Tank origin

The Type 85 line of main battle tanks, produced in the late 1980s, was an update to the Type 80 line. For added protection, the Type 85 tanks featured a completely welded turret fitted to the Type 80 chassis, as opposed to the cast turret previously in use. The Type 85-IIM variant, which was introduced in 1991, further modernized the design with better armor protection and an image-stabilized fire control system (FCS).