Type 10 is a Japanese next-generation main battle tank, manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the Japan Ground Self Defence Force (JGSDF).

The development of Type 10 main battle tank begun in the 1990s.

The goal was to develop a new generation main battle tank that will complement and eventually replace the Type 74 and Type 90 main battle tanks in the inventory of JGSDF.

The prototype was built by the Technology Research and Development Institute (TRDI) and was revealed to the public on February 13, 2008.

Type 10 MBT entered production in 2010 and a total of 106 Type 10 tanks were built between 2010 and 2020.

Type 10 has a C4I (Command, Control, Communication, and Computing) system that enables the sharing of information with other tanks on the battlefield.

The Type 10 tank has a continuously variable transmission which allows it to reach a speed of 70 km/h both forward and backward.

The new Japanese tank has a hydropneumatic active suspension that absorbs the recoil effect when the gun fires and it also helps the tank to better adjust its stance when driving off-road.

Among the new Type 10's features is the capability of 360° vision coverage provided by day and night sights mounted around the turret. These sights also provide data to the C4I system.

In 2008 the development costs for the Type 10 were estimated at $450 million and the unit price at $6.5 million, reaching $8.4 million in 2014.

The Type 10 was specially designed to have smaller dimensions so it can be easily transported all over Japan.

It has five wheels on each side and its dimensions are 9.485 m in length, 3.24 m in width, and 2.30 m in height.

Type 10 tank weighs 40 tonnes in basic loadout and can reach a maximum mass of 48 tonnes in full loadout.

The armor consists of nano-crystal steel and modular ceramic composite armor.

Type 10 has a 120 mm smoothbore cannon indigenously developed by Japan Steel Works. The gun has an autoloader and a capacity of 36 rounds.

A new APFSDS round was specially developed for the new tank, and the Type 10 can also fire the normal JM33 APFSDS and 120 mm NATO rounds.

As secondary armament, Type 10 has a 12.7 mm M2HB heavy machine gun and a 7.62 mm Type 74 machine gun.

Type 10 is powered by a 1,200 hp, 4-stroke, 22.6-liter V8 diesel engine rated at 2,300 rpm, and has a power-to-weight ratio of 27 hp/tonne.

This new generation Japanese main battle tank has an operational range of 500 km and can reach a maximum speed of 70 km/h.