Type 99
| This page is about the Japanese tank destroyer Type 99. For other uses, see Type 99 (Disambiguation). |
Contents
Description
The Type 99 155 mm SPH (99式自走155mmりゅう弾砲) is currently one of the 155 mm howitzers in JGSDF service as the direct replacement of the obsolete, shorter-barreled Type 75 155 mm SPH. The JGSDF had already planned for a replacement of the Type 75 SPH as early as 1985; development began in 1987, with MHI responsible for the extended hull based on the chassis of what would become the Type 89 IFV, while JSW developed the weapon systems with a domestic 155 mm L/52 howitzer. The new SPH was ready for trials in 1996, and tests were conducted in 1998, with the first four SPH units delivered to the training corps. However, due to the high unit price, the complete replacement of all Type 75 SPHs will be fulfilled by the Type 99 SPH alongside a new, wheeled Type 19 155 mm SPH.
Introduced in Update "Air Superiority" as the second SPH of JGSDF, the Type 99 is equipped with a Japanese NATO standard 155 mm howitzer and shares similar shells, but due to the increased length, it offers a whopping 940 m/s shell velocity. The new gun system retains the relatively fast gun traverse speed and new autoloader for faster reload; meanwhile, tank crews have to beware of the rather underpowered engine and huge size; enemy commanders can easily spot this long-nosed "lying Pinocchio" from afar.
- Nicknames
- JGSDF Abbreviation: 99HSP / SP - (Howitzer) Self-Propelled
- Public nickname: ロングノーズ - Lit. "Long Nose"
General info
Survivability and armour
Instead of opting for NATO SPHs, the JGSDF initiated plans to develop a domestic SPH, resulting in the creation of the Type 99. The most distinctive feature of the Type 99 is its notably long 155 mm L/52 howitzer, contrasting with the short chassis based on the Type 89 IFV. This characteristic earned it the nickname "Long Nose." However, this length poses a challenge as it makes the Type 99 easily identifiable on the battlefield. With an overall length, including the barrel, measuring 11.3 m, it cannot move unnoticed unless enemies are overly focused on a specific area. The overall protection comprises 20 mm RHA plates for both the chassis and turret. This means that any .50 calibre heavy machine gun won't struggle to target the crews within 300 m, let alone autocannons at even longer ranges. Taking cover and staying behind the frontline is advisable to prolong its survival. Extra caution is needed to conceal the rear of the turret, as the last thing commanders want is to witness the detonation of the 30 shells and charges located directly behind it, creating a significant explosion.
Equipped with a mechanized loader, the Type 99 operates with a smaller crew than NATO/Warsaw Pact SPHs, numbering only four individuals. While the SPH is rather spacious, the driver and assistant loader are rather spread out while the gunner and commander are squeezed together, making for an easy collateral. This crew composition will usually result in needing at least two well-placed AP shots frontally, or one side-on hitting all three turret crew in a single shot. Other possibilities of one-shots are by overpressure, a sensitive APHE fused shell into the turret or the ammo rack.
Armour type:
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 20 mm UFP (80°)
20 mm LFP |
20 mm Top 20 mm Bottom |
20 mm | 20 mm |
| Turret | 20 mm Turret front 20 mm Gun mantlet |
20 mm | 20 mm | 20 mm |
Notes:
Mobility
As the hull was developed from Mitsubishi's Type 89 IFV with an extended length, the Type 99 retained the identical 6SY31WA V8 engine and transmission. While the 50 km/h speed and its 12.1 hp/t ratio might not seem particularly impressive, it does offer a -30 km/h reverse speed for a quick retreat.
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 54 | 33 | 40 | 852 | 1,145 | 21.3 | 28.63 |
| Realistic | 50 | 31 | 531 | 600 | 13.28 | 15 | |
Modifications and economy
| Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armaments
Main armament
To align with the late Cold War trend of self-propelled howitzers featuring long barrels, the Type 99 is equipped with a domestic 155 mm L/52 howitzer by JSW. The gun system boasts 30 shells in storage with an autoloader, enabling a firing rate of one shot every 7.5 seconds. Although not as rapid as the Bkan 1C at 3.2 seconds, this rate is more than sufficient for engaging tanks at its tier, which typically have longer reload times. The ballistics remain relatively straight due to its impressive 940 m/s velocity, facilitating easier long-range engagements. An area where the Type 99 excels is a supporting role.
However, caution is advised to avoid overextension, especially with the barrel exposed behind cover, as this may lead to the gun's disablement and, eventually, the Type 99 itself.
| 155 mm JSW L/52 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Autoloader |
| Arcade | 30 | -2°/+70° | ±180° | - | 10.6 | 14.6 | 17.8 | 19.6 | 20.9 | 7.50 |
| Realistic | 7.1 | 8.4 | 10.2 | 11.3 | 12.0 | |||||
Ammunition
- M107: NATO standard 155 mm HE shell, providing a reasonable 9.1 kg TNTe explosive mass.
- M107(PF): M107, but equipped with a proximity fuse. The excellent velocity of the L/52, coupled with the proximity fuse, makes it a versatile ad-hoc AA shell.
- L15A2: The pinnacle of NATO 155 mm shells, it offers an impressive 14.8 kg TNTe explosive mass. It has the potential to obliterate even the most heavily armoured vehicles.
- M110: NATO Standard 155 mm Smoke shell.
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | |||||
| 10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1,000 m | 1,500 m | 2,000 m | ||
| M107 | HE | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 |
| M107 (PF) | HE-VT | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 |
| L15A2 | HE | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg) |
Ricochet | |||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| M107 | HE | 940 | 43.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 9.14 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
| L15A2 | HE | 940 | 43.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 14.8 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
| Proximity-fused shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Arming distance (m) |
Trigger radius (m) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg) |
Ricochet | |||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| M107 (PF) | HE-VT | 940 | 43.1 | 0 | 0 | 300 | 3 | 9.14 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |
| Smoke shell characteristics | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Screen radius (m) |
Screen deploy time (s) |
Screen hold time (s) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
| M110 | 940 | 40.8 | 21 | 5 | 30 | 50 |
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
5th rack empty |
6th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | __ (+__) | __ (+__) | __ (+__) | __ (+__) | __ (+__) | __ (+__) | __ |
Machine guns
Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.
| 12.7 mm M2HB | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Pintle | 600 (200) | 575 | -8°/+45° | ±180° |
Usage in battles
With a very high shell velocity of 940 m/s but low armour and a high profile, the Type 99 155 mm should be played as either a sniping vehicle or an anti-air vehicle. With the L15A2 high explosive shells, which have an explosive mass of 14.8 kg of TNT, it can destroy every vehicle at its rank and higher with a well-placed shot between the hull and the turret (Even the Maus or the Object 279 heavy tanks). The hull of the Type 99 155 mm also has a large empty spot without any important modules, meaning that some enemy shells will just go through the hull without activating their explosive fuses, causing little to no damage. The bane of your existence are autocannon-equipped light tanks and SPAAGs as well as vehicles that fire chemical rounds, as a single hit can cause overpressure damage and detonate your ammunition. Avoid being hit by artillery at any cost, as the chance of getting hit by the artillery is much higher than other tanks due to its very large profile.
Since the HE shells don't have a tracer mark while firing, shooting at an enemy group from a long distance while staying near cover is the best way to go to not be seen. The Type 99's engine has very good backward speed of 31 km/h (RB), meaning that if a situation becomes too hot, shooting a smoke shell at the ground while driving backwards is a possible way to retreat out of a dangerous situation quickly. Alternately, the Type 99 can be played as an excellent anti-air vehicle to shoot down planes or helicopters nearby or from long distance. The even faster reload of only 7.5 seconds (from its predecessor Type 75 SPH with its 10 seconds reload), which also stays the same when its loader gets knocked out - thanks to its autoloader and a very fast shell velocity for a calibre of 155 mm - can make it very deadly for enemies in the sky. M107 (PF) is generally a lacking shell for AA duties due to its lack of velocity on even the VIDAR, but the 940 m/s firing velocity of the Type 99 truly makes the destructive potential of this shell apparent. With one of the fastest howitzer reloads behind only the turretless Bandkanon and that high velocity, sniping aircraft has never been easier in a howitzer! It is also to be noted that proximity shells also have some minor uses against open top vehicles, as the overpressure damage will generally one-shot your enemies. If you see a M56 or SU-100P hiding in a trench or near a rock, and your normal HE is struggling to actually hit them, a proximity shell can and will send them right back to the hangar, so keep this in the back of your head for added versatility.
The engine compartment is also frontally placed and separated by a 5 mm steel plate from the rest of the crew, meaning that when the frontal hull gets hit, the engine can soak up most if not all of the damage that could have been. Leaving the rest of the components and the crew itself unharmed. One of the major downsides of the Type 99 is the very lackluster gun depression of only -2 degrees, which can cause noticeable issues on hilly or bumpy terrain. This is a problem that the Type 99 encounters often, as purely flat maps are rare and you often find yourself in situations where even the Type 75 SPH's -5 degrees would have sufficed to lob a shell at an enemy. Things you can do to mitigate these problems would be to avoid high inclined surfaces but also to reverse up hills to use your good gun elevation instead, although do keep in mind that a shot into your turret roof could be fatal. Overall, the Type 99 trades some noticeable strengths for some just-as-noticeable weaknesses, and is a versatile addition that doubles as a reliable anti-aircraft vehicle with plenty of shells to fling at tanks after.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Excellent shell velocity of 940 m/s (for a SPH)
- Can make the M107 (PF) a reliable AA shell
- 7.5-second auto-loader
- 30 shells in the ready rack
- 20 mm RHA armour offers a balance of protection without excessive weight
- Thin enough to avoid triggering most APHE fuses
- Effective protection against HMGs at longer ranges
- Moderate mobility with a respectable -30 km/h reverse speed
- Large and spacious
- Able to survive more than one penetration
Cons:
- Limited protection with 20 mm RHA armour
- Minimal defense against shell penetration
- In close-quarter combat, vulnerable to heavy machine guns
- Relatively small crew size
- Large and easily recognizable target
- Very long barrel can be exposed when positioned behind cover
- only -2 degrees of gun depression limits areas of effectiveness on certain maps
History
Development
The previous Type 75 self-propelled 155 mm howitzer, which was formalized in 1975, has a maximum range of only 19 km even when using specially developed long-range ammo. On the other hand, the towed 155 mm howitzer FH-70 (jointly developed by Britain, West Germany and Italy), which began licensed production in 1983, has a maximum range of 30 km when using base-bleed ammunition. Even the French-made 120 mm towed mortar RT, which is deployed in infantry units, reaches a maximum range of 13 km when using rocket-assisted propellant. Maximum range stands as one of the most pivotal characteristics of artillery; thus, the maximum range of the Type 75 self-propelled howitzer fell short of contemporary standards, irrespective of its developmental era.
Consequently, development on the soon-to-be Type 99 SPH commenced in 1985. Initially, the sole consideration for the upgrade was to replace the Type 75's 155 mm L/30 with a longer L/39 calibre gun. However, as project requirements evolved, including the integration of a new fire control system and systematically newer features, the entire project underwent redevelopment in 1987, utilizing an adapted hull from a prototype Type 89 IFV.
JSW, serving as the main contractor, spearheaded the development of the turret and cannon, collaborating with Mitsubishi overseeing the hull, Asahi Kasei for the entire shell, Nippon Yushi for the inner cylinder of the shell, and Hitachi for the ammunition carrier/loader. By 1996, the design phase of the vehicle concluded, with over 5 billion yen invested. Subsequently, technical and practical tests ensued with four proto-production vehicles. Upon the completion of all testing by 1998, the 4 vehicles were allocated to training divisions in 1999, officially marking the adoption of the "Type 99 self-propelled 155 mm howitzer".
Usage
The Type 99 SPH boasts a maximum firing range of approximately 30 km, surpassing that of the Type 75 SPH by more than 1.5 times. When equipped with the Type 93 Long-Range shell (base-bleed), the maximum range extends to approximately 40 km. Notably, a Type 03 Multi-Purpose shell (Cluster) was once developed and deployed, featuring submunitions with explosive charges capable of eliminating lightly armoured vehicles within a radius of approximately 100 m. However, this ammunition type was discontinued due to its violation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
Despite using an auto-loader, the Type 99 SPH offers enhanced flexibility, allowing loading at any angle. This results in faster loading compared to the Type 75, which required the main gun to be returned to a fixed angle for loading. Additionally, unlike the Type 75, which exclusively automatically loaded warheads, with charges manually loaded afterwards, the Type 99 is automatically loaded with uni-charged shells. With a maximum firing rate exceeding 6 rounds per minute and over 18 rounds per 3 minutes, it showcases a significant improvement in firepower.
Furthermore, the Type 99 ammunition feeder, exclusively developed for this vehicle, can be connected behind the hatch on the right rear of the turret. This configuration enables the automatic replenishment of ammunition, further enhancing the continuous rate of fire.
Replacement
While the initial objective of the Type 99 SPH was to replace the earlier Type 75 SPH, the unit cost, reaching the extremely high approximate 960 million yen per unit, has limited manufacturing and procurement to a range of 6 to 8 vehicles annually. Failing on the complete replacement, a more cost-effective alternative emerged in the form of the Type 19 self-propelled 155 mm howitzer. Designed to replace the Japanese inventory of FH-70 towed howitzers, it shares the same advanced gun technology as the Type 99.
The Type 19, however, is not a direct replacement for its mechanized counterpart but serves as a supplement. Its primary role is to replace motorized artillery. Since its assignment to training corps in 2019, deployment to active units commenced in 2023.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
- Related Development
- Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
External links
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- other literature.
| Japan tank destroyers | |
|---|---|
| Ro-Go Derivatives | Ro-Go Exp. |
| Chi-Ha Derivatives | Ho-Ni I · Ho-Ni III · Ho-Ro · Chi-Ha LG |
| Ho-Ri | Ho-Ri Prototype · Ho-Ri Production |
| Other | Na-To |
| JGSDF | |
| SPRG | Type 60 (C) |
| SPH | Type 75 · Type 99 |
| ATGM | Type 60 ATM |
| Rocket | Type 75 MLRS |
| USA | ▅M36 |
