Thai crews of Chinese-made VT-4 main battle tanks have raised serious concerns about the tanks’ reliability during real combat situations.

According to Defence Blog, soldiers and officers with hands-on experience operating the VT-4 tanks report that the vehicles frequently break down, both in training and in combat.

They say the issues are systemic and become more noticeable with extended use.

One of the most critical problems highlighted by the crews is the effectiveness and reliability of the main gun during sustained firing.

A damaged VT-4 battle tank. Source: X T-55AM1

After prolonged use in field conditions, particularly when the number of fired rounds exceeds the “safe” operational limits, problems with the barrel’s durability have been observed. In some cases, the barrel has even ruptured.

Additionally, the electronic systems and powertrain are described as prone to regular failures. Crews report periodic malfunctions, which directly complicate the execution of combat tasks.

A separate area of criticism concerns the level of protection and mobility of the vehicle.

According to operators, the side armor of the VT-4 is too vulnerable for modern battlefield conditions and the threats posed by newer main battle tanks.

The crews also note the insufficient speed of turret rotation, which negatively impacts the tank’s response in a dynamic combat environment.

Given the field experience, some Thai officers have unofficially recommended placing more focus on units equipped with Patton tanks and BM Oplot tanks.

It is worth noting that Cambodian forces have already targeted VT-4 tanks.