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NORINCO Assaulter 105 mm tank destroyer
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| 05 July 2006 |
China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) is now offering the Assaulter (6 × 6) 105 mm tank destroyer on the export market to work alongside its established WZ 551 series (6 × 6) of armoured personnel carriers (APCs).
At this stage it is not known as to whether the Assaulter 105 mm tank destroyer was developed to meet the operational requirements of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) or to meet emerging export requirements for a vehicle of this type.
The baseline WZ 551 (6 × 6) APC was originally developed over 20 years ago to meet the requirements of the PLA and since then has been continuously developed. It is known to have been exported to at least four countries.
Recent information is that the system has now entered production for the PLA.
Description
This 105 mm gun fires standard natures of NATO ammunition types including Armour-Piercing Fin-Stabilised Discarding Sabot (APFSDS), High Explosive (HE) and High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT).
It can also fire a NORINCO laser-guided anti-tank missile with a maximum range of 5,000 m. This is fitted with a tandem HEAT warhead that will neutralise Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) and so penetrate the main armour.
This NORINCO 105 mm laser-guided projectile is based on a Russian design and can be fired from any 105 mm rifled tank gun provided that it has a modified fire-control system that includes the laser guidance channel as fitted to the Assaulter.
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