Chinese researchers outline nuclear-powered tank concept with railgun
Military researchers propose 60-tonne armoured vehicle with SMR and 50-megajoule railgun, potentially debuting after 2045.
Quick Look
Chinese military researchers have outlined a conceptual plan to develop a nuclear-powered main battle tank armed with a long-range electromagnetic railgun, potentially debuting after 2045.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Chinese researchers published a peer-reviewed paper in Acta Armamentarii detailing a conceptual nuclear-powered tank design.
Further multi-physics simulations and vehicle-level testing needed before proposed systems could move towards practical deployment
Chao Kongin Beijing
Published: 8:00pm, 15 Sep 2026
Chinese military researchers have outlined an ambitious plan to develop a nuclear-powered main battle tank armed with an electromagnetic railgun capable of hitting targets up to 450km (280 miles) away, possibly debuting after 2045.
Detailed in a peer-reviewed paper published in June in the Chinese journal Acta Armamentarii, the concept envisions a 60-tonne armoured vehicle driven by a 10-megawatt-class small modular reactor (SMR) and a 50-megajoule (MJ) railgun.
The paper was written by researchers from Inner Mongolia First Machinery Group – part of China’s defence industrial system and closely associated with the development and manufacture of tanks and armoured vehicles – and the Beijing Institute of Technology.
The National Key Laboratory of Special Vehicle Design and Manufacturing Integration Technology funded the study through a special research project.
Open Questions
- What are the specific technical hurdles for the SMR integration?
- How will cooling and radiation shielding be managed?
