Type 87

Type 87
The main Type 87 variants
Type	main battle tank
Place of origin	Daekan
Service history
In service	1988-present
Used by	Daekan
Production history
Designer	Second Sangnam Tractor Plant
Designed	1984-1988
Manufacturer	Several plants
Produced	1986-present
No. built	~1,500
Specifications (Type 67B)
Weight	42.6 t (46.9 short tons)
Length	9.47 m (31 ft 5 in) with barrel in forward position 6.68 m (21 ft 1o in) hull only
Width	3.60 m (11 ft 9 in)
Height	2.31 m (7 ft 6 in)
Crew	3 (commander, driver, gunner)
Armor	Composite with NERA elements, PGB-5 ERA
Main armament	125 mm PCh-86/125 smoothbore gun (46 rounds)
Secondary armament	12.7mm Type 54 HMG on the cupola 7.62mm Type 70 GPMG (co-axial)
Engine	Taebaek DE72 950 hp
Suspension	torsion-bar
Ground clearance	406 mm (16 in)
Operational range	750 km on road (with external fuel drums)
Speed	70 km/h (on-road)

The Type 87 (Industrial designation: Vehicle 586) is a Daekanese main battle tank first introduced in 1988. The tank is a development of the Type 76's later variants, with its more recent variants regarded as a third-generation main battle tank. The Type 87 serves as the backbone of the Daekanese People's Army tank force, and a number of vehicles also form several tank battalions of the Daekanese People's Army Navy Marine Corps. The Type 87 continues to be produced today as a cheaper alternative to the recently-introduced Type 12, which will only have a limited production circle.

Development history

The Type 87 was born as a need to improve, simplify and streamline the complex Type 76B. In the Type 87's case, the 5th February Tractor Plant's "monopoly" on Daekanese tank design that started with the Type 57 was broken, as the Second Sangnam Tractor Plant was chosen to design the new vehicle. This may be connected to the early retirement of the 5th February Plant's manager, Pu Chi-Won, in early 1984, with rumours suggesting that he had fallen out of favour. The Type 87 was to feature improved armour protection, a more streamlined turret and a new hull.

One of the initial requirements was a more powerful gun, with the possibility of purchasing a license to produce the Aetolian 127 mm LPA-74 smoothbore gun being discussed. This was influenced by the introduction of the M1 Abrams tank in Esgonia, the protection of which was over-estimated by Daekanese analysts. However, the logistical problems a change of calibre could have caused as well as the abundance of 125mm ammunition led to the removal of this requirement, and it was decided that the Type 87 would use the 125 mm PCh-86/125 smoothbore gun, which was alraedy used by the Type 76B.

Design

The initial production variant of the Type 87 differed from previous Daekanese tanks in that the driver was seated at the center of the hull, directly bellow the gun with the turret pointing forward. This was due to the fact that the hull was based on a slightly altered T-72 hull. This hull became known as the "Type A" hull, though it is unknown whether or not this designation was official or something coined by observers. The Type 87A, introduced in 1993, had the so-called "Type B" hull. The driver was moved to the left, as with the Type 67 and 76, and the engine deck was raised to accomodate the larger engine. The lower glacis slope of the "Type B" hull was slightly raised and the upper glacis slope was conceqently increased. This made the upper glacis armour stronger but further exposed the weak lower glacis which had limited protection. From the Type 87B onward, the cupola was reworked into a lower profile version, decreasing the tank's overall height.

Firepower

Like the Type 76's main production variants, the Type 87 is armed with a 125mm smoothbore gun. The initial production variant was armed with the PCh-86/125 smoothbore gun, fed by a carousel autoloader similar to that on the T-72, with both the projectiles and the charges stored horizontally. Like on the late-production Type 76Bs, the vehicle is capable of launching 9M119 "Svir" ATGMs through the main gun, which gave the Type 87 the capabilily to engage targets at longer ranges than with conventional rounds, as well as to engage low-flying helicopters. Notably, the Type 87 also had a faster turret traverse than its predecessor, at 18 degrees per second. The gunner was equipped with the PGJ-82 sight, with 8-time magnification.

Later variants introduced improved sigh systems and guns. The Type 87A was equipped with the PGJ-93 sight for the gunner, featuring thermal imaging. However, the low-quality picture while in thermal mode saw it be rapidly replaced by the PGJ-95 in tanks produced after 1995.

Variants

===Domestic variants===.

• Type 87: Baseline variant featuring the "Type A" hull, which closely resembled that of the T-72. Production ceased in 1992.
• Type 87A: The first "main" production variant, with the "Type B" hull. Introduced in 1993. Featured the PGJ-93 gunners sight with thermal vision and the Taebaek 870 hp DE62 engine.
  • Type 87A m.1995: Type 87A fitted with the improved PGJ-95 gunners sight and a crosswind sensor.
• Type 87B: Heavily upgraded variant that entered service in 2004. Protection is reinforced with the PGB-5 heavy explosive reactive armour on the uppre glacis and the turret, giving it the distinctive "arrowhead" shape. The gun was replaced with the PCh-99/125.

Operators

• Daekan: The DPAGF and DPANMC operate roughly 1,500 Type 87s.