It has been undergoing field testing in Tibet and the Vietnamese border since 2017 and entered service in 2020. The ZBQ-15 is a 33-ton tracked vehicle with a 105mm gun. One new light tank design, the Chinese ZBQ-15, did not compete even though it is being offered for export as the VT5. All the competitors weighed 25-30 tons and had similar 105mm guns and operating characteristics. The Sabrah was not ready to be announced yet but Israel speeded that up to compete for the Filipino contract. The Sabrah also has a powerful thermal sensor which is always useful, even when the 105mm gun is not needed. The new radios are already standard in the American armed forces, where they have proved to be more secure (encrypted signals) and can be quickly modified because the software is an integral part of the radio. This includes the new Israeli software-controlled radios, which the Philippines is also buying. The chassis and two-man turret are the same as is the wide array of sensors and modern communications equipment. The Philippines is buying eight tracked and ten 8x8 wheeled versions.

Sabrah is also available as an 8x8 wheeled armored vehicle. The Sabrah was built to do what a modern light tank is good for reconnaissance and infantry support.

The Harimau was not designed as a light tank and is an older design. Sabrah apparently won because it was the latest light tank design and, unlike the Arma-105 and K21-105, was not just a IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) with the addition of a larger turret containing a 105mm gun. The competition included the Indonesian Harimau medium tank, the South Korean K21-105 and the Turkish Arma 105. The Philippines Army has been shopping for eighteen light tanks and has apparently selected the new Israeli Sabrah.

Modern light tank america