7. ZTZ-96 Tank – China
Producers: Norinco
Main Users: People’s Liberation Army Unit Cost: $1–2 million* Program Cost: $4–5 billion*
China’s PLA uses the Type 96, also known as the ZTZ96, which is a second-generation main battle tank. The Type 96, which went into service in the late 1990s, is the last evolution of the Type 88. Currently, more than 2,000 Type 96s are in use, but just 814 Type 99s are. That represents a significant portion of China’s 7,000 active-duty tanks.
©Credit: commons.wikimedia.org/Vitaly Kuzmin
The primary weaponry of the Type 96 consists of a carousel autoloader-equipped, two-plane stabilized ZPT-98 smoothbore cannon. There are two primary versions of the Type 96: A and B. B was initially spotted in 2016. It features a new transmission, computer and communications system, suspension, exhaust, chassis, ventilator, and high-performance gun. It also includes an updated fire-control mechanism.
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