NORINCO PZH-89 (Type 89)

History

The Type 89 (PZH89) was developed for service in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) with a universal tracked landing gear modeled after the Multiple Rocket Launch System (MLRS). The acquisition took place in 1999, replacing the Type 70 vehicles that were in service at the time.

As of this writing (2015), the Type 89 continues to play an important role in the PLA's inventory.

The Type 89 tracked undercarriage includes six twin tire wheels on one side of the hull, drive sprockets at the front, track idlers at the rear, and three track return rollers to manage the upper track span. The hull accommodates the driver forward on the left and the power pack on the right, while another three to four crew members sit mid-stern in the low-profile hull design. Access doors on the rear surface of the fuselage allow some crew members to enter and exit. Power comes from a single 12,150-litre 520hp diesel engine, enabling road speeds of up to 55km/h and a range of up to 450km.

The hull suspension is a torsion bar arrangement that provides the required off-road capability.

The key to the success of a vehicle like the Type 89 is its missile delivery hardware. A 40 x 122 mm launch tube stack is located at the rear of the top of the fuselage.

Each 2.87-meter missile typically contains a high-explosive (HE) warhead that can have a devastating impact on a target area with a range of up to 20 kilometers (the "extended range" missile is designed to increase engagement beyond 25 kilometers). The missile is also designed to support multiple payload types to further expand the Type 89's tactical value.

Internally, the Type 89 uses the basics of biological and battlefield management systems. The Fire Control System (FCS) is fully digital, and the NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) suite provides survivability for several critical operating environments that would otherwise be lethal to the crew.

The vehicle also carries forty rocket reloads in a special front pack ready to service spent launch tubes, while further rocket reloads must come from an accompanying supply vehicle. The supply package uses an automated process to prepare the launch tube in less than three minutes.

In addition to the tube mounts, the Type 89 is equipped with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun (HMG) for localized defense against low-flying targets as well as lightly armored ground vehicles and infantry. Like other vehicles of this type, the Type 89's innate armor only protects it from small arms fire and shrapnel.

As such, it is mainly in indirect fire away from the flowing front.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

for everyone else in our database)

Armor

80 x missiles (multiple warhead types available.

500x12.7mm ammo.

Changes