Comparing: Type 62 vs. Type 59

The development of a lightweight version of the Type 59 tank was started in 1957. The new tank was designed to fight in the mountainous and boggy terrain of South China. The first prototype was built in 1962. Later the vehicle underwent several modernizations.

Chinese medium tank. Initially, the vehicle was a copy of the Soviet medium T-54A tank. The Type 59 entered service in 1959. The first tanks manufactured had no gun stabilizer or night-vision device. Later the vehicle underwent several modernizations. Between 6,000 and 9,500 vehicles of all variants were manufactured from 1958 through 1987.