NORINCO ZBD2000 (Z-Series)

History

The Chinese military's massive expansion program over the past few decades has added a new, state-of-the-art amphibious tracked vehicle design to the "ZBD2000". ZBD2000 is actually the leader in the modular armored vehicle family, in which the base body is used as the required battlefield roles for armored fighting vehicles (AFV), infantry fighting vehicles (IFV), light tank special platforms (LT), etc., including command and The role of the Control Vehicle (CCV).

All of these designs use the same power unit, landing gear, suspension, and hull form to produce a usable, cost-effective end productmainly with changes in internal layout and turret mounting (and weapons). After a period of in-house development, the ZDB2000 entered service in 2006 and is currently part of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Marine Corps' Amphibious Warfare Group, which is tasked with approaching enemy territory from the sea and being able to move defensively to further consolidate within the beachhead land.

Therefore, the ZBD2000 is essentially a fast moving, lightly armored and lightly armed vehicle.

The basic ZBD is a 26 ton vehicle with a conventional sprocket system powered by an internal diesel engine. A top road speed of 40 mph (65 km/h) and a range of 500 km - important features to consider when evaluating the capabilities of modern armored vehicles. The track arrangement provides six twin-tire wheels on one side of the fuselage, each well spaced, with the last pair behind the others. The drive sprocket is at the front of the hull and the chain idler is at the rear. The ZDB is suspended on a conventional torsion bar suspension system for good off-road maneuverability.

Externally, Soviet-era influences are evident in the Z-series of Chinese military vehicles - they look similar to the Soviet-Russian BMP line of amphibious light tanks, several generations of which are in active service around the world. The glacis boards slope very well and lead to a flat hull roofline.

The rear of the hull is squared and accommodates large power entry/exit doors that double as an infantry loading dock. The hull sides are completely vertical and provide only basic ballistic protection against small arms fire and artillery jets. Depending on the variant, the weapon is mounted in a full-power 360-degree rotating turret directly behind the center mass.

The driver is located in the front left of the hull, behind which is the fighting compartment. The rifle group and vehicle commander are located in the turret. This allows the power pack to be stowed in a compartment on the front right side of the fuselage near the driver's seat.

The base vehicle for the Z-Series is the ZBD2000 AFV, which uses a pair of water jets at the rear of the fuselage to propel through the body of water. The planing hull allows for shallower drafts at higher speeds.

The ZBD2000 is designed to transport combat-ready infantry with a modest weapons load, shielded from small arms fire, and a powered rear door facilitates unobstructed access to and from the fighting compartment.

The ZBD05 IFV is broadly similar to the AFV model, but with increased weapon potential to complement the light tank shape (see below). This version features a 30mm turret autocannon that is attached to a roof-mounted Anti-Tank Missile (ATGM) launcher rail to provide anti-tank capability.

Defense is provided by 7.62mm coaxial machine guns, smoke grenade launchers and personal weapons carried by the crew. The rear fighting compartment can carry up to 8 combat-ready infantrymen, while the vehicle is piloted by 3 standard operators (driver, gunner and commander).

The ZTD05 LT is a light tank variant of the ZBD2000 AFV, known for its heavier turret, shortened 105mm main barrel and 7.62mm coaxial machine gun. The vehicle was piloted by only four people (driver, commander, gunner, and loader) and eliminated the manned capabilities of earlier designs (and their rear access doors).

The vehicle is certified to fire conventional HEAT (High Explosive, Anti-Tank), HE (High Explosive) and APFSDS (Armor Piercing, Tail Stabilized Discarded) as well as ATGM anti-tank missiles, expanding the tactical PLA's comprehensive combat capability - capable of interacting with as needed Infantry, light armored vehicles and main battle tanks fight. The main gun is stabilized along two axes and controlled by an advanced digital Fire Control System (FCS) that provides accuracy in range and movement. A 12.7mm heavy machine gun is mounted on top of the turret to counter threats from low-flying aircraft and lightly armored enemy vehicles.

Like the ZBD05 IFV, the ZTD05 LT uses an integrated electric smoke grenade launcher for self-defense or to protect the vehicle during offensive operations. Other modern combat systems on board include laser rangefinders, thermal imaging equipment and GPS navigation.

The ZTD05 light tank will be ahead of all other Z tanks during the Chinese amphibious landing, able to fire directly at nearshore enemy positions with its main guns and push inland, as well as counter the threat of armored enemies if necessary.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

Not available.

Changes