Chinese Ground Combat Systems |
By the late 1970s technical stagnation had reduced the PRC military capability to insignificance except for masses of infantry troops. Production technology had stagnated at the level provided by the USSR in the 1950s. Chinese tanks were so poor that China had dropped to 15–20 percent of output capacity to avoid arming the PLA with equipment that will only cause casualties to itself and not to Soviet or Vietnamese forces.
In contrast after the Cold War, and increasingly in recent years, China has become a cauldron of weapons innovation, blasting out a bewildering array of new ground combat systems. Various factors are in play. Thanks to the miracle of compound interst, China has money burning a hole in its pocket, eager to reverse a century of humiliation. Diverse geography requires a diversity of weapons specialized for specific terrains. Competing enterrpises produce competing products. And any number of new designs are offered for sale at international arms shows. Some of these designs enter large scale production, while others are elusive vaporware.
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Pre-1980 | 1980~2000 | Post-2000 |
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SERVICE DESIGNATION |
Type 59
Type 62
Type 63
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Type 69
Type 79
Type 80
Type 85
Type 88
Type 90
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Type 96
Type 98
Type 99
Type 03
Type 15
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INDUSTRY DESIGNATION |
WZ-111
WZ-120
WZ-121
WZ-122
WZ-1222
WZ-1223
WZ-1224
WZ-1225
WZ-1226
WZ-132
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MBT-2000
MBT-3000
MBT 152mm
VT-1 MBT-2000
VT-2 Type-96A
VT-3 Type-59
VT-4 MBT-3000
VT-5
WZ-123
ZTQ
ZTZ-99
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SERVICE DESIGNATION |
Tracked Vehicle |
Type 63
Type 77
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Type 84
Type 85
Type 86
Type 89
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Type 90
Type 97
Type 03
Type 04
Type 05
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8x8 Wheeled Vehicle |
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Type 07P
Type 08
Type 09
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6x6 Wheeled Vehicle |
Type 56 BTR-152
Type 64
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Type 90
Type 92
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4x4 Wheeled Vehicle |
Type 55 BTR-40
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INDUSTRY DESIGNATION |
Tracked Vehicle |
WZ-511
YW-304
YW-531
YW-701
YZ-750
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NVH-1
NFV-1
WZ-501
WZ-502
WZ-503
WZ-504
WZ-505
WZ-506
WZ534A
WZ-751
YW-307
YW-309
YW-531H
YW-534
ZSD-63
ZSD-89
ZSD-90
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QN-506
VN-12
VN-16
VN-17
VN-18
VN-22
ZTD-05
ZBD-97
ZBD-2000
ZBD-03
ZBD-04
ZBD-05
ZLC-2000
ZLT-05
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8x8 Wheeled Vehicle |
WZ-522
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BK1060
VN-1
WZ-0001
ZBD-09
ZBL-08
ZBL-09
ZSL-09
ZTL-11
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6x6 Wheeled Vehicle |
WZ-521
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WZ-523
WZ-551
ZSL-93
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ASV 2014
PTL-02
VN-2
VN-11
WMA-301
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4x4 Wheeled Vehicle |
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VP11 4x4 MRAP
AAAV 2017 4x4
CS/VN-3C 4x4
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Type 54 SPH
Type 59
Type 70
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Type 83 152mm SPH
Type 85 122mm SPH
Type 88 155mm
Type 89 120mm
Type 89 122mm
PLZ 45 155mm
PLZ 89 122mm
W90 203mm SPH
WZ-551 105mm SPH
WZ-551 120mm SPM
WZ-551 122mm SPH
YW-381 120mm SPM
130mm SPG
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tracked
PLL 05 SPM
PLZ 04
PLZ 05 155mm
PLZ 07 122mm
PLZ 52 155 mm
PLZ-91 / WS-250
wheeled
CS/SM1 81mm
CS/SM4 81mm
CS/SM4 120mm
CS/VN9 120mm
PCL-161 122mm
PCL-171 122mm
PCL-181 155mm
PLC-09 122 mm
PLL-09 122 mm
SH1 155mm
SH2 122mm
SH5 105mm
SH8 155mm
SH11 155mm
SH15 155mm
ST-1 105mm Anti-Tank
ST-3 105mm Anti-Tank
WZ 9003 122mm
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Type 54 122mm
Type 54 152mm
Type 59 M-46
Type 60 D-74
Type 66 M-55
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Type 83 122mm
Type 83 152mm
Type 86 122mm
Type 89 122mm
Type 96 122mm
AH1 155/45 mm GC45
AH2 155/52mm WA021
FGT-203 203mm
PLL01 155mm
W1988 155mm
WAC-021 155mm
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AH4 155 mm/39-cal
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Type 63 107mm
Type 63 130mm
Type 70 130mm
Type 81 122mm
Type 81 107mm
Type 82 130mm
Type 83 273mm
Type 85 130mm
Type 89 122mm
Type 90 122mm
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WM-80 273mm
WM120 273mm
WS-1 302mm
WS-1B 302mm
WS-1E 122mm
WS-2 400mm
WS-3 400mm
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A100 300mm
A200 300mm
A300 300mm
AR1 300mm 10-tube
AR1A 300mm 10-tube
AR2 300mm 12-tube
AR3 370mm 8-tube
B-611 600mm
BP-12A 600mm
M-1B 350mm
PCL-191 300/370mm
PHL-03 300mm
PHL-11 122mm
PHL-16 370mm 8-tube
PZH-10 122mm
SR-4 122mm
SR-5 122mm
SR-5 300mm
SY300 400mm
SY400 400mm
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M-55 120mm
PP-89 100mm
PP-53 / M-37 82mm
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Type 56 85mm
Type 83 122mm ATG
Type 86 100mm
HJ-8
HJ-13
HJ-73 AT-3
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HJ-9
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GT-6
ST-1 Tank Destroyer
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Type 55 M1939
Type 56 KS-18
Type 56 ZPU-4
Type 58 ZPU-2
Type 59 KS-19
Type 59 S-60
Type 63
Type 65
Type 72 KS-12
Type 74
Type 80 23mm
Type 80 57mm
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Type 87 25mm
Type 88 37mm
Type 90 35mm
Type 90II
Type 95 25mm
PGZ-95 25mm
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BK1060 35mm
CS/SA1 35 mm AAA
LD2000 30mm
PGZ-04 25mm
PGZ-07 35mm
PGZ-09 35mm
PJ26 76mm 10x10
SA2 76mm 6x6
SWS2 35mm 8x8
WZ554 23mm SPAAG
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Other |
microwave
WB-1
Early Trucks
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Military Robots
GL5 Active Defense
All-Terrain Vehicles
JM-8 / JY813 / JY-816
NORINC Harbin Python
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