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Japan's Military
95 Class Laser Tank

DAG-MB96

This maser tank first appeared in Godzilla vs Destoroyah, which was set in 1996. It is actually two components:
The 30t6 truck pulls the CLT-95, which contains a powerful freeze cannon and missile tubes.The "MB" stands for
"Main Battle (Tank?)" and the "DAG" means "Defense Against Godzilla"

 

The CLT-95 tank's primary weapon was an unfolding "super-low temperature laser cannon" capable of freezing to -183°C (-216.5°F). It also carried two launchers of eight freeze missiles contained in tubes. Both weapons were on a rotatable platform.

In the movie, the CLT-95 worked alongside the MBT-92 and MBAW-93 using freeze lasers and missiles. They were
first sent to Ariake, where they had a modicum of success against the human-sized Destoroyahs. However, the creatures
merged into the Aggregate, causing devastating losses among the tank forces. Later, the survivors limped
over to the final battle, supporting the Super X-3 in its assault on Destoroyah and later Godzilla.

 


Length:
Width:
Height:
Weight:
Max Speed:
Crew:

Click to see the


18.8m (62 ft)
8.4m (28 ft)
7.9m (26 ft)
133 tons
100 km/h (60mph)
2 soldiers

  schematics

About the CLT-95, designer Shinji Nishikawa said: "I originally designed the MB 96 for [a 1990 proposed film]
Mothra vs Bagan. Since the movie was going to feature Mothra, there was going to be a device similar to the
Atomic Heat Gun in it. When MvB was cancelled, the members of Toho's special effects staff began trying to
find a way to use my design in some other film. They finally did when GvD went into pre-production. "

For vs Biollante, he designed the final form with a four-part mouth, but it wasn't used in the movie.
"The muzzle of the MB 96 unfolds in four parts because Toho changed my design of Biollante.
I finally got my revenge!"

 

The Tactical Operation against Hyper-biotical Object Troop Type 66 (left) were the first maser tanks and appeared in War of the Gargantuas (1966). For what it's worth, "maser" means Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. As opposed to "laser", using Light. I have no idea why the rays are called "masers", any more than I know why MechaGodzilla's big ray was called a plasma "grenade".

Thanks to David Milner's interview with Shinji Nishikawa for some of the above information

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