Type 08


The Type 08 is a family of eight-wheeled amphibious, modular armored vehicle developed by Norinco for infantry fire support, battlefield logistics and quick reaction operations. It is a recent People's Republic of China produced Infantry fighting vehicle for People's Liberation Army Ground Force and People's Liberation Army Marine Corps.
ZBL-08 is the designation for Infantry Fighting variant in the Type 08 vehicle family. The modular design claims to be able to field variety of different models including an APC model, assault gun, an Engineering model, a 122 mm self propelled howitzer model, a 155 mm self propelled howitzer model, an air defense model, a self-propelled mortar model, a reconnaissance model, a command vehicle model and much more.

Variants

;ZBL-08 Infantry Fighting Vehicle: Original IFV variant with a 30 mm turret based on Shipunov 2A72. It feature a crew cabin in the back for infantry transportation. HJ-73C can be optionally mounted on the each side of the turret.
;ZSL-08 Armoured Personal Carrier: Based on IFV variant but the modified crew cabin has a higher ceiling. The Armored Personnel Carrier can be armed either with a manual controlled, armor-plate protected 12.7 machine gun or a remote controlled weapon station.
;Type 08 Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle: Armed with a 30 mm turret, the vehicle has a chassis that similar to the one used by IFV variant. The Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle will advanced before IFVs and assault guns for intelligence gathering. On-board high definition electro-optical cameras, thermal imaging system and laser designator can transmit battlefield and target information for other data-linked vehicles for target identification and designation. The Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle can provide better situational awareness for the infantry fighting squadron. The main radar and electric-optic sight is mounted on a retractable mast. There's also a version of the vehicle that doesn't have 30 mm turret. Instead, the chassis of APC variant is used. The secondary version of the Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle has more cameras onboard yet lack self-defense.
;PLL-05 Mortar Carrier: Based on IFV variant. It's armed with a 120mm dual purpose mortar.
;PLL-09 Modular Self-propelled Howitzer system: Based on IFV variant. Can be armed with either a 122mm or 155mm howitzer, to provide indirect fire support for infantry.
;Type 09 Anti-Air Reconnaissance Vehicle: Armed with a single barrel 35mm revolving auto cannon, the Air Defense variant has a unique chassis and is equipped with thermal-tracking sight, targeting and surveillance radars. The data collected by the radars can be data-linked back to command and armored reconnaissance vehicle.
;ZTL-11 11 Assault Gun: Armed with a 105mm rifled gun, coaxial machine gun and 12.7mm commander machine gun, the Assault gun is based on IFV chassis and can provide direct fire support for infantry battalion, and engage enemy light vehicles and stationary targets such as bunkers.
;Type 08 Command Vehicle: With a modified chassis that has a much higher ceiling than APC variant, the crew cabin can provide a more spacious environment for infantries. Equipped with satellite communication suite and battle management system, command vehicle can move with the mechanized infantries for better battlefield management.
;Type 08 Communication Vehicle: Based on the Command Vehicle variant. It has additional communication equipments on board for infantry battalion.
;Type 08 Armored Ambulance: Based on the Command Vehicle variant. Featuring a modified crew cabin with medical equipment, the Armored Ambulance variant has two distinguished Red Cross markers on each side of the vehicle body.
;Type 08 Hazardous Environment Reconnaissance Vehicle: Based on the Command Vehicle variant. Equipped with sensor and equipment for hazardous detection involving nuclear, biological and chemical environment.
;Type 08 Electronic Warfare Vehicle: Based on the Command Vehicle variant. But the satellite communication suite on top of the vehicle roof is replaced by a rectangular shaped radar with several small radar panels for Electronic Support Measures.
;Type 08 Assault Breacher: Based on the IFV variant. It's equipped with mine plow and other mine detection device on board.
;Type 08 Mobile Bridge Builder: Based on the IFV variant. It's equipped with a vehicle-launched bridge on top of the roof.
;Type 08 Armored Recovery Vehicle: Based on the IFV variant, the turret is replaced by a crane for emergency vehicle service.
;Type 08 Armored Cargo Vehicle: Based on the APC variant, Armored Cargo Vehicle has more bullet-proof windows on the vehicle body.
;Type 08 Engineering Vehicle: The vehicle has a unique chassis. It's equipped with tools for road paving, obstacle neutralization. A bulldozer blade is fitted in front of the vehicle and an excavator bucket is mounted on the front-end of the roof. Waterline marks can also be found on the side of the vehicle body.
;VS27: Armored rescue vehicle
;VE36: Reconnaissance vehicle
;VE32A: Reconnaissance vehicle
;CS/SA5: Specialized air defense variant with a 6-barrel Gatling gun. The chassis of CS/SA5 is based on a modified Type 08 IFV. It comes with an air surveillance radar on the rare of the turret roof with a 2-axis adaptive-follow tracking radar situated on the starboard side of the surveillance radar whine the thermal-tracking sight situated on the port side can provide visual information of target through fire control computers.
;CS/AA5: Specialized IFV variants with a remote-controlled 40mm turret. The chassis of CS/AA5 is based on Type 08 IFV.
;VN-1: Export variant based on Type 08 IFV. The VN-1C is armed with a 30 mm remote weapons station and a HJ-73 anti-tank missile.
;SWS-2: Export SHORAD gun/missile system variant of the VN-1. It is armed with a 35 mm cannon and four surface-to-air missiles.
;ST-1: Export variant based on Type 11 Assault gun, armed with a L7 105mm rifled gun.
;SH-11: Export-oriented 155 mm self-propelled howitzer armed with a 39-caliber gun, which can be replaced with a 52-caliber gun without changing the chassis. It features a fully automatic loading system and the latest generation of optics.
;AFT-10 ATGM carrier: First shown at the 2018 Zhuhai Airshow.

Operators