The Chinese CAO "Type 05" or "PLL05", put into service with the PLA recently, is a light gun mount on a wheel base. The first official mention of the new Chinese-made ACS is 2001. The NORINCO company demonstrated a new combat vehicle with a 120 mm cannon for foreign buyers. However, there was no demand for such equipment and for some time it was not heard about it. Only in 2008, the modernized self-propelled guns under the name "PLL05" in the amount of 18 copies are accepted into service by the 127th light motorized infantry division of the PLA. Today it is known that this military equipment regularly enters service.
Like the Soviet prototype, the SPG has a 120mm cannon, which is a type of universal cannon that can fire like a howitzer and mortar. Therefore, firing is possible both with a canopy (mortar) and with a flooring (howitzer). The angles of vertical rise do not differ from the guidance angles of the "Nona" from (+80) to (-4) degrees. The list of used ammunition does not differ either - these are 120 mm mortar mines and artillery shells of the Soviet, Chinese and NATO nomenclature.
The Soviet Union was the first in the world to implement such a mortar-howitzer concept back in 1981, when it created a 120mm 2S9 Nona-S self-propelled gun based on a tracked base. Combat equipment of a universal type was created for the Soviet airborne units to replace the artillery of the airborne units, which did not diminish in terms of the mobility and landing characteristics of the main landing equipment. In addition, she had to use 120 mm ammunition of both domestic production and enemy ammunition. Immediately after the tracked ACS, towed and wheeled ACS were developed.
Until now, it has not been precisely established how the Chinese clone of the Soviet SPG was created. Based on the information of domestic sources, it is safe to say that the ACS "NONA-SVK" was not supplied abroad. And according to foreign sources, it turns out that in the mid-90s, China purchased about 100 copies of the 2S23 ACS from the Russian Federation. The version of China's acquisition of a certain number of self-propelled guns "Nona" from Pakistan looks more probable (it has long been known about fruitful cooperation between the PRC and Pakistan in the military sphere), which in turn could have acquired them from some military formation of Afghanistan - self-propelled guns "Nona" participated in combat actions of 1978-1989. Several copies of self-propelled guns, lost by the Soviet troops in Afghanistan, are very likely acquired by China for their own purposes.
After researching Soviet technology, the Chinese military, evaluating its advantages, began the "cloning process." They install a turret with a 120 mm cannon on their own chassis - a wheeled armored personnel carrier "Type 92" or "ZSL92 / WZ551" with a 6x6 wheel arrangement.
Free horizontal aiming of the tower (360 degrees). The rate of fire of the gun per minute is up to 8 shots with high-explosive fragmentation shells, up to 10 shots with high-explosive fragmentation mines and up to 6 shots for the KS. The range of destruction by a projectile (howitzer) is up to 9.5 kilometers, the range of destruction by a mine (mortar) is up to 8.5 kilometers, and the firing of "HEAT" shells is up to 12 kilometers. In addition to the gun, the PLL-05 self-propelled gun is armed with a Type 85 machine gun of 12.7 mm caliber for air defense. There are three smoke grenade launchers on each side of the tower. Full ammunition stock of 36 separate loading ammunition, which are in the ammunition rack of the turret and hull.
Sights of cylindrical shape are installed:
- to the left of the gun - direct aiming sight;
- on the roof of the gun - a panoramic combined device with a laser-type rangefinder.
The self-propelled control system is provided with 3 fire modes - auto / semi-auto / manual. The turret and body of the self-propelled gun mount is of a welded type, made of high-strength steel armor plates and provides the PLL-05 self-propelled gun with bullet and splinter protection. The personnel of the combat vehicle - 4 people:
- vehicle commander;
- driver-mechanic;
- gunner;
- infecting (shooter).
The driver-mechanic and the commander are in the control compartment in the bow of the vehicle, the loader with the gunner are in the turret of the vehicle. As far as we know, the first examples of 120 mm self-propelled guns had a turret part with a small internal volume. Subsequently, on the last machines, the volume of the tower was increased.
ACS is provided with a system of collective protection against weapons of mass destruction. The self-propelled gun mount has a power compartment with an 8-cylinder BF8L413F diesel engine, air-cooled. Power specifications - 320 hp The travel speed is about 85 kilometers per hour. SAU "PLL-05" floating type. For movement in the aquatic environment, the machine is provided with two propellers in annular rotary nozzles, made at the stern behind the rear wheels. The speed of overcoming water obstacles is 8 km / h. The two front pairs of wheels are steerable, all wheels are connected to a centralized pumping system. Self-propelled gun mount "Type 05" can be transported by Chinese transports "Yun-8".
Main characteristics:
- length 6.7 meters;
- width 2.8 meters;
- height 2.8 meters;
- weight 16500 kilograms;
- cruising range 800 kilometers;
- crew of 4 people;
- splinterproof, bulletproof armor: frontal from 12.7 mm caliber, side from 7.62 mm caliber;
- armament: universal 120 mm cannon, 12.7 mm Type 85 machine gun;
- equipment: control system, night vision devices, optical-electronic sighting devices.
