Boring Logistics GIFs Of The Day: Reloading PLZ07A 122mm SPH

PLA Unit Of The Day: Xinjiang Altaya (阿勒泰) Frontier Defense Regiment

Why blog about an insignificant unit, you ask?  Fair question - how about that they are now better equipped to perform their intended role as light infantry rather than glorified border guard. A policing role which they are ill-suited for.

No worries, they have their brethren PAP to pick up the border patrol slack.   Of course, there's always the option of building a wall, a beautiful wall.

Source here

 PF98 Queen Bee 120mm Rocket

Yes, they are still making An-2 Colt / Y-5 biplane in China

The latest Y-5BG model completed her first flight on March 3rd, 2020 (here).  As a point of reference, the original An-2 completed her first on 1947.

Engine is Honeywell PE-331 turboprop and all civilian to boot.  Cheap to operate, easy to handle and can land anywhere, why not?  Great for agriculture applications

Closer look: SH15 Truck-mounte 155mm Self-Propelled Gun-Howitzer

Freshly minted rolling off production line to join an Artillery Brigade of the Eastern Theater Command.   No time to unwrap?

Saturday, January 05, 2019

PLA orbat update: 308th Independent Artillery Brigade, Tibet MD gets SH15 Truck-mounte 155mm Self-Propelled Gun-Howitzer

Saturday, October 06, 2018

A battary of the new Truck-mounted 155mm Gun-Howitzer for PLA (Not for export)

Sunday, July 08, 2018

Norinco CAESAR in service with the PLA

SH-1 started as an export project with Pakistan and Burma be the two known customers.  Latest photos from the 72nd Artillery Brigade, 72nd Group Army,  Eastern Theater Command confirms that SH-1's PLA domestic equivalent is now in service at home.   The 72nd Artillery Brigade also commands PHL03 300mm long range MRL and PLZ05 155mm tracked SP howitzer, a heavy hitting unit indeed.

This truck mounted 155mm concept was first revealed in 2007 based on the towed Type89 (PLL01) 155mm/L52 system.  It can fire all standard 155mm NATO ammunition in addition to Norinco's 155mm laser-guided round.  It is mounted on a standard Chinese 6x6 truck chassis but can be easily "remounted" with a local truck and a secondary 12.7mm machine gun for defense.

While the SH-1 sports no armor protection, it is light enough to be airlifted by a C-130 or a Y-9 class transport, making it a more flexible option for China's growing Rapid Reaction Units

 SH-1 from the 2016 Zhuhai Airshow

PR Photos Of The Day: Life on CV16 Liaoning

VT4 MBT lands a third export customer.

Still waiting for a final confirmation but there is a high degree of certainty that Pakistan is new customer after Thailand and Nigeria

http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/view/2020-04/27/content_9802049.htm

Latest VT4 battle tanks delivered to foreign buyer: report

Source
    Global Times
Editor
    Wang Xinjuan

igeria

A Thai army's newly purchased Chinese-manufactured VT4 main battle tank deploys during a simulated warfare exercise at the Royal Thai Army Cavalry Center in Saraburi Province, Thailand, in 2018. File Photo: IC

China is delivering two customized VT4 main battle tanks to an undisclosed foreign buyer.

Transported by trucks, two VT4 tanks left for their destination following a launch ceremony, Weihutang, military affairs column affiliated with China Central Television, reported on Friday, citing a video released by the Inner Mongolia First Machinery Group under the state-owned China North Industries Group (NORINCO).

The tanks are not the standard VT4 version and instead are equipped with a different turret boost design. The front design features a new explosive reactive armor, Weihutang said.

This upgraded VT4 offers enhancements with extra protection capabilities, the report said, citing military experts.

Further details on the deal have not been released, such as the purchase amount, overall value, and client name.

Also known as the MBT3000, the VT4 is a new generation of made-for-export combat tank designed for the international market, Weihutang said, noting that it is one of the most popular Chinese weapons available and has been sold to Thailand and Nigeria.

The VT4 is equipped with a 125-millimeter smoothbore gun, can fire armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding-sabot (APFSDS), high explosive anti-tank cartridges, and missiles with a 5-kilometer range.

Equipped with a China-made 1,200-horsepower diesel-fueled engine and a hydromechanical drive system, the VT4 can travel at a maximum speed of 70 kph and a maximum cross-country speed of 50 kph.

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

VT4 MBT is now equipped with the heavy FY-4 ERA

The camo looks like it's for the Thai Army, which had been talking about wanting the heavier FY-4 ERA for their VT-4. The FY-4 ERA is what's use on the Chinese ZTZ-96 and ZTZ-99 series of MBT. In comparison, the VT-4 export MBT was originally equipped with the thinner FY-2 ERA.

Posted by tyan at 8:56 PM

Thursday, April 09, 2020

Photos of the day: VT4 MBT, SH2 122 mm self-propelled and ST1 8x8 wheeled Assault Gun landing in Lagos Nigeria.

Story sourced here: https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2020/04/08/insurgency-army-takes-delivery-of-armoured-tanks-artillery-trucks/

With a $152m contract on the table, the Chinese government, it was learnt was made to guarantee the quality and timely delivery of the armaments, which are mostly intended for use in the North-east to boost the ongoing war against insurgency.

“Those who will operate them have been trained in China. If not for the lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19, we expected some of their trainers to join us here to train more people.

“From the army, expect more robust operation to put behind us the menace of insecurity, that of Boko Haram, bandits among others.”

This makes Nigeria the second known operator of the VT4 MBT after Thailand's 58 million USD for 28 VT4 buy in 2017