Type 08


The Type 08 is a Chinese family of modern eight-wheeled, amphibious, modular armored vehicles developed by Norinco for infantry fire support, battlefield logistics, and quick reaction operations. Developed in the early 2000s, the vehicle family were produced for more than 6,000 hulls and widely deployed by the People's Liberation Army Ground Force and People's Liberation Army Marine Corps.
ZBL-08 is the designation for the infantry fighting vehicle variant in the Type 08 vehicle family. The modular design offers a plethora of different configurations, including an armored personnel carrier variant, an assault gun variant, combat engineering variants, mine clearance variants, CBRN defense variants, 122 mm/155 mm self propelled howitzer variants, air defense variants, self-propelled mortar variants, reconnaissance vehicle variants, command vehicle variants, and much more.

Development

The development of the Type 08 vehicle family starts in the 1990s as the successor to other aging Chinese wheeled vehicles. Type 08 was first seen in 2006, undergoing road tests.

Design

Overview

The Type 08 has modular design that allows customization of the vehicle based on mission. The vehicle consists of six modules: engine module, transmission module, control module, suspension module, hull module, and weapon station module. The vehicle is fitted with a digital battlefield management system, satellite navigation system, NBC protection, and automatic fire suppression system. It is able to datalink and communicate with other vehicles as well as the command posts.

Protection

The vehicle chassis and turret is made of all-welded steel with mounted alumina ceramic composite plates, providing protection against shell splinters, 12.7 mm armor-piercing incendiary rounds at and 25 mm projectiles over the frontal arc at. The vehicle is fitted with smoke dischargers and laser warning receivers to improve survivability. The vehicle is capable of all weather operation. The driver is equipped with a helmet-mounted night vision system fed from the CCD-based sensors fitted on the vehicle chassis.

Armaments

ZBL-08 infantry fighting vehicle, the standard variant of the Type 08 family, is equipped with ZPT-99 30 mm autocannon and Type 86 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun. Two HJ-73C ATGM rail launchers are mounted on both sides of the turret. The gunner is equipped with a computerized fire control system, gun stabilization with automatic tracking, laser rangefinder, and thermal imagining devices.
ZSL-10 armored personnel carrier is equipped with an open-top armor-protected QJC-88 heavy machine gun and smoke discargers.
ZTL-11 assault vehicle is fitted with ZPL-98A 105 mm rifled gun with capability of launching armor piercing fin stabilized discarding sabot, high explosive, and high-explosive anti-tank ammunitions, as well as the indigenous GP105 105 mm gun-fired laser beam riding guided anti-tank missile. Secondary weapons include QJT-88 5.8 mm coaxial machine gun and QJC-88 12.7 mm roof-mounted heavy machine gun. The turret of ZTL-11 is derived from the Type 05 amphibious tank, but with more smoke dischargers. The assault vehicle is also fitted with ST-16 millimeter wave radar suite, similar to the one mounted on Type 99A tank. The radar is designed for target identification, acquisition, and tracking.

Mobility

Type 08 family is powered by the Deutz BF6M1015C water-cooled V-type 6-cylinder diesel engine, developing. The vehicle is equipped with automated manual transmission. The front four wheels are capable of power steering. The maximum speed is with an range on paved roads. The vehicle is fully amphibious, with hydraulically controlled water jets mounted to the rear. The vehicle is fitted with computer-controlled central tire inflation system and steel-reinforced radial tires to improve mobility under off-road and emergency situation.

Variants

;ZBL-08 infantry fighting vehicle
;ZSL-10 armoured personnel carrier
;Type 08 armored reconnaissance vehicle
;Type 08 artillery reconnaissance vehicle
;Type 08 electro-optical reconnaissance vehicle
;PLL-09 modular self-propelled howitzer system
;ZTL-11 assault gun
;PGL-12 anti-air gun-missile system
;PLB-625 air defense gun-missile system
;Type 08 command vehicle
;Type 08 communication vehicle
;Type 08 armored ambulance
;Type 14 hazardous environment reconnaissance vehicle
;Type 08 electronic warfare vehicle
;GPZ-111A assault breach vehicle
;GQC-003 mobile bridge builder
;Type 08 armored recovery vehicle
;Type 08 armored cargo vehicle
;Type 08 engineering vehicle

Export variants

;VN-1
;ST-1
;ST-3
;SH-11
;VS27
;VE36
;VE32A
;SWS-2
;CS/SA5
;Type 625E
;Yitian 2
;CS/AA5
;AFT-10 ATGM carrier
;JRVG-1A anti-air gun system

Operators

  • People's Liberation Army Ground Force - 5,950+ units as of 2024. 3,250 units of ZBL-08; 1,200 units of ZTL-11; 900 units of ZSL-10; 600 units of PLL-09; Uncounted units of other variants.
  • People's Liberation Army Marine Corps - 200+ units as of 2024. 150 units of ZBL-08; 50 units of ZTL-11; Uncounted units of other variants.
  • Gabonese Army: On display at the 2019 Independence Day parade.
  • Nigerian Army: ST1
  • The Royal Thai Army signed a contract to purchase 38 VN-1 IFVs for first batch. Thailand ordered 37 more vehicles for second batch. The VN-1 was put into service in February 2021 with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. Additional VN-1s purchased on January 2026.https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341089/why-thailand-us-treaty-ally-stocking-chinese-weapons
  • Bolivarian Marine Infantry

    Potential operators

Failed bids