With no appearances in either military parades or trade shows and zero publicity since it was rolled out, it’s hard to determine when the ST1 first came into being.īut upon closer inspection, the ST1 isn’t as mysterious as it appears. The ST1 tank destroyer, however, is a bit of a surprise. These include the MBT 3000, also known as the VT4, along with a handful of other tanks the PLZ-45 155mm self-propelled artillery system and several APCs. The result was rather than continue rolling out the PLA’s “legacy” weapons and equipment, a modernized selection now comprises the bulk of its product line. Several years ago, the state-owned arms manufacturer North Industries Corporation (Norinco) began streamlining its operations. Its export variant is called the ST1 and it arrives right on time to match Japan’s MCV/Type 16 and the US’ M1128 Mobile Gun System. The PLA’s equivalent is the ZTL-11, whose layout is closer to the South African-made Rooikat, except the ZTL-11 has a 105mm main gun compared to the Rooikat’s 76mm main gun. A version of the latter is found in the Centauro, Italy’s successful attempt at the same being fast, amphibious, and light enough for air transport. China’s ground forces are still wedded to the concept of a “tank destroyer,” a vehicle type that’s often just a lightly armored model with a powerful armament, whether these are missiles or large caliber guns.
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