Looking at its exterior, the biggest difference between the new Type 100 tank and its predecessors is the futuristic, unmanned turret that houses the main weapon, which appears to be a 105-millimeter-caliber gun, a coaxial machine gun and a remote-controlled weapon station.  

Previously, all Chinese tanks were built with manned turrets, with a commander and gunner inside.

An unmanned turret has several advantages. It can store more ammunition and mission payloads, and more armor can be used to protect the tank's hull, which houses the crew.  

Also mounted on top of the turret is an active protection system that works with a quad-faced phased array radar.  

The radar is responsible for conducting 360-degree threat detection. As soon as it spots an incoming shell, rocket or missile, it will track the threat and guide the protection system to fire a mini rocket to destroy the target at short range.

There are also multiple cameras and sensors distributed around the battle machine to detect potential threats.  

Yu Shuo, a defense industry observer, said the Type 100 features good strategic and tactical mobility, meaning it can be rapidly deployed by air and road.  

He said the new type is likely to be propelled by a hybrid power pack, making it much quieter than previous Chinese tanks. This enables the tank to move silently and launch surprise attacks. The hybrid power pack also gives the tank the ability to use high-power weaponry such as anti-drone lasers.

Though the new tank is a lot lighter than its predecessors, it is still able to eliminate heavy-duty tanks covered with thick armor and can fend off incoming armor-piercing ammunition.  

Besides its own weapons, the new type is capable of controlling and organizing other unmanned planes and ground vehicles in combat, Yu said.  

"These uncrewed platforms will become a 'force multiplier' to the tank units. They will provide longer reconnaissance and hit ranges, and better situational awareness to the crew. Their presence will also reduce the possibility of direct encounters between our tanks and the enemy's, thus improving the crew's survivability," he explained.

"We can call the Type 100 a revolutionary model and the best in all operating tanks on Earth," he stated.  

Yu added that the combat support vehicle that appeared after the Type 100 in the parade will be a close partner to the new tank.  

The vehicle also has mighty automatic weapons, an advanced radar and sensors, and an active protection system. Moreover, it is equipped with a vertical launching system capable of firing missiles and loitering munitions — small strike drones that can maintain a holding pattern in the air while scanning for targets, according to him.

"The use of loitering munitions enables our armor units to detect and take out enemy targets from afar, before the enemies know where we are," the observer said.  

Besides large equipment, Yu said there is a small but notable device used by crew members on the Type 100 — the augmented reality-enabled headset.  

An AR headset is connected to external cameras and sensors mounted on the tank, providing its crew with a real-time, 360-degree view of the battlefield. This literally allows operators to "see through" the armor of their vehicle. Furthermore, it can display information about the vehicle's systems.  

In addition to improving visibility, the device is likely to allow for direct control of the tank's weapons, which means the gunner can identify targets simply by turning his head or focusing his gaze, and the turret and weapons move automatically.

Xiao Ning, chief editor of Weapon magazine, speculated that the new-generation tank will have a good "intranet system" that connects its inner instruments and helps crew members communicate better.  

He also echoed Yu's remarks about drones, stating that in future warfare, unmanned platforms will play an indispensable role in armor combat that has long been dominated by tanks.  

A land armament researcher who wished to be identified as Song said that despite many people claiming tanks have become "obsolete" after seeing "tragic stories of tanks in recent conflicts", it has been proven that the big machines are still irreplaceable in armored warfare and counter-insurgency operations.

"Therefore, we need to continue to upgrade our tanks to make them fit in evolving war patterns," he said.  

According to Song, after studying the essential elements of next-generation tanks for many years, designers and engineers in military powers have reached a general consensus: new-generation hardware should include at least a partially electric propulsion system, an active protection system, an unmanned turret, battlefield information processors and network-centric warfare operation capability.  

"Considering technological and technical advancements over these past years, we no longer classify tanks based on the caliber of their main guns and the thickness of their armor plates as researchers did to the previous three generations of tanks. Instead, we now categorize them in accordance with how many new technologies and apparatuses they possess. Therefore, it is fair to call the Type 100 a fourth-generation model," he said.

The researcher also explained the reasons why the Type 100 is smaller and lighter than the Type 99A.  

"The new tank will be deployed not only in conventional combat scenarios like those on flatland or a plateau, but also in urban battles and counter-insurgency operations, so its overall design must fit in all of those environments. Moreover, factors such as road conditions, air transport capacity and manufacturing and operational costs have decided that new tanks should not be bigger and heavier than the previous ones," he said.  

The current cornerstone of China's armored forces, the Type 99A, was introduced in the early 2000s. Its contents include a diesel engine, reactive armor, a 120-mm smooth-bore gun and a modern fire-control system.

In addition to the new tank, the Chinese military displayed during the parade several new airborne fighting vehicles that are expected to tremendously enhance the operational capability of its paratroopers.  

Multiple combat support robots in service with the People's Liberation Army Ground Force were also carried by trucks to take part in the event.

Source: By Zhao Lei | China Daily | Updated: 2025-09-04 09:32

There was no shortage of pageantry at Wednesday’s military parade in Beijing, but beyond the spectacle, it also provided the first good look at China’s latest military hardware. New missiles, drones and other high-tech equipment have been added to its arsenal as part of a massive modernization program with the goal, according to the official parade announcers, of producing a force “with both nuclear and conventional capabilities able to deter wars in all battle spaces.”

Here are some of the highlights:

New nukes

China’s nuclear arsenal still lags far behind that of the United States and Russia, but it has been rapidly expanding. In its annual report to Congress on China, the U.S. Department of Defense estimated that Beijing now has more than 600 warheads and will have more than 1,000 by 2030.  

The parade featured many of the missiles capable of delivering those warheads, from air, sea and land. China’s official Xinhua News Agency said it was the first time the military’s “triad of strategic nuclear forces was presented in a concentrated fashion,” calling it “China’s strategic trump card for safeguarding national sovereignty and defending national dignity.”

The display of the three systems together is noteworthy, said Meia Nouwens, senior fellow for Chinese security and defense policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.

“All of that, of course, goes back to this key point about deterrence and the messaging that the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) and Xi Jinping are seeking to send to the U.S. and other partners and allies in the region and further afield,” she said.  

Among the nuclear-capable missiles seen was the DF-61, a new intercontinental ballistic missile which can be fired from a mobile launching platform. Details on its capabilities are scant, but its predecessor has a range of more than 12,000 kilometers (7,500 miles) and can carry multiple warheads. It also debuted the newest variant of the silo-based DF-5, the DF-5C, whose range has been estimated at 20,000 kilometers.  

Also featured were the JL-1 air-launched long-range missile and the JL-3 sea-launched missile, both of which are also nuclear-capable.

More missiles

The parade saw the debut of other new missiles, including several designed to attack ships. These are likely of particular interest to the U.S., whose naval power is a key component of its Asia-Pacific defense strategy.  

China claims the self-governing democracy of Taiwan as its own, and Xi has not ruled out taking the island by force. In the event of a Chinese invasion, if the U.S. were to come to Taiwan’s aid, China would need to hold off the U.S. Navy long enough to consolidate control of the island.  

China has already built the world’s largest navy, though it is still well behind the U.S. in the number of aircraft carriers it has. It could use missiles, however, to try to keep American carriers out of effective range.

The parade showcased for the first time the YJ-15, YJ-17, YJ-19 and YJ-20 anti-ship missiles, all capable of operating at long ranges and hypersonic, making them difficult to intercept.  

It also displayed missiles meant to intercept incoming anti-ship missiles, including the HQ-16C and HQ10A, and presented the aircraft-carrier version of the J-35 stealth multirole fighter for the first time.  

“These are capabilities that are increasingly meant to signal to the United States they should think twice about entering into a conflict, if there ever is one, in support of Taiwan,” Nouwens said.

Drones from above, drones from below

Seven types of reconnaissance and attack aerial drones were on display that were not immediately identified by official commentators, but some of which appeared to be new.

A small surface drone ship was also on display but not identified, as well as carrier-based uncrewed helicopters.  

China also showed off two submarine drones, the older-model HSU001 and debuting the much larger AJX002. China’s official Xinhua News Agency called them “cutting-edge surprise weapons for naval combat” designed for “covert deployment and blockade, autonomous detection and identification, and swarm-networked attacks.”  

“Long gone are the days where China was reliant on Russia or other foreign systems,” wrote Mick Ryan, a retired Australian army major general and analyst at the Lowy Institute, in a research note on the drones and other systems on display. “This level of indigenous capacity infers high levels of sustainability in any future conflict.”

Still, he cautioned, “newer does not always mean better.”  

“While most Western military equipment has been tested in Iraq, Ukraine and elsewhere, none of China’s new kit has.”

Source: Associated Press by David Rising  Updated 6:34 AM PDT, September 3, 2025

Thought to be the largest military parade in China’s history, the event marked the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat and the end of the Second World War.  

And while the parade was largely shunned by Western countries, Xi Jinping was flanked by Russian president Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un alongside around two-dozen leaders from mostly developing countries and those keen to challenge the US-led world order.

The world's second-largest economy, which allocated about £186bn for their 2025 defense budget, showcased hypersonic missiles, a new generation of nuclear triad, long-range missiles, anti-drone systems, strategic bombers, and stealth drones – most of them for the first time.  

The parade began with an 80-gun artillery salute to mark the 80 years since the end of the war. Helicopters trailing large banners and fighter jets flew in formation above during the showcase thick with symbolism and propaganda which culminated in the release of 80,000 peace doves and colorful balloons.

In his speech, the Chinese president warned that the world must choose between "peace and war". Before the military units began marching, Xi drove past their formations along Beijing's central Chang'an Avenue in a classic black limousine.  

He stood in the vehicle's sunroof with four microphones lined in front of him and greeted flanks of personnel as he passed them and rows of missiles and military vehicles. Marching in the parade were traditional People's Liberation Army units from the police, navy and army, but also new ones like the cyberspace unit for the first time.

Hypersonic missiles designed to take out ships at sea, a liquid-fueled intercontinental strategic nuclear missile with the "entire world under its strike range" and space defense systems that could take out foreign satellites, were among some of the most impressive military hardware that China revealed for the world to witness its potential, according to the state media Global Times.

These weapons are of particular concern to the US Navy, which patrols the western Pacific from its 7th Fleet headquarters in Japan.

YJ missiles

The Chinese military displayed the new YJ-15 missile along with its pre-existing YJ-17, YJ-19 and YJ-20 hypersonic missiles.

The YJ missiles, short for "Ying Ji" or “eagle attack", can be launched from ships or aircraft and are designed to inflict critical damage on large vessels. China is rapidly advancing in hypersonic weapons technology, a field that has drawn global attention for its ability to evade traditional defense systems.  

The anti-ship YJ-21, known as the “carrier killer”, is intended to be used against high-value naval targets. The YJ-21 is capable of supersonic speeds and likely has a range over 600km, according to a Bloomberg report.

Sea drones

China displayed two types of extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles (XLUUVs). The sea drone AJX002 is estimated to be around 60ft long, according to reports. Their torpedo-shaped hulls and pump-jet propulsion systems revealed that the underwater vehicles were built to be stealthy.  

The AJX002 features four lifting lugs along its hull, indicating that it is crane-assisted. China operates the world's largest XLUUV program with at least five distinct types already in the water, according to reports.

Nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles

China showcased three types of nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles – Dong Feng-61 , Dong Feng-31BJ, and the Dong Feng 5C – for the first time during the victory day parade.  

The Chinese Army also revealed its first air-launched nuclear missile, the JL-1, which was displayed on a military truck. The JL-1 and JL-3, together with the DF-61 and DF-31, mark the “first concentrated display” of the Chinese army's “land, sea and air triad strategic nuclear forces", according to state media CCTV.

According to Global Times, the Dong Feng 5C has an estimated range of more than 20,000km and features improvements in defense penetration and precision.  

The DF-5C intercontinental strategic nuclear missile has the entire globe under its strike range, the state media added. Experts say the new variant of the Dong Feng 5C is capable of carrying up to 12 warheads on a single missile.

Other Chinese missiles also featured in the parade that have previously been seen and documented, included cruise missiles – the Changjian-20A, Yingji-18C, Changjian-1000 – and hypersonic missiles such as the Dong Feng-17 and Dong Feng-26D, which China's state media said were equipped with "all-weather combat capabilities".

Space defense system

The HQ-29 space defense system, capable of taking down foreign satellites, was displayed for the first time at the parade in a prominent display of aerial power.  

While not much is known about its exact capabilities, the large size implies an extreme range similar to the US Navy’s SM-3 Block IIA, which can be launched from land or ship.

Laser weapons

The Chinese military displayed two versions of ship-based “directed energy" laser weapons at the parade. While one of them was clearly designed for naval air defense, the other one, mounted on a truck, was meant to protect ground troops.  

Beijing has been developing laser weapons as a defense against drone attacks and other low-end threats due to the weapons being cost-effective when compared to using a missile or radar-directed gun.  

The full range of its anti-drone systems on display at the parade included a missile gun, high-energy laser weapons and high-power microwave weapons.

Source: The Independent by Alisha Rahaman Sarkar  Wednesday 03 September 2025 09:07 EDT