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IFV / APC

Japan

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Type 89 IFV

Tracked infantry fighting vehicle developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, armed with a Swiss-designed 35 mm autocannon and Type 79 anti-tank missiles. Production numbers remained low due to high unit cost, limiting fleet size compared to earlier Japanese armored vehicles.

In service since 1989 · 1 operator countries

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

km/h

400

km range

mm gun

26,500

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 1989. Status: active · ~68 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.

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Performance specifications
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.	70 km/h Stronger than 28% of IFVs
Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.	400 km Bottom 6% of IFVs

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Firepower specifications
Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.	35 mm KDE autocannon; Type 79 Jyu-MAT anti-tank missiles
Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better, ammunition commonality matters.	35 mm

Protection

Armor, countermeasures and survivability.

Protection specifications
Armor Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified.	Welded steel and aluminum composite armor

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Physical specifications
Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.	6.8 m
Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.	26,500 kg
Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.	3
Troop capacity Number of embarked troops/passengers (IFV, APC, transport). Higher carries more.	7 Stronger than 30% of IFVs

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Propulsion specifications
Engine Powerplant model and type.	Mitsubishi 6SY31WA diesel engine
Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.	600 hp Stronger than 73% of IFVs

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Program specifications
Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.	68 Bottom 1% of IFVs
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.	1 Stronger than 23% of IFVs

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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