ZTZ-96B is a modernized variant of the Chinese ZTZ-96A main battle tank. The primary upgrades focus on improvements to the reliability and enhanced mobility. While retaining the base platform of the ZTZ-96 family, the suspension design incorporates a number of refinements. In addition, an upgraded powerplant has been installed, resulting in improved vehicle agility.

The ZTZ-96B’s main armament is a 125 mm Type 99A gun with an ammunition capacity of 40 rounds. It is supplemented by a 12.7 mm QJC88A machine gun and a 7.62 mm Type 86 machine gun for engaging light vehicles and personnel. The ZTZ-96B’s ammunition suite provides a versatile set of options for battlefield missions: APFSDS rounds for countering heavily armored targets, including the effective DTC10-125 APFSDS; tandem-charge ATGMs for defeating explosive reactive armor; as well as high-explosive fragmentation rounds. The vehicle is equipped with night-vision devices, eight smoke grenade launchers, and a thermal smoke system, enabling rapid concealment, disengagement from enemy fire, and repositioning.