Editing Type 96B (section)

==History==
Class: Main Battle Tank (Prototype)</br>
Developed: 2015-2016</br>
Service: 2016+</br>
Vehicles Built: cca 12 (sources vary, some claim as many as 200)</br>
Operators: China

The Type 96B MBT is an upgraded variant of the Type 96A. Even though both vehicles look roughly similar in shape, the Type 96B has a number of upgrades. It allegedly has improved frontal armor, equal to the newer Type 99 models. The turret also features new elements such as a different, laser rangefinder above the gun, new gun optics and a new weather sensor at the back of the turret.

These changes are connected to the presence of a new, more advanced fire control system for the 125mm smoothbore gun, making it more accurate compared to its predecessor and decreasing its reaction time. It only takes roughly 6 seconds from the discovery of the target to the first shot. The vehicle is also rumored to use brand-new APFSDS shells, capable of penetrating more than 700mm of armor at 2km. The engine part of the vehicle has also been overhauled. The original 730hp turbocharged diesel engine of the Type 96A was changed to a smaller but more powerful 150HB 8-cylinder diesel, rumored to produce anywhere between 1000hp and 1300hp. Many other smaller improvements are also present.

The Type 96B appeared in public for the first time in 2016 when it participated in the annual Tank Biathlon contest on the Alabino polygon in Russia. The event took place in July and August 2016 and China won the second place with the Type 96B and its crew only defeated by the Russian team.

Not much else is known about this new Type 96 variant, nor are there any announced plans for the Chinese military to convert its fleet of Type 96A tanks into Type 96Bs. According to some Chinese sources, the Chinese military isn’t really happy with the tank and the development of the Type 96 platform will continue.