Pakistan’s Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) showcased the newly produced Haider main battle tank in a ceremony, attended by country’s military chief, General Asim Munir, on 6th March. This tank is the license produced Chinese VT-4 tank.
“HAIDER embodies cutting-edge technology and impressive capability in the domain of tank warfare having remarkable firepower, protection and manoeuvre characteristics. Crafted with state-of-the-art advanced technologies, HAIDER stands as a testament to Pakistani defence industry’s relentless pursuit of excellence in defence innovation”, Pakistani military’s media wing, ISPR stated.
VT-4 MBT was inducted into Pakistan Army’s Armored Corps in 2020 and Pakistan announced the development of this tank at IDEAS-2022. Haider tank projects also incorporates many Pakistani defense companies as well, such as LEOS. Pakistan also plans to export Haider tank after fulfilling the national requirements. NORINCO will maintain the royalty rights in this project and Pakistan will get marketing as well as manufacturing rights and financials benefits.
The Haider is a third-generation tank, equipped with a 125mm smoothbore main gun. The tank crew consists of the commander, driver, and gunner. This main battle tank features an air-conditioning system, a fire extinguisher, and an explosion suppression system. This tank also features advanced armor protection, including composite armor and explosive reactive armor (ERA), which provides enhanced protection against a variety of threats, including armor-piercing rounds, anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
