Three Royal Thai Army personnel were hurt when the main gun of their Chinese VT-4 main battle tank ruptured, reports said. The tank was in action when the damage happened, leaving its barrel shattered, rendering the vehicle combat ineffective while on the line of fire, reports said.
During the mishap, it was not just the main armament of the tank that was damaged but its laser warning system, as well as fire control and targeting systems, also took a hit. Material fatigue, manufacturing defects, ammunition issues, and operational factors are all among the suspected causes for the embarrassing failure.
The development was confirmed by the Royal Thai Army, which claimed that the cause of the incident is still under technical investigation. It added that the tank was taking fire, and the main gun was repeatedly being used when the rupturing happened.
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“Regarding the case of a Thai VT-4 tank experiencing an accident in which firing caused the gun barrel to burst, it did occur,” deputy spokesperson for the Royal Thai Army Colonel Richa Suksuwanont said. “The tank has damage. As for the cause, it cannot yet be specified and is currently under technical examination.”
"...VT-4 tank has been continuously involved in operations and has conducted intensive firing during the period of operations. Whether this may be the cause or not, we ask that the public wait for a detailed technical verification by the Ordnance Department,” he added. Thailand has entrusted the Ordnance Department with conducting a full technical examination of the damaged tank, including an inspection of the gun barrel, ammunition, fire control systems, and maintenance records, a report said.
The Chinese VT-4 tanks
Also known as MBT-3000, the VT-4 is in service since 2017. It is a third-generation Chinese Main Battle Tank from the China North Industries Corporation (Norinco). The VT-4’s dimensions are comparable to the Indian Army’s Russian-origin T-90 tanks.
Like the Indian Army's T-90 tanks, the VT-4 has a 125mm gun that can fire both conventional tank rounds and also missiles. Images of the VT-4 tank from Tuesday's exercise show it is equipped with a remote weapon system atop the turret. A remote weapon system on a tank typically is a small gun that is controlled remotely and is useful against infantry and other light targets. The VT-4 main battle tank has a road speed of 70 km/h and 50 km/h in cross-country conditions.
In 2020, Pakistan Army had ordered at least 176 VT-4 tanks at a cost of $859 million. Nigeria is a third known foreign user of VT-4 apart from Thailand and Pakistan.