Documents
China NORINCO
ZTZ-99A
The most advanced production main battle tank of China's People's Liberation Army, featuring a welded turret, composite and explosive reactive armor, and a laser warning receiver linked to a soft-kill countermeasure suite. It represents the culmination of China's Type 99 tank family.
In service since 2011 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01
80
km/h
600
km range
25.7
hp/t
125
mm gun
58,000
kg
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Chinese state channel
State export agencies (NORINCO/CATIC); limited availability to Western-aligned states.
Channel: State export agency
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2011. Status: active · ~600 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 ZTZ-99A 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. | 80 km/h |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 600 km |
| Power-to-weight Engine power per tonne of vehicle weight. Higher means better acceleration and cross-country mobility. | 25.7 hp/t |
| Muzzle velocity Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration. | 1,760 m/s |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 125 mm smoothbore (autoloaded) |
|---|---|
| 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. | 42 |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Armor Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified. | Composite armor with explosive reactive armor |
|---|---|
| Active protection Hard-kill APS (Trophy, Arena, Afganit) intercepts incoming projectiles before impact. | GL5 soft/hard-kill system (reported) |
| Reactive armor Explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks that disrupt shaped-charge jets. | Yes |
| Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers. | laser warning receiver, smoke grenade launchers, ERA |
| 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. | 11 m |
|---|---|
| Width Overall width, matters for rail/road transport of vehicles. | 3.4 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 2.35 m |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 58,000 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 3 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 150HB diesel |
|---|---|
| Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster. | 1,500 hp |
| 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. | hunter-killer fire control, panoramic commander sight |
|---|---|
| Thermal imaging Thermal sights for night and obscured-visibility operations. | Yes |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 600 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
Specifications compiled from public NORINCO and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.
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What is the top speed of the NORINCO ZTZ-99A? +
The NORINCO ZTZ-99A has a maximum speed of 80 km/h.
What is the range of the NORINCO ZTZ-99A? +
The NORINCO ZTZ-99A has a maximum range of 600 km.
How much does the NORINCO ZTZ-99A weigh? +
The NORINCO ZTZ-99A has a combat weight of 58,000 kg.
How many crew does the NORINCO ZTZ-99A require? +
The NORINCO ZTZ-99A requires a crew of 3.
What is the main armament of the NORINCO ZTZ-99A? +
The NORINCO ZTZ-99A's primary weapon is the 125 mm smoothbore (autoloaded).
What engine does the NORINCO ZTZ-99A use? +
The NORINCO ZTZ-99A is powered by the 150HB diesel.
What is the NORINCO ZTZ-99A used for? +
The NORINCO ZTZ-99A is a main battle tank typically used for anti armor, infantry combat.
How many countries operate the NORINCO ZTZ-99A? +
The NORINCO ZTZ-99A is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the NORINCO ZTZ-99A cost? +
NORINCO ZTZ-99A: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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