Basic Information

Name

ZBL-09 (Type 09/VN1) Chinese 8x8 Amphibious Armored Personnel Carrier (APC)

Designation

Type 09

Alternate Designation

Type 09; ZBL-09; VN1

Equipment Type

8x8 Wheeled Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle

Manufacturer

NORINCO

Date of Introduction

2009

Description

The ZBL-09 (Type 09/VN1) Chinese 8x8 Amphibious Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) is the latest wheeled platform series to enter service with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China. The family was designed by China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) and is expected to replace obsolete wheeled vehicles in service with the PLA. The family bears some resemblance to the US Stryker Brigade Combat Team concept and may reflect recent shifts in China's doctrine to mimic the rapidly deployable and mobile formations used by the US and Russia. The ZBL-09 is the most numerous variant of the Type 09 family, which as a result it is often the designation used to describe the entire genus of Type 09 variants. It is designed as an IFV, armed and protected to provide an equipped infantry section with the necessary fire support and shelter needed to effectively influence a battle.

Ground Specifications

Crew 3

Mobility Type Wheeled (8x8)

Main Weapon 1 x 2A72 (Shipunov 2A42) Autocannon 30 mm

Engine Diesel (440 hp)

Active Protection Yes

NBC Protection Yes

Max Speed 100.0 km/h

Range 800.0 km

Variants

ZBL-09 APC

PLL-09 Fire Support

ZTL-11 Fire Support

ZBL-09 SHORAD Air Defense

ZZH-09 C2 C2

ZBL-09 Communication Platform Communication Platform

ZBL-09 ARV ARV

ZBL09 ABV Combat Engineering

ZBL-09 Ammunition Resupply Vehicle Ammunition Resupply Vehicle

ZBL-09 35 mm Air-Defense Platform Air-Defense Platform

ZBL-09 Ambulance Ambulance

ZBL-09 Bridging Platform Mechanized Bridge

ZBL-09 Combat Engineering Platform Combat Engineer

ZBL-09 EW Platform EW

ZBL-09 Medevac Variant Ambulance

ZBL-09 Reconnaissance Platform Reconnaissance

ZBL-09, Artillery Reconnaissance Reconnaissance

ZBL-09, CBRN CBRN

VN1C IFV

Type 09, Assault Gun Fire Support

System

Alternative Designation Type 09; ZBL-09; VN1

Manufacturer NORINCO

Estimated out of Service Date 2039

Family Snow Leopard

Cost $1.8 Million

Type 8x8 Wheeled Amphibious Fighting Vehicle

Crew 3 ea

Troop Compartment Capacity 7 ea

Dimensions

Length 8.0 m

Width 3.0 m

Height 2.1 m

Weight, Combat 21,000 kg

Ground Pressure INA

Automotive

Engine Name DEUTZ BF6M1015 CP

Engine Type Water-cooled Diesel

Engine Power 440hp at 2,100 rpm

Power to Weight Ratio 16.5 kW/t

Maximum Range 800 km

Speed, Maximum Road 100 km/h

Speed, Average Cross 50 km/h

Speed, Maximum Swim 8 km/h

Propellers 2 ea

Transmission Manual

Suspension System Independent

Axels Differential Lock Enabling

Slope 30 deg

Vertical Obstacle 0.55 m

Gradient 60 %

Side Slope 40 %

Vertical Step 0.55 m

Fording Depth Amphibious

Trench 1.8 m

Communcations

Blue Force Tracker Yes

TBR-121 VHF Radio

VHF Transceiver Yes

VHF Range 1 to 50 km

Proliferated Widely

Digital Data Yes, Full

Control Self-Adaptive Control (Including Automatic Antenna Tuner)

Frequency Agile Yes

Wireless Network Capabilities Yes

Note: Very similar in capabilities to the US SINCGARS ASIP

Main Gun

Turret Type Two Man Turret

System

Name 1 x 2A72 (Shipunov 2A42)

Type Autocannon

Caliber 30 mm

Alternate Designation Shipunov 2A42

Date of Introduction 1980

Length, Barrel 2,416 mm

Length, Total 3.027 m

Weight 115 kg

Action Gas Operated

Barrels 1 ea

Rate of Fire (Low) 200-300 rds/min

Rate of Fire (High) 550-800 rds/min

Cage Cooling Sleeve Yes

Traverse 360 deg

Cage Cooling Sleeve Yes

Feed System Twin Feed

Ammunition (Option 1)

Type Armour Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot with Tracer(APFSDS-T)

Caliber 30 mm

Muzzle Velocity 1,275 m/s

Basic Load 125 rds

Maximum Effective Range 2,800 m

Min Range INA m

Armor Penetration Yes

Round Mass (Nominal) 675 g

Projectile Mass (Nominal) 220 g

Round Length 280 mm

Tracer 2.5

Cartridge Case Steel

Primer Percussion cap

Penetration at 1,000 >45mm RHA steel at 60° obliquity

Dispersion 0.45 Mils

Operational temperature -32°C to +62°C

Ammunition (Option 2)

Type High Explosive Incendiary

USSR Designation UOF-84

Caliber 30 mm

Description Shell filled with 48,5g HEI, with A-670M fuze

Muzzle Velocity 960 m/s

Basic Load 225 ea

Max Range 5,000

Min Range INA

Armor Penetration Yes

Weight, Bullet 0.39 kg

Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM)

Note The missile system is designated as HJ-73 or Red Arrow 73, and can be armed with four different types of missile to provide the ZBL-09 with offensive capability against most targets that the vehicle would encounter on a modern battlefield. All of the missiles use a SACLOS guidance system, with a wire link and TV goniometer. The available missiles are detailed below. Only one is carried in the ready-to-fire position and if a new missile was required a crew member would need to leave the vehicle and rearm the system:

HJ-73 or Red Arrow 73 Missiles (Option 1)

Name Red Arrow 73B

Type Anti-Tank Missile System

Muzzle Velocity 120 m/s

Maximum Range 2,800 m

Warhead Type Tandem-HEAT

Hit Probability 90 %

Penetration Probability 80 %

Penetration 200 mm of RHA set at 68° and protected by ERA

HJ-73 or Red Arrow 73 Missiles (Option 2)

Name Red Arrow 73D

Type Anti-Tank Missile System

Muzzle Velocity 130 m/s

Maximum Range 2,800 m

Warhead Type Tandem-HEAT

Hit Probability 90 %

Penetration Probability 80 %

Penetration 280 mm of RHA set at 68° and protected by ERA

HJ-73 or Red Arrow 73 Missiles (Option 3)

Name Red Arrow 73E

Type Anti-Tank Missile System

Muzzle Velocity 135 m/s

Maximum Range 3,000 m

Warhead Type Tandem-HEAT

Hit Probability 90 %

Penetration Probability 80 %

Penetration 300 mm of RHA set at 68° and protected by ERA

HJ-73 or Red Arrow 73 Missiles (Option 4)

Name Red Arrow 73F

Type Anti-Tank Missile System (Bunker Buster)

Muzzle Velocity 130 m/s

Maximum Range 2,800 m

Warhead Type Fuel Air Explosive Warhead

Hit Probability 90 %

Penetration Probability 80 %

Penetration 300 mm of RHA set at 68° and protected by ERA

Auxiliary Weapon System

System

Name Type 80 Chinese Heavy Machine Gun

Manufacturer Norinco

Type 7.62mm Heavy Machine Gun

Length, Total 1,192 mm

Length, Barrel 658 mm

Diameter INA

Action Gas Operated

Rate of Fire 700-800 rds/min

Feed System Belts in 100/200/250 round boxes

Sights Open sights. Optical/Night vision scope can be outfitted.

Ammunition

Type 7.62×54mmR

Caliber 7.62x54 mm

Muzzle Velocity 840 m/s

Basic Load Belts in 100/200/250 round boxes

Effective Firing Range 100-1,500 m

Min Range 100 m

Armor Penetration INA

Fire Control

Name Yes, fitted with the PLA’s version of a generic vehicle architecture (GVA) Battle Management System (BMS).

Computerized FCS Yes, the turret includes an FCS that accounts for the speed of the vehicle and distance to the target to provide ballistic solutions for the main gun.

Optics The commander and gunner are both provided with sights, but it is unclear if either of the sights are panoramic. They are protected by armored screens and the gunner’s sight includes a control channel for the HJ-73 missile system. Both commander and gunner also have a number of periscopes to improve situational awareness.

Thermal (Vehicle Commander) Yes

Thermal (Gunner) Yes

Main Gun Stabilization INA

Firing Ports Yes

Winch Available

Satellite Navigation System BeiDou Satellite, which also integrates with the vehicle’s digital radios to provide blue force tracking.

Laser Range Finder Yes

Protection

Hull and Turret Armor High hardness armor steel, which provide a protection against 12.7mm armour-piercing incendiary (API) strikes frontally at 100m,

Side Armor 7.62mm API on the sides at 100m

Rear Armor 7.62mm ball at the rear.

Applique Armor Available, the ZBD-09 can also be fitted with add-on armor package enables the vehicle to survive 25 mm API frontally at 1,000m and 12.7mm API on the sides at 100m.

Explosive Reactive Armor INA

Active Protection System Yes

Mine Clearing No

Self-Entrenching Blade INA

NBC Protection Yes

Smoke Equipment Yes, 12 Smoke Grenade Launchers (6 on each side)

Central Tire Inflation System Yes, The tires are fitted with a CTIS and RFIs, which means that the tyres will continue to support the vehicle once punctured for 100 km at a speed of 40 km/h.

Automatic Fire Extinguishing System Yes

Air Conditionning System, Yes

Image Sources

Notes https://www.reddit.com/r/TankPorn/comments/9fyv0p/plas_ztl11_assault_vehicle_during_vostok_2018/; https://www.militarytoday.com/apc/rabdan.htm; https://thaimilitaryandasianregion.wordpress.com/2016/07/13/zbl-09-ifv-china/