What is type 74?

Type 74 is a main battle tank that was developed and produced by Japan in the 1970s. It was the first main battle tank to be built in Japan after World War II and was designed to replace the aging Type 61 tank. The Type 74 entered service with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in 1975 and remained in service until 2007 when it was replaced by the newer Type 90 tank.

The Type 74 is armed with a 105mm rifled gun and is also equipped with a 7.62mm machine gun for anti-infantry and anti-aircraft defense. It has a crew of four, including a driver, gunner, loader, and commander. The tank has a top speed of 53 km/h on roads and 30 km/h off-road.

The Type 74 saw limited combat action during the Gulf War in 1991 when Japan deployed a contingent of tanks to support coalition forces. Overall, the Type 74 was considered to be a capable and reliable tank, although it was eventually replaced by the more modern Type 90 tank in the Japanese military.