China’s Newest Tank Gets Off on the Wrong Foot

It appears to have some of the same quality control issues as other high-tech Chinese armaments.
China’s Newest Tank Gets Off on the Wrong Foot
A Chinese Type-96B tank performs in Russia's Tank Biathlon in the city of Alabino. Russian Ministry of Defense
|Updated:

A few months after details of a new Chinese light tank designed for mountainous terrain emerged in official channels, the state-run newspaper China Daily pronounced the tank the new pillar of the Chinese regime’s tank fleet. This most recent addition to China’s arsenal appears to have some of the same quality control issues as other high-tech Chinese armaments.

The vehicle in question is the Type 96B, also known as the ZTZ-96B, a variant of the Type 96A main battle tank that began service with the Chinese army in the 1990s. The Type 96B, like many other land-based weapons systems, was developed by the national defense industry’s Norinco company.

Photos uploaded to a Chinese military forum show the Type 96B in transport. (via cjbdy.net)
Photos uploaded to a Chinese military forum show the Type 96B in transport. via cjbdy.net
Leo Timm
Leo Timm
Author
Leo Timm is a freelance contributor to The Epoch Times. He covers Chinese politics, society, and current affairs.