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Military


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.

Equipment Designations

Equipment Holdings - Ground Forces
Equipment Holdings - Marine Corps

Pre-19801980~2000Post-2000

Tanks

SERVICE DESIGNATION
  • Type 59
  • Type 62
  • Type 63
  • Type 69
  • Type 79
  • Type 80
  • Type 85
  • Type 88
  • Type 90
  • Type 96
  • Type 98
  • Type 99
  • Type 03
  • Type 15



  • INDUSTRY DESIGNATION
  • WZ-111
  • WZ-120
  • WZ-121
  • WZ-122
  • WZ-1222
  • WZ-1223
  • WZ-1224
  • WZ-1225
  • WZ-1226
  • WZ-132
  • 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


  • Armored Vehicles

    SERVICE DESIGNATION
    Tracked Vehicle
  • Type 63
  • Type 77
  • Type 84
  • Type 85
  • Type 86
  • Type 89
  • Type 90
  • Type 97
  • Type 03
  • Type 04
  • Type 05
  • 8x8 Wheeled Vehicle
  • Type 07P
  • Type 08
  • Type 09
  • 6x6 Wheeled Vehicle
  • Type 56 BTR-152
  • Type 64
  • Type 90
  • Type 92
  • 4x4 Wheeled Vehicle
  • Type 55 BTR-40
  • INDUSTRY DESIGNATION
    Tracked Vehicle
  • WZ-511
  • YW-304
  • YW-531
  • YW-701
  • YZ-750
  • 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
  • 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
  • 8x8 Wheeled Vehicle
  • WZ-522
  • BK1060
  • VN-1
  • WZ-0001
  • ZBD-09
  • ZBL-08
  • ZBL-09
  • ZSL-09
  • ZTL-11
  • 6x6 Wheeled Vehicle
  • WZ-521
  • WZ-523
  • WZ-551
  • ZSL-93
  • ASV 2014
  • PTL-02
  • VN-2
  • VN-11
  • WMA-301
  • 4x4 Wheeled Vehicle
  • VP11 4x4 MRAP
  • AAAV 2017 4x4
  • CS/VN-3C 4x4
  • Self-Propelled Artillery

  • Type 54 SPH
  • Type 59
  • Type 70
  • 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


  • 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

  • Towed Artillery

  • Type 54 122mm
  • Type 54 152mm
  • Type 59 M-46
  • Type 60 D-74
  • Type 66 M-55
  • 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


  • AH4 155 mm/39-cal


  • Artillery Rockets

  • 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
  • WM-80 273mm
  • WM120 273mm
  • WS-1 302mm
  • WS-1B 302mm
  • WS-1E 122mm
  • WS-2 400mm
  • WS-3 400mm


  • 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
  • Mortars

  • M-55 120mm
  • PP-89 100mm
  • PP-53 / M-37 82mm

  • Anti-tank Weapons

  • Type 56 85mm
  • Type 83 122mm ATG
  • Type 86 100mm


  • HJ-8
  • HJ-13
  • HJ-73 AT-3


  • HJ-9
  • GT-6
  • ST-1 Tank Destroyer
  • Anti-Aircraft Artillery

  • 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


  • Type 87 25mm
  • Type 88 37mm
  • Type 90 35mm
  • Type 90II
  • Type 95 25mm
  • PGZ-95 25mm
  • 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
  • Other

    microwave
  • WB-1



  • Early Trucks
  • Military Robots

  • GL5 Active Defense

  • All-Terrain Vehicles
  • JM-8 / JY813 / JY-816
  • NORINC Harbin Python



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