A still from a video of Tanzania's 60th anniversary parade at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam shows the VT2 tank on its transporter. (Ikulu Tanzania)
The Tanzania People's Defence Force (TPDF) displayed a single Norinco VT2 main battle tank for the first time during the parade in Dar Es Salaam to mark the 60th anniversary of the East African country's independence on 9 December.
The VT2 is the export version of the Type 96A tank that is used in large numbers by China's People's Liberation Army but was not previously known to be in service with any other militaries.
Norinco says the VT2 has a combat weight of 42.3 tonnes, making it significantly lighter than the 52 tonne VT4 that recently entered service with the Nigerian Army. The VT2's 800 hp engine also gives it a lower power-to-weight ratio than the VT4's 1,300 hp powerpack. Both have a stabilised 125 mm smoothbore gun as their main armament.
The TPDF has previously paraded an extensively upgraded variant of the Chinese Type 59 tank known as the Type 59G in recent years but these were not shown on 9 December.
Looking to read the full article?
Gain unlimited access to Janes news and more...
