Type 61
Summary
| Origin country | 🇯🇵 Japan |
| Category | Main Battle Tank |
| Sub-type | Medium Main Battle Tank |
| Manufacturer | Mitsubishi |
| Number built | 560 units |
Technical specifications
| Crew | 4 personnels |
| Range | 200 km |
| Mass | 35.0 tons |
| Height | 2.5 m (8.2 ft) |
| Width | 2.95 m (9.7 ft) |
| Length | 8.19 m (26.9 ft) |
| Max. speed | 45 km/h (28 mph) |
| Engine | Mitsubishi Type 12 HM21 Turbo-Diesel with 600 hp |
| Weapon 1 | 1 Type 61 90mm gun |
| Weapon 2 | 1 M2 HB 12.7mm machine gun |
| Weapon 3 | 1 7.62mm M240 coaxial machine gun |
| Weapon 4 | 1 7.62mm M240 machine gun |
Further Reading
As an Amazon Associate, we may earn from qualifying purchases.
Historical operators
Description
The Type 61 is a main battle tank developed for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Following the cessation of domestic armored vehicle production after World War II, Japan initially utilized American M4A3E8 Sherman and M24 Chaffee tanks. The requirement for a domestic design emerged as Japanese industry began producing spare parts for these vehicles and accumulating technical knowledge of American tank maintenance and design. In 1955, the Technical Research and Development Institute was directed to develop a new tank capable of mounting a 90mm main gun. Design selection involved a choice between a lighter chassis optimized for Japanese terrain and a larger design capable of supporting the required armament; the latter was selected. Four prototypes, designated STA1 through STA4, were tested between 1956 and 1960, with the design entering service in 1961.
The vehicle features a conventional layout with a central turret and a rear-mounted engine. The hull is constructed of welded steel and the turret of cast steel. It is operated by a crew of four, including a commander, driver, gunner, and loader. The primary armament is a 90mm rifled gun featuring a t-shaped muzzle brake and a horizontally sliding breechblock. Secondary armament consists of a 7.62mm M1919A4 coaxial machine gun and a 12.7mm M2 Browning machine gun mounted on the commander’s cupola. Fire control equipment includes a stereoscopic rangefinder for the commander and a telescopic sight and periscope for the gunner. The tank is powered by a Mitsubishi V12 turbocharged air-cooled diesel engine with a manual transmission and controlled differential steering. The suspension system utilizes torsion bars with hydraulic shock absorbers on the first, second, and sixth road wheels.
The Type 61 was produced in several hundred units and operated exclusively by the JGSDF. During its deployment, the tank received upgrades including infrared searchlights and smoke grenade launchers. It was supplemented by the Type 74 starting in 1980. The JGSDF phased the vehicle out of service in the 1990s, and all units were decommissioned by 2000. Specialist variants based on the Type 61 chassis include the Type 67 Armored Vehicle Launch Bridge and the Type 70 Armored Recovery Vehicle.