Type 100

China's Type 100 is a medium-weight main battle tank built around an unmanned turret, active protection, hybrid propulsion and networked sensors rather than progressively heavier passive armor.

Overview

The Type 100, commonly identified as the ZTZ-100, is a People's Liberation Army Ground Force main battle tank publicly unveiled in September 2025. Chinese state media describe it as the country's first fourth-generation main battle tank, although that generational label has no universally accepted technical definition. Its configuration combines a three-person crew seated in the hull, an unmanned turret, an autoloaded gun that appears to be approximately 105 mm, phased-array radar, hard-kill active protection, augmented-reality displays and hybrid diesel-electric propulsion.

The design represents a departure from the heavier Type 99A. Rather than relying primarily on larger-calibre armament and increasing passive armor mass, the Type 100 emphasizes threat detection, networking, mobility and interception of incoming weapons. China Daily characterized it as smaller and lighter than the Type 99A, while the Global Times described it as a medium-weight tank with strong collaborative capabilities.

The tank forms part of a wider Type 100 family that includes a support vehicle using the same basic hull. Public evidence indicates low-rate initial production and PLAGF service, but China has not identified an equipped unit, published a fleet total or announced an export version.

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