The ZBD2000 is an amphibious armoured fighting vehicle with 3 different versions; the 105mm rifled gun light tank, IFV 30mm cannon with HJ-73C ATGM, and armoured logistic vehicle. ZBD2000 was the many of amphibious armoured vehicles developed for the PLA Marine Corps. The vehicle was an alternative to the Type 63A amphibious tank introduced in the late 1990s. It features a hydroplane, and has been compared to the US Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV).
Development[]
The ZBD2000 uses a planning hull propelled by two water jets achieving water travelling
ZBD-2000
speed much greater than any current amphibious armoured vehicle in the PLA Marine Corps, on top of its enhanced speed it has increase ranged allowing it to launch onover over-the-horizon assaults.
The vehicle is designed with hydraulic-actuated bow with transom flaps, designed to aid hull skimming across the surface of the water. When activated the bow and transom flaps with the bottom of the hull form a planning surface, allowing the vehicle to go faster from its hydrodynamic drag reduction on the vehicle's hull.
The ZBD2000 features flat, boat-like hull, with 6 road wheels and front/rear rollers. Welded turret is mounted in the cenre of the hull, with the powerpack positioned in the front and passenger compartment in the rear. The light tank variant is operated by a crew of 4, with driver positioned left-front of the turret, and loader, gunner, and commander occupying the turret.
The IFV variant is operated by a crew of 3, driver positioned at front and the commander and gunner situated inside the 30mm cannon turret. The IFV’s passenger compartment accommodates 6~8 armed soldiers, dismounting the vehicle through the rear exit door.
Light Tank[]
The light tank variant is armed with a fully-stabilised 105mm rifled gun. The 105mm rounds carried consist of armour piercing fin stabilised discarding sabot (APFSDS), high explosive (HE), and high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rounds, and Chinese 105mm laser beam riding guidance anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). The 105mm missile offers the capability to engage shore targets whilst still swimming at sea, where conventional ammunition would perform poorly due to the motion of sea waves.
Secondary weapons include 7.62mm coxial mounted machine gun, 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gun mounted on the roof of the turret near the loader, and 2 sets of 4-barrel smoke grenade launchers mounted on either side of the turret. The rear part of the turret have storage rack for additional equipment which also provide additional protection against HEAT rounds.
Fire accuracy is attained by a computerised fire-control system (FCS), including a fire-control computer, light spot commander sight with laser rangefinder input, and light spot gunner sight with passive night vision. For all situation amphibious assault operations, the vehicle is equipped with GPS navigation and thermal imaging system.
Infantry Fighting Vehicle[]
Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) variant of ZBD2000 was built to accompany the light tank variant in the battlefield in amphibious operations. The vehicle shares the same hull, but replacing the 3-man 105mm rifled gun with a 2-man 30mm cannon turret with HJ-73C ATGM rail launcher positioned on the roof of the turret, and a 7.62mm coxial mounted machine gun. The vehicle has a crew of 3 compared to the Light Tank crew of 4, and can carry 7~10 (Squad) armed soldiers in its passenger compartment in the rear. The 30mm cannon isn't present in any armoured vehicles within the PLA Marine Corps, indicating a possible brand new design 30mm cannon.
External links[]
The original article can be found at ZBD2000 and the edit history here.