Documents
Pakistan Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT)
Al-Zarrar
A deep modernization of the Chinese-origin Type 59 tank carried out by Heavy Industries Taxila, fitting a new 125 mm smoothbore gun, upgraded fire control, composite armor and a more powerful engine to extend the service life of Pakistan's older tank fleet.
In service since 2004 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
55
km/h
450
km range
16.7
hp/t
125
mm gun
40,000
kg
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
National export licensing
Subject to Pakistan export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2004. Status: active · ~400 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the Al-Zarrar can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 55 km/h |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 450 km |
| Power-to-weight Engine power per tonne of vehicle weight. Higher means better acceleration and cross-country mobility. | 16.7 hp/t |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 125 mm smoothbore gun |
|---|---|
| Secondary armament Additional weapons: coaxial MG, remote weapon station, gun pods. | 12.7 mm + 7.62 mm machine guns |
| Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better, ammunition commonality matters. | 125 mm |
| Ammunition Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity. | 39 |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Armor Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified. | Composite armor upgrade package |
|---|---|
| Reactive armor Explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks that disrupt shaped-charge jets. | No |
| NBC protection Sealed crew compartment with overpressure filtration for nuclear/biological/chemical environments. | Yes |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 9 m |
|---|---|
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 40,000 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 4 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 12-cylinder Type 59-derived diesel (upgraded) |
|---|---|
| Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster. | 730 hp |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Diesel |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 400 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
Specifications compiled from public Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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What is the top speed of the Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar? +
The Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar has a maximum speed of 55 km/h.
What is the range of the Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar? +
The Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar has a maximum range of 450 km.
How much does the Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar weigh? +
The Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar has a combat weight of 40,000 kg.
How many crew does the Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar require? +
The Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar requires a crew of 4.
What is the main armament of the Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar? +
The Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar's primary weapon is the 125 mm smoothbore gun.
What engine does the Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar use? +
The Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar is powered by the 12-cylinder Type 59-derived diesel (upgraded).
What is the Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar used for? +
The Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar is a main battle tank typically used for anti armor.
How many countries operate the Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar? +
The Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar cost? +
Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) Al-Zarrar: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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