LAHORE: Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited Field Firing Ranges near Jhelum on Tuesday (September 22) to witness demonstration of state of the art, Chinese origin third generation Main Battle Tank VT-4 which were delivered to Pakistan recently.
This potent war fighting machine will be employed in offensive role by strike formations after induction. VT-4 is compatible with any modern tank in the world integrating advanced armour protection, maneuverability, fire power capabilities and state of the art technology.
Interacting with the officers and men, Gen Bajwa expressed satisfaction over demonstrated performance of Tank VT-4, another addition to inventory of Armoured Corps after recent induction of indigenously produced Al-Khalid-1 Tank.
Pak Army says that it has further strengthened Pakistan’s overall defence capability to thwart enemy designs. Gen Bajwa said that Pakistan Army is alive to emerging challenges and regional threats. We are completely focused towards internal and external challenges to defence of country and prepared with matching response against all threats to sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of Pakistan.
Bajwa lauded troops for professionalism, operational readiness and highest training standards to meet challenges of modern day battlefield requirements.
Earlier, Corps Commander Mangla, Lieutenant General Shaheen Mazher Mehmood received COAS at Tilla Field Firing Ranges.
Pakistan’s acquisition of the Chinese new VT4 main battle tank was confirmed during exercises. Inner Mongolia First Machinery Group Co Ltd., subsidiary of China North Industries Group Corporation (NORINCO), reportedly begin delivering new VT4 main battle tanks to Pakistan in April.
In mid-April 2020, at the Chinese tank factory located in Baotou in the province of Inner Mongolia, was held the ceremony of shipment of the first batch of VT4 main battle tanks equipped with explosive reactive armour (ERA) (Option FY-IV) for a foreign customer.
Chinese media reported that Pakistan is a foreign customer for these tanks that were produced after the country begin emerges from the coronavirus crisis. In 2019, the Pakistan Army Armoured Corps has selected the Chinese VT4 tank – produced by Norinco – to meet requirements for procuring hundreds of new main battle tanks.