Type 90 (Kyu-maru)

History

Japanese-built Type 90 MBT in service with the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, equipped with a German-designed smoothbore 120mm Rheinmetall main gun (manufactured under license from Nippon Steel) and a computerized fire control system (FCS) from Mitsubishi Electric. Crew also get full NBC protection with passive night vision equipment.

Production of the system spanned from 1989 to 2009, by which time 341 examples had been completed.

The Type 90 MBT has a traditional layout with the engine in the rear compartment, the turret in the middle and the driver in the front hull. Unlike other "Western" MBTs, the Type 90 uses a crew of only three (instead of four), consisting of a driver, commander and gunner. The projectile loading task was then taken over by an automatic loading system - an arrangement more similar to the Soviet-Russian design. The Type 90 features a full hunter-killer outfit, allowing the tank to fire accurately while on the move. In addition to the 120mm main gun, there is a coaxial 7.62mm Type 74 machine gun and a 12.7mm M2HB heavy machine gun for aircraft defense.

Smoke grenade launchers allow vehicles to spread their own smoke screen to cover maneuvers - whether offensive or defensive.

Power is provided by a Mitsubishi 10ZG 10-cylinder diesel engine producing 1,500 hp at 2,400 rpm. The Type 90 maintains a maximum road speed of 70 km/h and a range of up to 350 km on internal fuel.

Overall, the relatively expensive Type 90 MBT is generally considered to be on par with other similar MBTs in the 50-ton class. The chassis supports several other combat configurations, including a construction vehicle with a bulldozer blade, a bridge deck with scissor blades, and a variant Armored Rescue Vehicle (ARV) with a powered winch system.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

for everyone else in our database)

Armor

35 x 120 mm projectile.

2,000 x 7.62mm ammo.

1,500 x 12.7mm ammo.

6 x Smoke Grenade.

Changes