China Northern Mechanical Engineering Research Institute: 60 years of progress
Tanks "Type 59" on parade. Photo of Wikimedia Commons
This year marks 60 years since the founding of the key organization of the Chinese armored industry, the 201 Research Institute. Now this organization is called China North Vehicle Research Institute or NOVERI (Northern Scientific Research Institute of Mechanical Engineering) and retains its high importance for the development of the People's Liberation Army of China.
Long story
The Beijing NII-201 was founded in 1959 and was supposed to solve a number of tasks of particular importance in the context of army building and national security. The institute was supposed to prepare the production of military vehicles under a Soviet license, comprehend the Chinese and foreign experience in operating military equipment, and lay the foundation for the further development of its own projects.
In the same period, several other institutes and factories were involved in the PRC, involved in the construction and development of armored forces. In addition, re-profiling and modernization of existing enterprises was carried out. In such a system, NII-201 played a leading role. It was he who was supposed to carry out all the research work and take on the bulk of the engineering tasks.
In the first decades of its existence, NII-201 obeyed the leadership of the defense industry and interacted with other enterprises. In the late eighties, this system was significantly changed. In 1988, China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) was established, which also included the main research institute of the armored industry.
Now the former NII-201 is called the China North Vehicle Research Institute (NOVERI) and remains the most important component of NORINCO. He carries out the necessary research, conducts the development of his own projects and supports other design organizations.
Institute today
In Beijing NOVERI now works approx. 2 thousand people. In scientific and design activities, several hundred senior researchers, dozens of specialists with academic degrees, and several academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences are employed.
The institute has several research departments involved in solving various technical problems. They deal with general issues of building armored vehicles, power plants, chassis and information systems. The departments have many specialized laboratories for research and testing. They have their own pilot production and testing ranges.
Interaction with other organizations from NORINCO was established and worked out. The NOVERI Institute in the interests of design organizations conducts various studies and issues recommendations. Together with them, and independently, he creates projects of new combat vehicles. Then, with the participation of the institute, production is launched at the corresponding enterprises.
Key projects
The first task for NII-201 was to ensure the development of a full-scale production of medium tanks "Type 59" / WZ-120 - a licensed version of the Soviet T-54A. The first machines of a new type were built in 1958 at the factory No. 617 (Baotou, Inner Mongolia), which then began to increase production rates. However, in 1960, the PRC severed relations with the USSR, which hit the development of the armored industry. In such conditions, NII-201 was supposed to help the serial plant with improving production technologies and building up the pace of construction.
In the mid-sixties, the institute was commissioned to conduct research on the further development of armored vehicles. A few years later, the result of this was the appearance of a number of modifications of the “Type 59” and other machines on the same base. Medium armored vehicles based on the design of the T-54A, in the Chinese classification, belong to the first own generation of tanks.
The first generation projects allowed for several decades to build not the most powerful and developed, but quite numerous armored forces. Despite the emergence of newer and more advanced models, the first-generation medium tanks still remain in the PLA units. “59 type” and derivatives were actively supplied to third countries, where they also remain in operation.
Since the late nineties, a program of modernization of equipment has been implemented through the installation of new devices and devices. NII-201 / NOVERI actively participated in the development of this program.
In the seventies, NII-201 studied its own and foreign experience and was engaged in the development of equipment for second-generation tanks. The result of these works were new electronic systems, smoothbore tank guns with a caliber of 105 mm or more, new power plants, etc. The active development of technology during this period was facilitated by the establishment of relations with foreign countries. In particular, there was an opportunity to exchange experiences with the United States and Germany.
Based on new technologies, with the participation of NII-201, the first Chinese main battle tank, Type 85, was developed with a number of modifications and several later vehicles. In fact, there have been fundamental changes in Chinese tank building. The industry was able to abandon the development of the “59 Type” in favor of more modern and successful designs.
In 1980, the PLA General Staff instructed NII-201 to develop a fundamentally new model of armored vehicles - the WZ-551 wheeled vehicle, suitable for a wide range of tasks. In the middle of the decade, the institute built and tested prototypes of new equipment, and in the early nineties it went into series at one of the plants. The fundamentally new project was successful and provided for the rearmament of the PLA and several foreign armies.
Today and tomorrow
Now NORINCO produces for the needs of the PLA and offers foreign customers a wide range of armored combat vehicles of all main classes. Such products are designed and manufactured by a number of organizations from the Corporation, and the former NII-201 plays a significant role in its creation.
One of the new activities of NOVERI and NORINCO is wheeled self-propelled guns. Wikimedia Commons Photos
Not so long ago, a course was taken to expand areas of activity and access to the civilian sector. At the end of the 2000s, with the active participation of the Institute, the Zhongguancun Technopark was created. With it, NOVERI builds ties with civilian companies and shares its experience with them. It is alleged that a number of developments, originally created for military use, have already found application in civilian automotive and special equipment.
In recent years, part of the scientific and production capacities of NOVERI has undergone a deep modernization, taking into account current requirements and the need to comply with international standards. The work of the institute continues and, obviously, leads to certain results.
The features and results of the current NOVERI activities are completely unknown. The organization works in the interests of the PLA, which leads to an appropriate level of secrecy. Nevertheless, the composition of the army’s armored fleet and the catalog of NORINCO products allows us to imagine what the institute’s specialists did in the recent past.
One of the newly developed robots. Photo NOVERI / noveri.norincogroup.com.cn
General trends in the development of Chinese armored vehicles show that the Northern Scientific and Research Institute of Mechanical Engineering seeks to develop its own best practices, use the accumulated experience and form new ideas. Moreover, all work is carried out with an eye to foreign progress, including with direct borrowing of available solutions and technologies.
The development of the direction of the main battle tanks continues, with the development of equipment projects for their own needs and especially for export. There are new tracked armored vehicles for various purposes. The direction of wheeled vehicles is also being improved. In recent years, NOVERI has been actively engaged in the subject of telecontrolled ground technology and multi-purpose robots.
For 60 years of its existence, the former NII-201 has come a long way. It was created as an organization accompanying the production of licensed armored vehicles, and by now has become a key participant in the development of new military equipment of many classes and is no longer limited only to armored combat vehicles. Thus, in connection with the next anniversary, NOVERI has reasons for pride and the opportunity to boast.
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