Performance specs include a road speed of 65 kph with a range out to 370 kilometers. Range can be extended by carrying external fuel drums over the hull rear. The built-in amphibious capability sees the vehicle reach water speeds of up to 12 kmh. In this action, the vehicle is propelled through the water by way of two water jets seated at the hull rear. However, there is some preparation of the tank required by the crew before taking to the water, mainly setting up bilge pumps and erecting a trim vane at the glacis plate.
Since introduction, the Type 63 has been fielded primarily by Southeast Asian and African customers - Burma to Vietnam. Former customers include Albania, Pakistan, the Republic of the Congo, Sri Lanka, North Korea, and North Vietnam. Current operators are Cambodia, China, Myanmar, Sudan, Tanzania, Venezuela, and Vietnam. China is, by far, the largest operator of the series which, at peak usage, reached 1,200 units. However, only around 800 make up the current stock today (2020) at its battlefield usefulness continues to decline.
The Type 63A emerged as an upgraded Type 63 and reworked to better suit Chinese marine requirements for amphibious assaults - including ship-launched capabilities when going from ship-to-shore (the original design was intended mainly to cross rivers). This has led to the vehicle being given a new, more powerful engine and water propulsion systems. The 85mm main gun has also been upgraded to a more potent 105mm form. The marine variant entered service in 1997 and carries the industrial designator of "WZ213" though its modernized nature has also given the variant the "Type 63M" or "Type 99" designators.
The Type 63A-I is the Type 63A with a lengthened bow, enlarged side skirt armoring, and support for Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) blocks for enhanced protection against more modern tank threats (like missiles).
Several variants of the base Type 63 model have been spawned including the Type 63-I with new engine, the Type 63-II with laser rangefinder and night vision support, and the Type 77 Armored Personnel Carrier (APC). The Type 77 is fully amphibious and carries the industrial designator of "WZ511". The Type 76 is an Armored Recovery Vehicle (ARV) variant of the Type 63 tank, retaining the running gear but carrying mission-specific equipment for the role. The Type 89 is a Self-Propelled Artillery (SPA) vehicle offshoot of the Type 63, armed through a 122mm main gun and built from both the Type 77 APC and Type 63 Light Tank stocks.
The Type 63 Light Tank is a proven combat performer for its time. It was used by North Vietnam during the Vietnam War (1955-1975) and also featured in the subsequent Sino-Vietnamese War (1979) and Sri Lankan Civil War (1983-2009). The Pakistani Army also featured the design for a time during its war with India in the Indo-Pak War of 1971.
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