Chinese Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Artillery: Operation and Export
During the Cold War, the PRC began producing towed anti-aircraft artillery units of 25-100 mm caliber based on Soviet and Western prototypes, which were also actively exported to Third World countries.
At the same time, Chinese designers were unable to create a truly effective self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle for quite a long time. artillery installation. The models that appeared in the 1960s and 1970s did not have radar or optoelectronic detection and guidance systems. When firing at air targets, crews had to determine the speed of the target and the distance to it visually, which, naturally, had a negative impact on the effectiveness of the shooting and did not allow the use of anti-aircraft self-propelled guns in conditions of poor visibility.
The absence of good sighting equipment on early Chinese ZSUs was explained by both the weakness of the scientific and technological base, and the inability of Chinese industry, in conditions of political instability, to mass-produce compact electronic products with acceptable reliability.
The situation changed after relations with the United States normalized and China gained access to advanced Western technology and arms.
The explosive growth of the Chinese economy in the first two decades of the 21st century and the investment of very significant resources in the education system, fundamental scientific and technological research have allowed the Chinese defense industry to reach a high world level, and now the PRC independently produces a full range of defense products, including self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery units. Chinese anti-aircraft artillery systems, in addition to deliveries to the PLA, are actively offered to foreign buyers.
Self-propelled anti-aircraft guns with 37-mm automatic cannons
If in previous publications the story about Chinese 12,7-14,5 mm anti-aircraft machine guns and 23-100 mm anti-aircraft guns was in order of increasing caliber, then the story about anti-aircraft self-propelled guns will be in chronological order from the moment of their creation.
In August 1972, soldiers of the 4th Infantry Regiment of the South Vietnamese Army captured a Type 63 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun. A number of sources claim that this ZSU was assembled in North Vietnam based on drawings provided by the Chinese, and a small number of similar self-propelled guns were produced in the PRC. The 32-ton vehicle had the mobility and range of the T-34-85. The crew consisted of five people.
A captured Type 63 anti-aircraft self-propelled gun on display at the Aberdeen Proving Ground museum.
Self-propelled gun created on the basis of tank The T-34-85 was armed with an anti-aircraft mount that used the artillery section of the 37 mm Type 65 twin mount. Due to the fact that the crew had to work in more cramped conditions, the combat rate of fire was lower than that of the towed mount, and did not exceed 150 rounds per minute. Ammunition was supplied to each barrel separately in 5-round clips, some of the ready-to-use rounds were stored in the turret, the rest were stored outside in containers installed on both sides of the hull. Since the firing data was determined "by eye", the effectiveness of anti-aircraft fire was low, and in fact, the mount was only capable of conducting barrage anti-aircraft fire against jet fighters.
In the early 1980s, tests began on the PGZ-88 ZSU, which had a unified hull and chassis with the Type 79 tank (an improved version of the Type 69-I tank) and was armed with a twin 37-mm Type 76 automatic mount. This 37-mm mount was originally intended to arm Chinese warships. The self-propelled gun's ammunition complement was 500 rounds. The rate of fire was 360 rounds per minute. The maximum range for air targets was 3000 m. A radar with a detection range of 8–10 km was supposed to be used to detect air targets. After detection, the target was to be tracked by an optoelectronic sighting system. In case of electronic failure, there was an optical sight. The 35,5-ton vehicle could accelerate to 50 km/h on the highway. Cruising range was 480 km. Crew - 4 people.
Anti-aircraft self-propelled gun PGZ88
For the 1980s, a vehicle with such data fully met the requirements of the military Defense and could operate in the same combat formations as tanks. However, the reality was not so rosy. The operational reliability of the radar was very low. In the dark, the optoelectronic system did not work, and during the day it demonstrated unsatisfactory guidance accuracy. As a result, the calculations mainly relied on simple optics, which did not provide any advantages over towed anti-aircraft guns. Although in 1989 the ZSU PGZ 88 was officially accepted into service, it was not possible to improve this vehicle, and only 24 self-propelled guns were produced.
Self-propelled anti-aircraft guns with 57-mm automatic cannons
After the PLA air defense began to be equipped with towed 1970-mm Type 57 machine guns in the 59s, the question of creating a self-propelled artillery unit of the same caliber arose.
The first stage was an attempt to increase the mobility of 57mm anti-aircraft guns by placing them on Jiefang CA-10 trucks (a Chinese copy of the ZIS-150, produced until 1983).
However, this variant was not widely used. The vehicle was not very stable when firing at low elevation angles, and the mobility and deployment speed of the anti-aircraft battery as a whole remained almost unchanged. The radar guidance station and optical rangefinder remained towed. Also, at the firing position, cable lines were required between the guns and the PUAZO.
In the early 1980s, China purchased several Soviet ZSU-57-2s from a Middle Eastern country. By that time, the self-propelled gun, armed with two 57-mm cannons and lacking a radar detection and guidance system, was hopelessly outdated, but despite this, the PRC attempted to copy it.
Chinese engineers initially used the Type 79 tank chassis as a base, and in 1986 the ZSU, designated Type 80, was introduced.
In terms of its characteristics, this anti-aircraft self-propelled gun was almost no different from the ZSU-57-2. A version was also created on the WZ305 tracked chassis with a front-mounted MTO.
Test firing at radio-controlled targets demonstrated that the ZSU, equipped with simple optical sights, does not provide the required probability of hitting air targets and is unable to reliably cover troops from air strikes, and the open-top turret does not provide the necessary protection for the crew on the battlefield. The Chinese army leadership rejected this vehicle, and foreign orders did not follow, despite intensive advertising.
Self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery units armed with 23-mm and 25-mm automatic cannons
After China began producing a copy of the Soviet 1980mm ZU-23 anti-aircraft gun (Chinese designation Type 23) in the second half of the 85s, a number of these guns were mounted on Type 63 (WZ-531) tracked armored personnel carriers. This low-volume anti-aircraft gun is known as the ZSD63 and was intended to accompany tank and motorized rifle units.
Anti-aircraft self-propelled gun ZSD63
The three-man crew of the twin 23mm gun was protected on the sides and back by light armor that protected against bullets and shrapnel. The ammunition load was 480 rounds. In terms of firing range and combat rate of fire, the Chinese version of the ZU-23 was no different from the Soviet prototype.
The vehicle with a curb weight of about 13 tons was driven by a 320 hp diesel engine, and its maximum speed on the highway was 65 km/h. The range was up to 500 km.
Subsequently, after military tests, the Chinese military preferred the 25-mm version of the twin anti-aircraft mount, and the ZSD-63 ZSU, armed with 23-mm guns, was not mass-produced. According to some reports, a small number of self-propelled guns armed with 25-mm PG87 machine guns were delivered to the troops, but they were not exported.
However, given that Chinese Type 63 armored personnel carriers were widely exported to countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, where they were actively used in combat, they, like other tracked vehicles, were often equipped with original Soviet ZU-23 anti-aircraft mounts.
Having gained some experience with the rather primitive ZSD-63 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, the Chinese military came to the conclusion that they needed a mobile troop installation, coupled with radar detection and guidance systems. To increase the probability of hitting an air target, it was decided to combine artillery weapons with guided missiles. rockets. This anti-aircraft missile and gun system was created in the second half of the 1990s and received the designation Type 95. But it, as well as the Type 625 ZRPK, will be discussed in detail in a separate publication dedicated to Chinese ZRPK and short-range SAM systems.
Self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery units armed with 35-mm automatic cannons
After successfully copying the 35-mm Oerlikon GDF-002 artillery machine guns, mastering the serial production of PG99 towed anti-aircraft mounts and automated fire control systems, the next step was quite logically the creation of 35-mm self-propelled guns capable of accompanying tracked armored vehicles on the march and operating in the same combat formations.
About 15 years ago, testing began on a 35mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, which after being accepted into service received the designation PGZ09 (Type 09). This vehicle, on the chassis of the 155mm self-propelled howitzer Type 05, is armed with two 35mm cannons, which are also used in the towed PG99.
35mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun PGZ09
As of 2022, the PLA had approximately two hundred 35mm self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, organized into battalions attached to tank regiments.
Conceptually and in its combat characteristics, the Chinese ZSU is close to the German Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, the Finnish ItPsv 90 and the Japanese Type 87, but the PGZ09 is lighter than its foreign counterparts. The PGZ09 also surpasses the German and Finnish ZSU in terms of onboard electronics capabilities.
The PGZ09 self-propelled gun is equipped with a diesel engine with a capacity of 800 hp, accelerating the 35-ton vehicle on the highway to 65 km/h. Thanks to its good specific power, the Chinese ZSU feels confident even on very rough terrain. Cruising range on the highway is 450 km. The armor provides protection from small arms fire and light fragments.
The self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery division is provided with a low-altitude radar with a detection range of up to 80 km, which provides data via a secure radio channel. For independent search of air targets, each vehicle has a circular-view radar with a range of 15 km. In the front part of the turret there is a parabolic antenna of the radar rangefinder. In case of use of electronic warfare by the enemy and the threat of defeat by anti-radar missiles, there is the possibility of searching for air targets with a passive optoelectronic station with a laser rangefinder.
It is reported that the latest modification of the PGZ09 ZSU is equipped with a new day camera and thermal imager, which allows the 35-mm mount to be effectively used around the clock and in any weather conditions. In addition, improvements have affected the radar system, which operates in a mode that significantly complicates the guidance of anti-radar missiles.
To improve mobility, approximately 60 twin towed 35mm PG99 mounts were mounted on three-axle Shaanxi SX2190 all-terrain trucks. The anti-aircraft mount on the truck chassis was designated CS/SA1.
In terms of range and rate of fire, the 35-mm artillery unit mounted on the truck is no different from the towed PG99 anti-aircraft guns and the PGZ-09 self-propelled guns. The effective range of target destruction is up to 4 km, the ceiling is up to 3 km. The rate of fire is 1100 rounds per minute. Ammunition is 378 ready-to-use rounds.
Firing can be carried out either remotely or from the gunner's station. The AF902A fire control system is an improved version of the Type 902 FCS, implemented on a separate towed trailer and equipped with a radar with a target detection range of up to 40 km, as well as an optoelectronic tracking module and a ballistic computer.
Although the CS/SA1 units are considered mobile, they are primarily intended for air defense of stationary objects and are deployed in prepared positions. Thanks to the advanced fire control system, the effectiveness of the CS/SA1 battery is higher than that of the PGZ09 ZSU.
Chinese media reported that the CS/SA-1 system is capable of effectively intercepting small air targets by using new 35mm PTFP projectiles with a programmable fuse and ready-made striking elements. Apparently, these projectiles are an analogue of the 35mm AHEAD ammunition from Rheinmetall Air Defence RWS Schweiz.
Nothing is known about the export of the PGZ09 tracked self-propelled guns, but the CS/SA1 wheeled vehicles, armed with two 35mm machine guns, were supplied to Pakistan and Iran, according to several sources. It is also possible that these are local copies, created on the basis of Chinese licenses.
Self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery units armed with 30-mm automatic cannons
In the 21st century, China allocated very significant financial resources to defense research and development, and, in addition to other weapons systems, a significant number of different anti-aircraft artillery installations were designed. A new direction for Chinese designers was the creation of land-based 30-mm machine guns.
Based on the 30-mm artillery unit of the Dutch naval complex "Goalkeeper" (the Chinese version is known as Type 730), NORINCO created the land-based SAM LD2000, designed to provide air defense of stationary objects. The system was presented at the defense exhibition IDEX in 2005.
Shooting from 30mm ZAK LD2000
The six-barreled artillery mount and control equipment are mounted on the cargo platform of the eight-wheel drive Wanshan WS2400 vehicle, which allows it to move on dirt roads and even off-road in addition to highways. The tire pressure can be adjusted by the driver while the vehicle is moving. The LD2000 system can accelerate to 75 km/h, and has a range of up to 650 km. However, firing is only possible from a stationary position, after the vehicle is raised on jacks. There is also a version of the artillery mount on a towed trailer.
In the rotating turret, on each side of the gun, there are boxes for 500 shells. The ammunition supply to the gun is linkless and selective. One box contains rounds with armor-piercing sub-caliber shells, and the second one stores high-explosive fragmentation shells. The maximum firing range at air targets is 3 km. The rate of fire is up to 5 rounds per minute. It is possible to intercept targets flying at extremely low altitudes at supersonic speeds.
Targeting is carried out remotely from the operator's seat, located in a separate cabin. The artillery mount's turret houses a Type 347G tracking radar, a combined sight with a thermal imaging channel and a built-in laser rangefinder, and the roof of the truck houses a rotating mast with a rotating radar antenna capable of detecting at a distance of 12 km. The tracking range is 9 km. The radar equipment is capable of tracking 48 targets.
An anti-aircraft battery may include up to 8 self-propelled guns, a control vehicle with a circular-view radar and data transmission equipment, transport and loading vehicles and auxiliary equipment.
Since 2013, the LD2000 system has been offered to foreign customers, but there have been no foreign orders. Despite the lack of export contracts, the development of the LD2000 SAM intended for the PLA continued. To expand combat capabilities, transport and launch containers for TY-90 anti-aircraft missiles with an IR seeker and a firing range of up to 6 km can be installed on the sides of the turret. The LD2000 artillery systems were also integrated into the HQ-6D short-range anti-aircraft missile system, after which it received the designation HQ-6A (artillery). Thanks to this, the SAM's ability to destroy low-altitude air targets was improved, the "dead zone" was reduced to a minimum, and the ability to defend against a ground enemy appeared. According to reference data, approximately 6 HQ-20D SAMs have been brought up to the HQ-6A level.
The turret with a six-barrel 30 mm cannon was also mounted on the chassis of the ZBL08 (Type 08) wheeled infantry fighting vehicle. The vehicle, known as the CS/SA5, was unveiled at the 2021 Zhuhai Air Show. The surveillance and targeting equipment included a search and track radar and an optoelectronic system with a thermal imaging channel.
The self-propelled unit, additionally armed with short-range anti-aircraft missiles with IR homing heads, successfully passed tests and was offered to Pakistan. But, apparently, this project did not receive further development.
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