Originally posted by tvdog:
One thing's for sure: it's still quite confusing which is which. A
lot of people on other forums identitfy the Type 98G as the Type 99
like you did.
Anyway, it is no secret that both of them are copy of the
Russian T-72. Chinese friends told me a very interesting but not
very detailed story of how the Chinese captured a Russian T-72
intact.
Both countries have frequent cross-border skirmishes. One Russian
T-72 was disabled while crossing a river. The details are sketchy
but it either sank, or broke down, the crew drowned etc.
The Chinese went apeshxt to try and capture it and they succeeded.
The Russians demanded its return.
The Chinese did return it, but not before they brought this trophy
to Shanghai for research and evaluation. And thus was born the
first Chinese modern MBT, which, not surprisingly, looks like the
T-72.
Also, remember the cruise missiles the Americans fired at
the Chinese Embassy in Sarajevo (spelling?). Apparently one of them
didn't explode and again went to the chinese for research and
evaluation. So the PLA might have cruise missiles
soon.
Regarding the tank,I thought it is a T-62? After Soviet Union
collaspe in 1990,Soviet provide plenty of assistance to help PLA
design Type 96,98 and 98G.So no need to go into so much work in RE
a capture T-72.
Abt the Tomahawk cruise missile,the Chinese bought a unexploded
tomahawk from Pakistan who obtained it through Taliban when US take
revenge for USS Cole by firing a couple of Tomahawk at Afganistan
in 1998. At that time,US and Pakistan were still no allies! Chinese
Embassy in Sarajevo was bombed by US PGM for Chinese keeping the
debris of a down F-117/A after a split of 50/50 with the
Russia.
