Type 73 armored personnel carrier

The Type 73 armored personnel carrier is a Japanese tracked armored personnel carrier produced by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which entered service with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in 1973. In 1967 the Technical Research and Development Institute of the Defense Agency asked for a vehicle to replace the Type 60, one that could carry twelve men including the crew, exceed 60 kilometres per hour, swim, and be fitted with nuclear, biological and chemical protection. Mitsubishi and Komatsu each built two prototypes in 1969, and Mitsubishi's aluminium design was standardised in December 1973, with Mitsubishi as prime contractor, Komatsu making the tracks and Hitachi the transmission. The Type 73 has an uncommon mid-engine layout, with a Mitsubishi 4ZF two-stroke air-cooled V4 diesel beside the bow gunner, a 12.7 mm M2HB heavy machine gun, and six firing ports so that the troops can fire from inside. It needs about 30 minutes of preparation before swimming at 6 km/h on its tracks. A total of 338 had been produced by 1994, the wheeled Type 96 is slowly replacing it, and 220 remained in use in 2024.