Type 76

Type 76
The main Type 76 variants
Type	main battle tank
Place of origin	Daekan
Service history
In service	1976-present
Used by	Daekan
Production history
Designer	5th of February Tractor Plant
Designed	1973-1979
Manufacturer	Several plants
Produced	1975-1982
No. built	~800
Specifications (Type 67B)
Weight	41 t (45 short tons)
Length	9.65 m (31 ft 8 in) with barrel in forward position 6.70 m (22 ft) hull only
Width	3.60 m (11 ft 9 in)
Height	2.48 m (8 ft 2 in)
Crew	3 (commander, driver, gunner)
Armor	Steel and composite (RHA-textolite and CHA-quartz blend)
Main armament	125 mm PCh-78/125 smoothbore gun (50 rounds)
Secondary armament	12.7mm Type 54 HMG on the cupola 7.62mm Type 70 GPMG (co-axial)
Engine	Taebaek DE55 750 hp
Suspension	torsion-bar
Ground clearance	500 mm (20 in)
Operational range	700 km on road (with external fuel drums)
Speed	62 km/h (on-road)

The Type 76 (Industrial designation: Vehicle 572) is a Daekanese main battle tank first introduced in 1976. Initially, the tank was a combination of a new hull with the turret of the Type 67A, but later introduced the angular, composite-armoured that became characteristic of Daekanese tanks. The Type 76 turned out to be a complicated and expensive vehicle, especially its later variants. The tank's excessive cost and complicated design, as well as the catastrophic 1979-1983 Daekanese economic crisis, led to the cancellation of its production. Until the introduction of the Type 87, the Type 76 served excussively in elite armoured formations of the Daekanese People's Army Ground Forces, and it wasn't offered for export until the late 1990s. Today, the Type 76 continues to serve in the DPAGF and the DPAN Marine Corps.

Development history

Despite the adoption of the Type 67, the DPAGF's tanks were still not considered adequate against more modern and heavily armoured vehicles entering service at the time, particularly against the new Esgonian Chieftain MBT. With the introduction of the Type 67A in 1974, the DPA requested a new tank that would match potential adversaries. The main requirements were composite armour able to withstand contemporary 120mm rounds, and improved mobility. In 1975, the 5th of February Tractor Plant presented the prototype of a new hull and a modified Type 67 turret. Both hull and turret were armoured with a RHA-textolite blend composite, also similar to the T-64. The modified turret was deemed unsatisfactory by the DPA evaluation committee, and the Feb 5 design team was sent back to the drawing board.

Delays in the design process for the new turret and the eagerness of the military to get their hands on a new MBT, led to the DPA to adopt a "preliminary" design in 1976, that featured the new hull and the Type 67A turret. Only 100 of these preliminary vehicles were procured, and did not impress the DPA. Later during the year, the DPA issued the requirements for an upgrade, featuring a 125mm gun and a carousel autoloader, as well as better sights for the gunner. This became the Type 76A, and was introduced in late 1977.

Design

The crew layout of the main Type 76 variants remains virtually the same as the Type 67: the driver is on the front left, while the gunner is left of the gun breach with the commander on the right. The hull is slightly longer and as a result so is the overall lenght of the tanks at 9.65 metres with the gun forward. The Type 76 is also somewhat wider and taller than its predecessor, at 3.60 m in width 2.48m in height. The most notable difference is the angular turret that was introduced with the Type 76B, variations of which were used on all following Daekanese main battle tanks.

Firepower

The preliminary variant mounted a 2A20 115 mm gun, same with the early Type 67s. With the introduction of the Type 76A, the PCh-78/125 replaced the 115mm gun as the tank's main armament. The larger gun singificantly improved firepower, especially with the introduction of domestic 125mm shells such as the JP-125/75 APFSDS and the JP-125/80 HEAT rounds by 1981. Naturally, the gun is stablised in both the horizontal and the vertical axis, and is serviced by a T-64-style carousel autoloader, with the rounds stored horizontally and the charges vertically. However, the autoloader system proved to be complicated and expensive to manufacture, while it was also hard to maintain.

DPA Type 76As with the old turret during exercises in 2007

This led to the decision to change the system with a simpler one, based on the one used on the T-72s. The new system, introduced in the Type 76B, was slightly slower but simpler and more reliable. The new turret introduced on this variant also allowed for the deployment of new optics, specifically the PGJ-82 sight for the gunner and the JJG-79 for the commander. These featured an intergrated laser rangefinder so the bulky system mounted on the barrel on tanks like the Type 67 could be removed. The Type 76B m.1988 model introduced the JP-125/86 gun, which in conjuction with the new PGJ-88 gunner's sight has the capability to fire the Vanquarian 9M119 "Svir" and later the domestic DCh-90 family of ATGMs. The tanks were equipped with the PGJ-95 gunner's sight in the mid-90s, that featured a thermal imaging mode.

Secondary armament is fairly standard. The initial Type 76s featured a Type 46 12.7mm HMG for the loader and the Type 70 coaxial GPMG, but the former was quickly replaced with the Type 75 HMG. The tank carries 700 rounds of ammunition in seven 100-round boxes, and a total of 2,000 7.62 rounds.

Protection

Improved protection was one of the main requirements for the Type 76 program. The new hull's uper glaces was armoured with a composite blend of rolled homogenous armour and textolite, making it roughly equal in protection to the T-64A. While this made it adequate against 90mm and 105mm HEAT and HESH rounds, it could still be penatrated by 105mm APFSDS and 120mm APDS rounds. This was deemed acceptable for the time. However, the initial prototype turret presented to the DPA evaluation committee had a similar armour scheme and was decided that it was insufficient, most likely because it is the turret that is most likely to get hit in combat. As such, the baseline Type 76 and the Type 76A retained the Type 67 turret with no real change to protection.

The Type 76B introduced the iconic angular turret. The new turret is almost pentagonal in shape, and tapers inwards towards the rear so as to make it harder to hit from the front arc. As with the main Type 67 variants, the new turret features a turret bustle for additional ammunition and equipment. The turret "cheeks" are protected by a cast homogenous armour and quartz core blend, giving it roughly the same amount of protection as the T-72A. The new turret armour was considered imprevious by contemporary 105mm and 120mm APDS/APFDS rounds, while it also featured complete NBC protection.

Initial production Type 76B

Later variants introduced rubber sideskirts that covered the upper part of the transmission, and further improvments to the base armour were made. By 1988, Type 76s started getting modified with 17mm high hardness steel plates on the upper glacis, while another layer of RHA and textolite was added as part of the mid-90s modernisation. The Type 76C upgrade program introduced the PGB-5 heavy explosive reactive armour to the turret front and upper glacis, further increasing protection against both kinetic and chemical rounds.

Mobility

The drivetrain is the most distinguishable feature of the Type 76 compared to the Type 67. While the torsion bar suspension remains on both tanks, the roadwheels are smaller and have equal gaps between each other. It is assumed that the design rubbercoated wheels and their layout are based on the T-72, but this is not confirmed. The Type 76A was powered by the 750 hp DE54, which made it somewhat underpowered. In addition, the DE54 became known for its reliabilty issues, especially in particularly dusty enviroments. The upgraded DE54H was introduced in 1981, which, among others, featured improved air and dust filters. The production of the DE54H was time-consuming and the design was complicated despite its increased performance.

The Type 76B remained relatively underpowered despite the fact that one of the main requirements of the design was improved mobility. The intorudction of the DE57H in 1983 only fixed the reliability issues of the previous powerplant, as it had the same hp output. Only in 1995, with the introduction of the the DE62 870 hp engine, initially mounted on the new Type 87, did the Type 76 receive a considerable boost in mobility, especially in regards to on-the-spot mauneuvers.

Service history

Due to the more complicated nature of the Type 76 compared to the Type 67, the new vehicle was relegated to serve exclusively in high-readiness armoured formations. Only in the early 90s, with the increase in production of the new Type 87, did the Type 76s start finding their way to mechanised/motorised infantry and lower-readiness units. The Type 76 continues to serve in the DPA in significant numbers, with about 600 units rumoured to be in active service.

In contrast to the Type 57 and Type 67, the Type 76s were not given to the ENLF during the Esgonian Civil War due to their nature as more "elite" tanks. However, they did see combat as part of the DPA's own deployments into Eastern Esgonia. Combat recods indicate that the Type 76s performed well against their Esgonian counterparts, with the Type 76Bs of the 4th Armoured Division in particular managing to stop an Esgonian armoured push during the Battle of TBD with minimal losses.

Variants

===Domestic variants===.

• Type 76: "Preliminary" variant. The Type 76 hull with a Type 67A turret, still armed with the manually reloaded 115mm gun.
• Type 76A: The initial standard variant, deployed in 1978. It featured the 125 mm PCh-78/125 smoothbore gun, a licensed copy of the 2A46, which was served by a carousel-type autoloader similar on that on the T-64, with the rounds stored horizontally and the charges vertically. The engine was the 750 hp Taebaek DE54.
  • Type 76A m.1981: Type 76A fitted with the uprgaded Taebaek DE54H engine.
• Type 76B: The first major upgrade, which introduced the iconic angular composite armour turret, entering service in 1982. The turret composite was of a cast homogenous armour-quartz blend. The gunner received the new PGJ-82 sight and the JJG-79 sight for the commander. The autoloader was replaced with a simpler one, similar to that on the T-72.
  • Type 76B m.1983: Type 76B with the improved DE57H engine, rubber-fabric sideskirts that covered the upper part of the hull.
    • Type 76B m.1988: Type 76B m.1983 with the new PCh-86/125 gun and new autloader system, the PGJ-88 gunner's sight and the capability of fire 9M119 "Svir" ATGMs. The upper glacis was also reinforced with 17 mm steel plate of high resistance steel.
    • Type 76B m.1995: Type 76B m.1988 with a cross-wind sensor and the 870 hp DE62 engine and the PGJ-95 gunner's sight with thermal vision. Another RHA-textolite layer was added to the upper glacis.
• Type 76JB: Experimental Type 76B used as a test bed for the NDS-1 active protection system.
• Type 76C: Most ecent modernisation, introduced in 2005. The fire-control system was completely revamed, with a new ballistic computer and laser rangefinder. The turret front and upper glacis was reinforced with PGB-5 heavy explosive reactive armour. The smoke grenade launchers were moved rearwards and the snorkel was moved to the back on the turret to make room for the ERA. The communication equipment was also modernised.

Operators

• Daekan: The Daekanese People's Army Ground Forces maintain about 600 Type 76s in active service. All of them are Type 76Bs and Type 76Cs, while all Type 76As have been put in long-term storage.