Tank origin

Although the People’s Republic of China used the Soviet T-54A as the foundation for the tank that would become the Type 59, by the 1980s, its relationship with the U.S. had warmed. In 1988, it began a project with U.S. manufacturer Cadillac Gage to update the Type 59. Two prototypes were built; the design, known as the Jaguar, included a rifled 105mm main gun, appliqué armor, and a new fire control system.