered with explosion caps.

The QN-506 ammunition includes 20 unguided rockets of the unnamed type. According to some sources, these products have a caliber 80 mm. Shooting rangeweapons is set at the 4 km level. Unguided rockets are considered as a multipurpose weapon suitable for the effective attack of various enemy objects. Next to the BMPT in the exhibition hall, he placed a model of a rocket. This is a product with a cylindrical body and a pointed head. On the head and tail parts of the body are fixed folding stabilizers.

Up to four missiles are placed on the guides of the lower side block. The company provided the possibility to use two types of guided missiles. The first missile is an anti-tank weapon with a range of up to 6 km. Such a rocket is built on the basis of a cylindrical body of maximum dimensions that fit the existing block of guides. In the central and rear parts of the product there are folding plans for various purposes. The characteristics of the missiles are not specified. Apparently, it carries an cumulative warhead together and is capable of hitting some modern tanks.

The QN-506 BMPT can also use a multi-purpose cruise missile. This product is different plans of original design. In the transport position, the wings and stabilizers are along the hull, but after starting, they rotate 90 ° sideways and backwards, forming two X-shaped systems. It is curious that such a rocket is equipped with a motor with a propeller propeller. Its flight range is declared at the 10 km level.

The new BMPT project provides for advanced means of monitoring the environment. Previously, it was clear that the combined view of the gunner and the panoramic view of the commander were mounted on the turret. Both devices are equipped with a standard set of devices for current technology. They carry a day and night camera, a laser rangefinder, etc. From the latest reports, it follows that the dominant view has an unusual design. It is not mounted on a tubular housing or support, but on a telescopic mast device. Because of this, the commander can raise the optics to a considerable height and increase the range of observation.

It is reported that the crew's additional "eyes" are an unmanned aerial vehicle of the light helicopter type. Apparently, the car provides a compartment for its transport, but under the conditions of the exhibition, the UAV was simply placed on the roof of the cabin. The drone is able to climb to a considerable height and move 10 km from the armored vehicle, increasing the size of the controlled area accordingly. All surveillance and guidance devices are combined with a fire control system that guarantees the use of all weapons. It does not specify how many targets the crew can attack at the same time. Some features of the machine suggest that WHO has no more than two target channels capable of operating simultaneously, but Chinese engineers do not disclose this data.

It is reported that the promising BMPT QN-506, which carries a set of different weapons, is able to solve the tasks of fighting ground and air targets. When working on ground targets, the maximum range of the weapon is determined by the capabilities of the missile complex and reaches 10 km. By air - reduced to 6 km. What kind of aerial targets can bring down a Chinese armored car - unspecified. We are probably talking about the main threats of the battlefield in the form of tactical aircraft and attack helicopters. When using a cannon and machine gun, the maximum range of fire is only 2 km.

Official data does not indicate the composition of the crew. However, the appearance of the car shows that it must be controlled by three people who are in front of the cabin. There are two hatches at your disposal. To monitor the road and the battlefield, the driver and commander have front hatches with armored covers. In addition, several video cameras are placed around the perimeter of the body and simplify driving in all conditions.

Initially, there were reasons to believe that using the "Type 59" tank chassis is not the most successful solution. The use of such a chassis allows to rebuild the BMPT of the cancellation tanks and, thus, reduce the production cost. At the same time, even after installing new assembled modules, the tank hull is unlikely to improve its protection. This clearly affects the equipment's survivability on the battlefield. There is a lack of information on the completion of the plant, which does not allow assessing the mobility of the machine and the corresponding aspects of survivability.

According to the latest data, the QN-506 has two types of launchers with which three types of missiles are to be used. The guided weapons complex uses missiles of two models with different characteristics and tasks. The positive effects of this are obvious. The crew can choose a weapon whose characteristics are optimal for attacking a specific target. The proposed cruise missile predicts the destruction of targets over distances of up to 10 km.

The designers of the Wuhan Infrared Guide provided greater situational awareness for the crew. For this, new curious solutions are used. Thus, the dominant panoramic view is mounted on a telescopic mast, which improves the visibility of the terrain. Optoelectronic devices established on the machine are complemented by an unmanned aerial vehicle, also equipped with the necessary cameras. The small UAV is able to fulfill the tasks of long-range patrol and assist in the timely detection of remote targets.

The new Chinese project - being presented in promotional materials or in the form of a complete prototype - shows that foreign experts are also showing an interest in the concept of a tank support combat vehicle. In addition, the interest of Chinese experts was realized in the form of a prototype with a complete set of necessary funds. It is important that foreign engineers do not copy the existing BMPT, but modify the known concept according to current requirements and needs.

Some media believe that the QN-506 is the king of street fighting, but in fact, it is very unwise to put the QN-506 tank directly into street fighting for the following reasons:

1. The skin is not thick enough. Tanks and armored vehicles have to be used in high-risk street battles. It is impossible if the skin is not thick. Looking at all countries, so-called street fighting or urban combat armored vehicles have deliberately strengthened their armor protection. QN-506 is improved on the chassis of Type 59 medium tank. Its car body protection level is average. Even if AutoNavi Infrared company adds explosive reactive armor to the car body, it improves its resistance to RPG. The -7 series of anti-tank rocket launchers and various types of anti-tank missiles are equipped with composite armor for the turret, which can hold 12.7 mm armor-piercing projectiles at close range, but for high-risk tasks such as street combat, this protection is far It's far from enough. If you want to go into street fighting, you must at least reach the protection level of the Russian-made BMPT tank support vehicle.
2. Not enough firepower. In terms of weapons, on the surface, the QN-506 King of Land Warfare has a lot of weapons piled on it, such as 30mm cannon, 7.62mm parallel machine gun, QN-502C intelligent anti-tank missile, QN-201 economic multi-purpose missile, cruise missile and Electronic grenades, but among these weapons, there are two that can really play a role in street fighting, the 30mm machine gun and the 7.62mm parallel machine gun. The other vehicle-mounted weapons are not ideal for close-range suppression of firearms. The two types of vehicle-mounted missiles fly too slowly. If these two types of missiles are used to deal with enemy RPG shooters, the most ideal result is only the opponent's RPG shooter and QN- The 506 tanks hit each other. Although the QN-506 tanks have better defensive capabilities and will not end up at the same time, this result is obviously unacceptable.

There is only one way for anti-tank shooters who want to suppress and annihilate the enemy in the high-risk street fighting, covering them with bullet rain before the opponent shoots the weapon in his hand! However, it is almost impossible for an anti-tank shooter who wants to hit the enemy at close range with a 30mm cannon with a firing rate of 380 rounds/min and a 7.62mm parallel machine gun with 350 rounds/min. Otherwise, why should the Russian army equip the BMPT tank support vehicle with two 2A42 30mm cannons and two AGS-17D 30mm grenade launchers?

Although the QN-506 is not suitable for direct street fighting, it is indeed a sharp weapon for street fighting, but it does not need to be personally engaged in combat. It only needs to do two things, open the sky and be the brain. QN-506 has two huge advantages. One is that it carries a rotary-wing drone, and the other is that it has a high-rise photoelectric turret.

1. The vehicle-mounted rotary-wing UAV carried by the QN-506 performance is not outstanding. It has a flying radius of 10 kilometers, a battery life of 40 minutes, and a flying speed of =60 kilometers/hour equipped with optical and infrared reconnaissance equipment. The QN-506 with a vehicle-mounted rotary-wing unmanned reconnaissance aircraft is equivalent to having a pair of sky eyes, which can observe and identify ground targets from the air, and its battlefield reconnaissance capabilities are by no means inferior to similar equipment at home and abroad. In other words, the QN-506 can spot various targets within 10 kilometers from the air. At this distance, apart from the heavy anti-tank missile launch vehicle, there is no weapon that can threaten it. For armored forces, the most troublesome problem of entering street fighting is not how to destroy the target, but how to find the target in advance. As long as the enemy's hidden anti-tank shooter team can be found, it is not a problem at all with which weapon to destroy them, and one pair is in the sky. The sky eye on the flight will undoubtedly give the armored troops a great advantage.
2. Of course, some targets are difficult to find from the air, such as the anti-tank rocket launcher team hidden in the room. If you want to find these targets, you have to rely on the 6-meter-high liftable photoelectric turret on the QN-506 "King of Land Warfare" , This photoelectric turret is concentrated on optical detection, infrared imaging (refrigeration), laser ranging, sniper detection and other functions. The detection distance of tank-sized targets is =10 kilometers, and the recognition distance is =7 kilometers. The laser ranging distance has reached =10 kilometers. In high-risk street battles, few targets can escape such a powerful air-ground integrated reconnaissance. Once the target is determined, the QN-506 King of Land Combat can take advantage of its strong long-range firepower, except for 4 with a range of 6 kilometers. After the QN502C medium-range anti-tank missile, there are 20 QN-201 economic multi-purpose missiles with a range of 4 kilometers, which can ensure that the QN-506 King of Land Warfare launches an attack from a safe distance.

In addition to direct fire, the QN-506 also has a certain ability to fire. The rear of the machine carries 4 S570 cruise missiles. The bombs can fly up to 10 kilometers and can attack ground targets from the air. An extremely important street fighting ability. Of course, if AutoNavi Infrared can integrate certain reconnaissance/surveillance functions for this type of cruise missile, making it a sharp air blade with integrated detection and attack capabilities, then it is simply a natural enemy of the enemy anti-tank shooter team. The QN-506, which has the ability to open the sky and the ability of curved shooting, is an ideal armored command vehicle for an armored company. The armored company incorporated into it will have the following three advantages:

1. The first is the powerful reconnaissance capability . The battlefield reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities of the QN-506 King of Lands are not inferior to the US M1127 "Stryker" armored reconnaissance vehicle.
2. The second is that it has strong command and control and communication relay capabilities . It is an ideal eye and brain for an armored company. The QN-506's ability to perceive the battlefield situation is significantly higher than that of a command tank with only a radio. The internal volume of the vehicle can also accommodate more electronic equipment, and can also be used as a battlefield communication hub after the installation of communication relay equipment, which effectively solves the problem of weak communication capabilities of the armored company in a strong electromagnetic interference environment.
3. The third is a variety of strike methods. In addition to direct firepower, there are also cruise missiles that can be used for curved shooting. The two types of missiles equipped with it have certain air defense capabilities. The QN-502C medium-range anti-tank missile adopts passive optical detection, mid-range inertial navigation + terminal infrared imaging guidance and a composite guidance system, which not only has long range and anti-interference ability. It is strong and possesses a certain level of intelligence, making the missile capable of attacking low-flying enemy attack helicopters. The QN-201 economical multi-purpose missile, which uses infrared imaging, aiming, angle measurement and radio command guidance, can effectively threaten enemy small UAVs.

Combining the above advantages, the most prominent advantage of QN-506 should be its extremely high cost performance. Purchasing a QN-506 is equivalent to purchasing an armored reconnaissance vehicle + an armored command vehicle + a mobile communication relay station at the same time. Of course, it is difficult for the QN-506 King of Lands to enter the PLA Army in a short period of time, but on the basis of absorbing its concept, it has developed a type of armored fire support for the PLA Army’s armored force that integrates reconnaissance, command, strike and other functions.