The Japanese Type 90 Main Battle Tank is one of the most advanced tanks in the world, and bears a close resemblance in appearance and performance to Germany's Leopard II.

Courtesy of Nifty

The vehicle is conventional in layout, with the 1500hp diesel engine at the rear, which provides an excellent power to weight ratio for this 50 ton vehicle, propelling it at up to 70km/hr on roads. A large centrally-mounted turret with an overhanging bustle holds the commander and gunner, while the driver is in the forward left part of the hull.

Main armament comprises a Rheinmetall 120mm smoothbore gun, essentially the same as fitted to the M1 Abrams and Leopard II tanks, guided by a fully modern digital fire control system. Unlike those vehicles, however, the Type 90 features a Mitsubishi-designed autoloader that has a ready load of 20 rounds stowed in the turret bustle, with additional main gun ammunition stowed in the right forward hull next to the driver. Secondary armament consists of a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun, and a .50 caliber machine gun mounted on the commander's cupola for air defense.

Like its contemporaries, the Type 90 features laminate armor designed by the Kyoto Ceramics Company, and has the slab-sided features typical of most vehicles incorporating this type of armor.

One unusual feature of the Type 90 is its use of a hydropneumatic suspension system, which allows the driver to adjust the hull's ground clearance from 200mm to 600mm, as well as control the vehicle's attitude on sloping terrain.