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Armoured vehicles1973 –…
Armored personnel carrier
Type 73 armored personnel carrier is a armored personnel carrier originating in Japan. It was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries , Komatsu Limited. Reported operators include Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.
JapanArmored personnel carrier
Japan
1973 –…
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
Technical Research and Development Institute
1967 –1973
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries , Komatsu Limited
¥ 100 million
1973 –1994
338
See Variants
13.3 t (14.7 short tons)
5.80 m (19.0 ft)
2.90 m (9.5 ft)
2.21 m (7.3 ft)
4
8
Aluminium
12.7 mm M2HB heavy machine gun
7.62 mm Type 74 bow machine gun
Mitsubishi 4ZF 2-stroke V4 air-cooled diesel 300 hp (220 kW) (2,200 rpm)
22.56 hp/t (16.82 kW/t)
Automatic (4 forward, 1 reverse gear)
Torsion bar
0.4 m (16 in)
450 L (120 US gal)
300 km (190 mi)
60 km/h (37 mph) (road) 6 km/h (3.7 mph) (water)
Japan : 220 operational as of 2024 , primarily in the 7th Division and in small numbers in the 8th Division for disaster response purposes , while being superseded by the Type 96 in the armored personnel carrier role.
The Type 73 armored personnel carrier ( 73式装甲車 , nana-san-shiki-soukou-sya ) is a Japanese tracked armored personnel carrier .
In 1967, the Defense Agency 's Technical Research and Development Institute issued a requirement for a new armored personnel carrier to replace the Type 60 . Concerns were raised that the Type 60 cannot be equipped with nuclear, biological, and chemical protection equipment. The requirements included a maximum speed of over 60 km/h (37 mph), ability to carry 12 men including the crew, being fully amphibious, having all-welded aluminium armor, provision for the infantry to use their small arms from inside the vehicle, and being armed with a 20 mm autocannon , a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun , and a 7.62 mm machine gun .
Developing the engine began before the vehicle prototyping efforts. Mitsubishi developed the ZF series air-cooled diesel engines with the aim of increasing parts commonality between Japan Ground Self-Defense vehicles. Depending on the platform power requirements, an engine with the appropriate number of cylinders was selected. For example, the Type 74 tank used the 10-cylinder 10ZF, the Type 75 155 mm self-propelled howitzer utilised the 6-cylinder 6ZF, and the 4-cylinder 4ZF was mounted on the Type 73 and the Type 74 105 mm self-propelled howitzer .
Mitsubishi's aluminium model was chosen for operational use and standardised as the Type 73 in December 1973. Mitsubishi was the prime contractor and the tracks were made by Komatsu, while Hitachi was in charge of manufacturing the vehicle's transmission system.
During development, mounting a 20 mm autocannon was also tested. The autocannon would have been produced under licence from Rheinmetall . However, plans to install an autocannon on production vehicles were postponed and eventually cancelled due to associated costs.
Serial production of the Type 73 started in 1973. By 1994, a total of 338 vehicles had been produced. The Type 96 armored personnel carrier is slowly replacing the Type 73 in Japan Ground Self-Defence Force service , although 220 vehicles remain in use by 2024.
The Type 73 has a 12.7 mm M2HB heavy machine gun with 600 rounds of ammunition and a 7.62 mm Type 74 bow machine gun with 4,500 rounds available. The M2HB heavy machine gun can be operated remotely from within the vehicle, but it has little elevation as a consequence and is of limited use against aerial threats. The gunner's cupola can traverse a full 360°, but the bow gunner's weapon can only traverse, elevate, and depress 30°. The mounted infantry can fire their personal weapons from inside the vehicle through six T-shaped firing ports . The eight troops are seated on four folding seats on both sides of the rear of the vehicle facing each other.
While the Type 73 is amphibious , it requires additional equipment for travelling on water. Preparation for amphibious operations takes about 30 minutes, after which the Type 73 is able to traverse water bodies propelled by its tracks at 6 km/h (3.7 mph). The Type 73 is fitted with infra-red driving lights, can be equipped with a passive periscope for night driving , and has a nuclear, biological, and chemical protection system as standard equipment.
The Type 74 105 mm self-propelled howitzer , produced by Komatsu, which used a version of the Type 73 chassis that shared components with Komatsu's SUB 2 prototype.
The Type 75 130 mm multiple rocket launcher , manufactured by Komatsu, with a chassis that utilised components from Komatsu's SUB 2 prototype.
The Type 75 155 mm self-propelled howitzer , which was produced by Mitsubishi.
The Type 75 wind measurement vehicle , manufactured by Komatsu, which supported the Type 75 130 mm multiple rocket launcher in service.
In addition, the Type 76 counter-battery radar system includes a vehicle built by Komatsu that uses a modified Type 74 105 mm self-propelled howitzer chassis, itself a derivative of the Type 73. The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency has also adapted a Type 73 chassis for testing hybrid electric propulsion.
Mitsubishi 's SUB 1 prototype with a turret for a 20 mm autocannon at Camp Kasumigaura
Komatsu 's SUB 2 prototype with a turret for a 20 mm autocannon at Camp Tsuchiura
A close-up view of the 7.62 mm bow machine gun mount on Komatsu's SUB 2 prototype at Camp Tsuchiura
A close-up view of the turret for a 20 mm autocannon on Komatsu's SUB 2 prototype at Camp Tsuchiura
Reference text from Wikipedia contributors, used under CC BY-SA 4.0.
True scale
Sourced dimensions beside a 1.75 m human reference.
Type 73 armored personnel carrier equipment records. Variants, orders and quantities are shown as reported in each inventory source; coverage is incomplete.
JapanGround Self-Defense Force exact named equipment holdings: Type-73. Active, operational-reserve and training units excluding equipment in store; November 2025 IISS assessment. Named service only; no parent-force or national total inferred. Source role: ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLES / APC (T). Original estimates, ranges, reporting names, reserve, lease and employment scopes retained; nested included counts are not added. Missile-system quantities mean launchers, not rounds. No readiness, crew, carried weapon, payload, factory-production or future order count inherited.