China NORINCO
Type 15
A lightweight main battle tank purpose-built for China's mountainous and riverine border regions where heavier Type 99A tanks cannot operate. It trades armor mass for a compact seven-road-wheel chassis and amphibious capability.
In service since 2018 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
70
km/h
450
km range
25.6
hp/t
105
mm gun
36,000
kg
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 2018. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
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 Type 15 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. | 70 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. | 25.6 hp/t |
| Muzzle velocity Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration. | 1,600 m/s |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 105 mm smoothbore with autoloader |
|---|---|
| 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. | 38 |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Armor Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified. | Modular composite armor |
|---|---|
| Active protection Hard-kill APS (Trophy, Arena, Afganit) intercepts incoming projectiles before impact. | GL5 (optional) |
| 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. | Yes |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 9.2 m |
|---|---|
| Width Overall width, matters for rail/road transport of vehicles. | 3.3 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 2.4 m |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 36,000 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. | Turbocharged diesel |
|---|---|
| Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster. | 1,000 hp |
| Fuel capacity Internal fuel volume. | 900 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. | panoramic commander's sight, thermal imaging fire control |
|---|---|
| Thermal imaging Thermal sights for night and obscured-visibility operations. | Yes |
Munition
Round type, penetration, velocity and projectile data.
| Caliber Bore diameter the round is fired from. | 105 mm |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| 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 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther 
KNDS Leclerc XLR 
KNDS Leopard 2A7 Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the NORINCO Type 15? +
The NORINCO Type 15 has a maximum speed of 70 km/h.
What is the range of the NORINCO Type 15? +
The NORINCO Type 15 has a maximum range of 450 km.
How much does the NORINCO Type 15 weigh? +
The NORINCO Type 15 has a combat weight of 36,000 kg.
How many crew does the NORINCO Type 15 require? +
The NORINCO Type 15 requires a crew of 3.
What is the main armament of the NORINCO Type 15? +
The NORINCO Type 15's primary weapon is the 105 mm smoothbore with autoloader.
What engine does the NORINCO Type 15 use? +
The NORINCO Type 15 is powered by the Turbocharged diesel.
What is the NORINCO Type 15 used for? +
The NORINCO Type 15 is a main battle tank typically used for anti armor, infantry combat.
How many countries operate the NORINCO Type 15? +
The NORINCO Type 15 is operated by 1 countries.
Similar systems
NORINCO
Type 96B
NORINCO
VT-4
NORINCO
Type 99A
NORINCO