Myanmar army has developed new 105mm light tank based on 2S1 chassis.

Myanmar army has developed a new 105 mm light tank based on the chassis of Russian-made 2S1 tracked self-propelled howitzer fitted with a new Chinese-made two-man turret armed with one 105 mm cannon. A picture of the new light tank was released on the Facebook account of the Myanmar armed forces.

New Myanmar 105mm light tank based on 2S1 chassis self-propelled howitzer. (Picture source Myanmar armed forces Facebook)

In 2017, a picture was released on the Internet showing the prototype of a new Chinese light tank based on the chassis of the YW 534 tracked armored personnel carrier also called Type 89.

The all-welded steel hull of the new light tank is divided into three compartments with the driver's at the front on the left, engine behind the driver and the turret at the rear.

The turret seems to be equipped with a new fire control system and laser range finder. The main armament of the turret consists of one 105 mm rifled gun able to fire a wide range of ammunition including High Explosive (HE), Armored Piercing Fin Stabilizing Discarding Sabot-Tungsten (APFSDS-T) and the new Norinco Gun-Launched Guided Projectile (GLGP). Three smoke grenade dischargers are mounted on each side of the turret.

The suspension system is similar to the MT-LB multipurpose tracked vehicle's and either side consists of seven road wheels with the drive sprocket at the front, idler at the rear, and no track-return rollers.

The original 2S1 is motorized with a YaMZ-238N, V-8 water-cooled 4-stroke diesel developing 300 hp coupled to a manual transmission with 5 forward and 1 reverse gears. It can run at a maximum road speed of 61 km/h. The 2S1 is fully amphibious, being propelled in the water by its tracks at a maximum speed of 6 km/h.