Type 10 is the most modern Japanese main battle tank (MBT). This vehicle was developed as a cheaper alternative to the Type 90 MBT by deeply modernizing the hull and chassis of the Type 74 tank and installing a new turret on it. The prototype of the new tank was first shown to the public in 2008, and in 2010 it began deliveries to the military units of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. It is reported that the cost of one tank is about 6.5 million dollars per unit. It is planned that over time, this combat vehicle will replace the outdated Type 74 tanks and qualitatively complement the Type 90 tank fleet.
The first demonstration of the new tank took place on February 13, 2008. A prototype of a promising MBT was shown to reporters in the city of Sagamihara at the research center of the Japanese Ministry of Defense. Tank Type 10 has incorporated the most modern achievements in the field of tank building of recent years and was created taking into account the experience of conducting local conflicts of our time. Work on this combat vehicle began in the early 2000s, and individual structural elements were developed back in the 90s of the last century. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is the developer and manufacturer of the machine.
Tank Type 10 is made according to the classic layout, its crew consists of 3 people: a driver-mechanic located in the front of the hull, as well as a gunner and vehicle commander in a manned turret. This tank is planned to be used in the mountainous regions of the country and in confined areas of the terrain. The tank presented in the city of Sagamihara has the following overall characteristics: length - 9.42 m (with a cannon forward), width - 3.24 m, height - 2.3 m. The combat weight of the vehicle is 44 tons, while the weight Type 90 - about 50 tons (while Type 10 is less in length by 380 mm, in width by 160 mm). Both tanks have the same crew size and are equipped with automatic loaders. The main armament of the tank is a 120 mm smoothbore cannon, paired with a 7.62 mm machine gun, and a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun can also be installed on the tank.
In terms of its appearance, the Type 10 MBT is close to such modern Western tanks as the Leopard 2A6 or M1A2 Abrams, but in terms of mass it is closer to the Russian main tanks. The new tank turned out to be quite mobile, it is capable of speeds up to 70 km / h on the highway. Like its predecessors, the tank is equipped with a hydropneumatic suspension, which allows you to change the vehicle's ground clearance and tilt the tank to the right or left side. Also noteworthy is the reduction in the number of rollers - 5 per side (in comparison with the Type 90 tank), while the road wheels are relatively rarely spaced. In general, the appearance of the Type 10 suspension strongly resembles the Type 74.
The main armament of the Type 10 tank is a 120mm smoothbore cannon, which was created by Japan Steel Works (this company produces the 120mm L44 cannon for the Type 90 tank under license from the German Rheinmetall). It is also possible to install the L55 gun or a new barrel with a length of 50 calibers on the tank. The tank is compatible with all standard NATO 120mm ammunition. In the aft niche of the tank there is a new improved automatic loader (AZ). It is reported that the vehicle's ammunition consists of 28 shots, 14 of them are in AZ (on the Type 90 tank the ammunition is 40 shots, 18 of them are in AZ). Additional armament consists of a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun and a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun on the turret roof, which can be remotely controlled.
On the turret of the tank there is a panoramic day and night vision device for the tank commander, which can be easily integrated with the "new Basic Regimental Command & Control System". In comparison with the Type 90 tank, the tank commander's panoramic sight was raised and shifted to the right, which provides better observation and viewing conditions. The modern fire control system, mounted on the tank, allows you to fire at standing and moving targets. The tank is equipped with a navigation system and a digital battlefield control system.
The new Japanese tank incorporates the most modern developments in the field of creating tanks. In particular, the machine is equipped with the C4I electronic system - command, control, communications, computers, and (military) intelligence, which combines the capabilities of guidance, control, reconnaissance and communications. This system allows for automatic exchange of information between the tanks of one unit. According to the assurances of representatives of the Japanese Ministry of Defense, the MSA installed on the tank can effectively engage even small moving targets. This function, along with a modern composite modular reservation system, will allow the Type 10 tank to feel equally confident in battle both with armies armed with MBT and with partisan formations, whose main weapons are anti-tank grenade launchers. In Japan, the "anti-terrorist" potential of the vehicle is especially emphasized, as well as its ability to withstand various varieties of the Russian RPG-7.
A lot of attention was paid to the protection of the tank from RPGs during its development. Type 10 is equipped with ceramic modular composite armor, which is similar to that of the German Leopard 2A5 tank. The use of modular armor on the tank significantly increased the protection of the sides in comparison with the Type 90 MBT and allows replacing the protection modules damaged by enemy fire in the field. During the transportation of the tank, additional armor modules can be removed, which reduces the mass of the combat vehicle to 40 tons. The standard combat weight of the tank is 44 tons; with the use of additional booking modules, it can be increased to 48 tons. In addition, Type 10 is equipped with an automatic fire extinguishing system (PPO) and a collective protection system (PAZ). Smoke grenade launchers are located on the turret of the tank, which are activated by a signal from laser radiation sensors.
The tank has high mobility, which is ensured by the use of a powerful diesel engine - 1200 hp, power density is 27 hp / t. The tank has a continuously variable transmission, which allows the vehicle to reach speeds of 70 km / h both forward and backward. The use of a hydropneumatic suspension, which allows you to change the ground clearance and tilt the body of the tank, increases the cross-country ability of the combat vehicle, and when the clearance decreases, it reduces the height and visibility of the tank. Also, this solution is able to increase the range of vertical guidance angles of the gun.
It is worth noting that if in terms of the composition of weapons and speed characteristics the new Type 10 tank corresponds to the Type 90 tank adopted in 1989, then in terms of the capabilities of the FCS and other installed electronic equipment, it should surpass it.
At one time, the main claim of the Japanese military to the Type 90 tank was its very high cost - about $ 7.4 million, which is $ 3 million more than the cost of the American MBT "Abrams". Also, they were not quite satisfied with its weight and size characteristics, which prevented the independent movement of tanks within Japan and their free transportation by rail. Due to the relatively large mass of the Type 90 tank (50 tons), its movement on the roads outside the island of Hokkaido was fraught with serious problems. Not all bridges could support the weight of this tank. According to available statistics, out of 17,920 bridge crossings of the largest highways in Japan, 84% can withstand a weight of up to 44 tons, 65% - up to 50 tons, and about 40% - up to 65 tons (the mass of modern western MBTs).
Based on this, when developing the new Type 10 tank, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries listened to the wishes of the military and created a more compact and cheaper version of the tank. The 40-ton Type 10 was created taking into account the restrictions imposed by Japanese transport laws. Its weight is less than the western MBT and 10 tons lighter than its Type 90 counterpart. In accordance with Japanese laws that prohibit the use of heavy vehicles in some areas of the country, the Type 90 could not be used outside the island of Hokkaido, with the exception of a number of training centers. At the same time, the new Type 10 MBT can be transported using the most common commercial trailers.
It is reported that from 2010 to 2012, the Japanese armed forces acquired 39 Type 10 tanks. The first Type 10 tanks purchased entered service with the armored school in Fuji, and the first tank battalion, armed with new tanks, was formed in December 2012 in Komakadochutonchi. Military experts believe that in the future, the Type 10 tank can be brought to the international arms market.
