Type 96 MBT [REVIEW + SPECS] | Defence Database
  
Type 96 main battle tank
Posted by: Andrei Dcs

Type 96 MBT, also known as ZTZ96, is a Chinese main battle tank (MBT) in service with the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Type 96 is a second (2nd) generation main battle tank (MBT), being the final evolution of the Type 88 design.

Author: Vitaly V. Kuzmin
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Manufactured by First Inner Mongolia Machinery Factory, the Type 96 main battle tank entered service with the PLA in 1997.

Type 96 MBT has a crew of three (3) persons, weights 42.8 tonnes, and measures 6.33 m in length, 3.45 m in width, and 2.30 m in height.

The standard Type 96 variant uses classified composite armor while the more advanced Type 96A had modular applique armor and FY-4 ERA plates on the hull front.

As the main armament, Type 96 tanks have a 125 mm smoothbore gun capable of firing ATGMs and depleted uranium rounds.

They are also equipped with a 12.7 mm air-defense machine gun and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, as secondary armament.

Powered by a 780 hp (582 kW) diesel engine, Type 96 has a power-to-weight ratio of 18 hp/tonne.

Type 96 has a torsion bar suspension, reaches a maximum speed of 65 km/h, and has an operational range of 400 km.

Type 96 MBT - General Data and Specifications: