China/US Jaguar Main Battle Tank

[Triton]

The Jaguar was a joint Chinese/US project between Cadillac Gage and the China National Machinery & Equipment Import & Export Corporation with the intent of modernizing the Type 59 tank and its variants in the mid-1980s. The political fallout of the Tiananmen Square Massacre forced the US and Chinese teams to part company in 1989. Cadillac Gage continued development of the Jaguar on its own, but there was no market for the tank since it was glutted with used tanks after the Cold War.

Source:
http://www.military-today.com/tanks/jaguar.htm

 

[DanielStarseer]

Always liked the external appearance of the Jaguar.

Biggest question(s) that come to my mind being:
if it's an evolution of the T-55/Type 59,
was it their basic hull and turret with the added applique armor,
or a completely new turret design altogether,
and/or a modified hull interior?
(it obviously had the better western engine...)

If it did use the original hull and turret configuration, with just the "western armor" added on giving it the appearance of a more modern tank,
my guess then is it would still be as cramped inside as the T-55/Type 59, and wouldn't really fight much better, despite looking more advanced.
(poor ergonomics can't wholly be overcome with better guns, sights/fire control, suspension, etc...)


Anybody?

 

[TomS]

As I understand it, the turret was all-new. In fact, so was the top deck of the hull, the engine, the transmission, and a sizable portion of the running gear. There wasn't a whole lot left of the donor Type 59 except the lower hull, the suspension, and maybe the driver's station.

 

[Skyfire]

more pictures

 

[Grey Havoc]

Jaguar Main Battle Tank — Chinese-American Fusion - Sino Records

The Jaguar main battle tank was developed by Cadillac Gage Textron and the Chinese CMEC corporation for the purpose of export. Two were produced.

sinorecords.org

 

[cattalonX]

 

[isayyo2]

Outstanding find!

 

[Conspirator]

seems like they took what they had learned with the frontal armour of M1A1's and deflection points. they did well!
an Avco-Lycoming diesel turbine would be more than enough if they were able to do enough weight reduction from previous models.

 

[Keyboard Commando]

This seems like the best thread to ask, did the WZ1224 prototype benefit from any of this cooperation with the US and other western nations? I know it was their first attempt at a western style tank and was wondering if anyone here knows about its history or development, I haven't been able to find much information on the subject.

 

[cattalonX]

This seems like the best thread to ask, did the WZ1224 prototype benefit from any of this cooperation with the US and other western nations? I know it was their first attempt at a western style tank and was wondering if anyone here knows about its history or development, I haven't been able to find much information on the subject.

1224 is much earlier than Jaguar，I will post something about 1224 later