China's newest MBT: The PLA ZTZ-100 in 35th scale from Border Model

This new paint & cement-free kit from Border Model captures the new PLA ZTZ 100 main battle tank in 1/35th scale. We look at the features & the real tank in our preview...

China's newest MBT: The PLA ZTZ-100 in 35th scale from Border Model

PLA ZTZ-100 Tank

From Border Model

Kit No BN-001 

1/35th scale 

The Subject: China's

The ZTZ-100, also known as the Type 100, marks a bold leap in the evolution of Chinese armoured warfare. Unveiled publicly during the 2025 Victory Day Parade in Beijing, this fourth-generation main battle tank reflects a shift from conventional firepower towards integrated battlefield intelligence. Designed by the 201st Research Institute and manufactured at the Baotou Tank Plant, the ZTZ-100 features a hybrid propulsion system delivering up to 1,500 horsepower, enabling speeds of 80 km/h on roads and 50 km/h off-road. Its compact, unmanned turret houses a high-velocity 105 mm autoloaded main gun, capable of matching the performance of larger-calibre Western counterparts thanks to advanced propellant and kinetic energy delivery systems.

Beyond firepower, the ZTZ-100 is engineered as a mobile command node within a network-centric combat environment. It boasts a suite of panoramic optical sensors and phased array radars that feed real-time battlefield data to its crew, who are protected within a heavily armoured capsule. These systems not only enhance situational awareness but also allow the tank to coordinate with drones and other unmanned assets. The inclusion of dual GL-6 active protection systems—each with four launchers—provides robust defence against top-attack munitions, suicide drones, and anti-tank guided missiles, reinforcing the tank’s survivability in high-threat environments.

Strategically, the ZTZ-100 represents more than a technological upgrade; it signals a doctrinal pivot within the PLA towards information-dominant warfare. Its stealth-optimised hull design reduces radar and thermal signatures, while its advanced suspension system ensures stability during high-speed manoeuvres and firing on the move. Analysts suggest that the secrecy surrounding its development and the timing of its reveal were deliberate, intended to underscore China’s capability to field next-generation systems without telegraphing their operational details. As such, the ZTZ-100 is a symbol of China’s ambition to redefine the role of armored vehicles in 21st-century conflict

The kit: We have some CADs of the new kit from Border Model. It is weird that the box art isn't showing this driving over a destroyed white house 😂 – but this art showing a beach invasion might seem quite restrained by recent standards. The kit has a few features we note:

First up, this kit comes in the base tan-coloured plastic, with the digital camouflage option applied in the box – from what we understand – the original option, we thought. This kit is a cement-free kit also, with no glue required to put it together.

The turret and the weapons on it can be rotated 360 degrees & elevate & depress, just like the real thing. The hatches can be posed opened or closed, although there is no interior in this kit.

The anti-drone and electronic countermeasures suite on top of the turret is still not fully understood in the West, and Border must have had their freeze frame out on the recent PLA birthday military parade. 

This kit is not on their website yet, but Hobbylink Japan always gets their kits. Check out the Border Models website for more information...