The Type 74 battle tank was designed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in 1962. Its main purpose is to strengthen the defense capabilities of the Japanese armed forces. Over twenty years, more than eight hundred units have been produced. The ammunition of the tank consists of a 105-mm gun, coaxial large-caliber and anti-aircraft machine gun. Smoke grenade launchers are also provided on each side of the tower. The combat control system includes a ballistic calculator and a laser rangefinder. On some versions, additional floodlights and a night vision device are installed.
Design features
Designers, developing a model, proposed to introduce a lot of innovative solutions. Some of them had to be abandoned due to various reasons. In 1971, they created a modification of the 8TV-3, which was not equipped with a mechanized charging gun. As a result, the final version was called "Type 74". The tank turned out to be a fairly modern combat vehicle at that time, maximally adapted to the relief and climate of Japan.
The basis of the technology is the standard layout design with rear placement of the MTO (engine and traction department) and sectional distribution of seats for crew members. Four people serve the tank:
- The commander and gunner are on the right side.
- The soldier in charge of loading the guns is on the left.
- The driver controls the equipment, located in the left front compartment.
The volume of compartments for the crew is made in a compact design, based on tankers of short stature. The car body is made of armored rolled plates, the tower is cast type. Additional ballistic protection is provided by the maximum thickness of the armor in the frontal part, significant angles of inclination of the hull plates and the streamlined shape of the low tower.
Armament
The Type 74 is a Japanese tank equipped with the main LZA gun developed in Britain. Its caliber is one hundred and five millimeters, it has a stabilizer in two planes, it is designed to fire all standard charges of the appropriate size. The stock of ammunition consists of fifty-five shells, some of which are located in the aft, the rest - in a special compartment, to the right of the mechanic. The gun is charged manually.
A machine gun with a caliber of 7.62 millimeters, a charging capacity of four and a half thousand shots, is aggregated with a gun. It is worth noting that the types of cartridges for the AK-74 are compatible with this gun. An anti-aircraft gun of 12.7 mm caliber was mounted near the commander’s hatch. Fire can be made by the loader or tank commander. The side walls along the perimeter are equipped with smoke grenade launchers, which can provide a smoke screen at a distance of about one hundred meters.
State Register 4233 74: description of the type of power plant used
The aft part of the engine block of the tank is a single system in which the motor, transmission unit and service elements are located. In addition, there are a pair of fuel tanks and four batteries.
The power plant is a 22 WT multi-fuel V-shaped engine developed by Mitsubishi Concern. An air-cooled engine at a speed of 2,220 rotations per minute, develops power of the order of seven hundred and twenty horsepower. Two turbine compressors are provided, which are connected to the crankshaft, which ensures the required promotion of the unit when the engine starts. Also, a planetary hydromechanical transmission with a six-speed forward gearbox and one reverse speed is aggregated with this unit. As an additional regulator is a differential rotary mechanism.
The performance characteristics
Below are the main characteristics of the Type 74 tank:
- crew - four people;
- the weight of equipment in combat condition is almost forty tons;
- length / width / height - 6.7 / 3.18 / 2.67 meters;
- armament –105-mm gun, 7.62 mm machine gun, anti-aircraft gun;
- power plant - seven hundred and twenty horse power;
- the speed limit is fifty-five kilometers per hour;
- power reserve - 400 km;
- generator type - SG2 74 25 6o4;
- hydropneumatic inner suspension.
The chassis of the car is equipped with an original suspension unit, which allows you to adjust the ride height within 20-65 centimeters. It is possible to control the slope of the gun pointing angles, as well as changes in trim. If you need to stop or hit an enemy projectile, the suspension may be partially blocked.
Driving performance
Five rubberized rollers on each side were used to equip the tank. The tracks are adjusted according to the tension parameter using a hydraulic drive controlled by the driver. Two types of tracks are used:
- All-metal version with dirt hooks.
- Training models with rubberized tracks.
In terms of its moving characteristics and cross-country ability, the Type 74 tank is close to the Leopard-1 and M-60A1 models. With a power reserve of three hundred kilometers, the vehicle develops speeds of up to fifty kilometers per hour on highway sections. The machine overcomes obstacles with a height and depth of one meter, as well as ditches with a width of more than 2.5 m. In the case of using special equipment, the tank is able to force water obstacles with a depth of about four meters. As an auxiliary element, the equipment can be equipped with a bulldozer blade.
Fire Protection and Control
Fighting is conducted using an effective control unit. There is a combined day and periscopic night sight. They are connected to the gun through a special device resembling a parallelogram. The gunner is able to additionally use a manual actuator that corrects the sight in the horizontal and vertical planes.
The crew commander uses a sight with a laser rangefinder, the optimal calculation for firing provides a ballistic computer. The tank is equipped with a protective design against weapons of mass destruction, an automatic fire extinguishing system, has an internal intercom and a portable radio station.
Completion
The considered model of the tank, despite all the merits, is morally obsolete. In Japan, a phased replacement of machines with more modern options is underway. If we compare the performance of the unit with domestic standards, it can be noted that the Japanese analogue meets the requirement under the designation GOST 3 1108 74. The type of production is designed for defense. We can assume that his car has already outlived. In active combat operations, the Type 74 tank was not seen. On its basis, several bulldozers, self-propelled guns and many other special equipment have been developed.