A Type-69 with add on armor to imitate the T-80U MBT, for the ballistic trials in China. In the 1994 the Chinese "123 Engineering General Office" and "The Installation Technology Institute" jointly conducted a ballistic trials against a hypothetical combat target (Type-69 with add on armor) at the south outskirt of Beijing. For the tests they use one of the prototype of the Type-99 with 125mm gun and the new, under development APFSDS.
For the trials the Type-69 was fitted with composite add on armor and the ERA in front of hull and turret.
The front of the tank hull is consist from:
- 100 mm base steel armor
- 50 mm steel armor
- Two layers of 45 mm fiberglass sheets
- 50 mm steel armor
The front of the turret is:
- 200 mm base steel armor
- 100mm steel armor
- 80mm thick back plate steel armor
- 20mm thick middle layer steel armor
- 100mm and 60mm thick two-layer fiberglass armor.
In order to test the damage caused by the APFSDS the vehicle was equipped with the Type-99 tank's FCS components (sights, ballistic computer) and dogs and guinea pigs were placed in the crew' positions.
Five rounds were fired.
The first shot hit the ERA on the left side of the turret, ERA was destroyed, the main gun barrel was damaged, the turret could not be turned, the drier's optics and the gunner’s sighting was damaged, also damaged the other optical gadgets, and the crew was seriously injured (Dogs and Guinea Pigs), the tank has completely lost its combat capability.
The second shot hit the composite armor on the left side of the turret, which also destroyed the barrel and turret rotation system, the power unit and the sighting device were basically scrapped, and the crew were seriously injured;
The third shot It hits the front of the car body and reacts to the armor. The gun barrel is broken and the turret is tilted. The rotation speed is severely reduced and the gun cannot be adjusted horizontally. The Sights and optics were damaged, and the commander’s internal organs were bleeding;
The fifth shot hit the right front fender, causing the artillery barrel to be scrapped, part of the movement was damaged, the main firepower and maneuverability were completely lost, and the driver and the commander were also seriously damaged.
