Type 74

Japan's second domestically developed main battle tank, notable for its hydropneumatic suspension allowing the hull to tilt and kneel. Largely retired from frontline units, small numbers remain in reserve and training roles.

In service since 1975 · 1 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

km/h

300

km range

18.4

hp/t

105

mm gun

38,000

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

National export licensing

Subject to Japan export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.

Channel: Direct commercial / G2G

Fielded & proven

Limited · 1 operator

In service since 1975. Status: legacy · ~893 built.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from.

Interoperability

105 mm NATO

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.

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.: 53 km/h

Bottom 9% of main battle tanks
Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.: 300 km

Bottom 1% of main battle tanks
Power-to-weight Engine power per tonne of vehicle weight. Higher means better acceleration and cross-country mobility.: 18.4 hp/t

Stronger than 15% of main battle tanks
Muzzle velocity Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration.: 1,478 m/s

Bottom 4% of main battle tanks

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.: 105 mm L7 rifled gun (licensed)
Secondary armament Additional weapons: coaxial MG, remote weapon station, gun pods.: 12.7 mm + 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun
Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.: 105 mm
Ammunition Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.: 55

Top 7% of main battle tanks

Protection

Armor, countermeasures and survivability.

Armor Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified.: Cast and welded steel armor
Reactive armor Explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks that disrupt shaped-charge jets.: No
Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers.: smoke grenade launchers
NBC protection Sealed crew compartment with overpressure filtration for nuclear/biological/chemical environments.: No

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.: 9.09 m
Width Overall width — matters for rail/road transport of vehicles.: 3.18 m
Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.: 2.25 m
Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.: 38,000 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.: Mitsubishi 10ZF 10-cylinder diesel
Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.: 720 hp

Bottom 10% of main battle tanks
Fuel capacity Internal fuel volume.: 950 L
Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…: Diesel

Sensors & avionics

Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.

Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.: laser rangefinder
Thermal imaging Thermal sights for night and obscured-visibility operations.: No

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.: 893

Stronger than 72% of main battle tanks
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 1

Stronger than 23% of main battle tanks

Specifications compiled from public Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

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