
Chinese engineers based many of the tank’s designs and structure on the Soviet T-72 MBT.

Later in that decade, Beijing turned its attention to developing a homegrown third-generation tank to coincide with the People’s Republic of China’s eighth five-year plan. The Type 99 MBT is derived from China’s older Type 88 MBT first introduced in the late 1980s. China’s MBT is considered on par with near-peers like Russia’s T-14 Armata and South Korea’s K2 Black Panther, and it could be a tough competitor for America’s own M1 Abrams family of tanks if put head-to-head on the battlefield. In addition to modern armor, the vehicle is fitted with enhanced fire control systems, advanced communications features, and a more lethal gun. While the country’s aerial progress over the last 20 years has been noted, less known is that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has also created a formidable main battle tank.īeijing’s Type 99, also known as ZTZ-99, is a third-generation battle tank. air superiority, China created its own fifth-generation fighter jet, the Chengdu J-20. Meet the Type 99: Over the last two decades, Beijing has worked tirelessly to design and develop homegrown counters to America’s formidable airframes.
