Chinese Type 89-Based Artillery Support Vehicles

     Notes: The Chinese use two major artillery support vehicles based on the Type 89, along with a few minor variants of the Type 89 ACV used as minor FDC vehicles and specific artillery, MRL, or mortar battery communications vehicles (and will not be mentioned here; for game purposes, they are identical to the Type 89 ACV except in minor details about the radios and computer equipment).  The first of the two major variants is the Type 89 ACPV (Artillery Command Post Vehicle), also known as the ZCL-45, and the Type 89 BRV (Battery Reconnaissance Vehicle.  Both are in service with Chinese forces; there are rumors of their use by Iran, but these rumors have not been substantiated.

     As variants of the Type 89, they share a number of features in common with that vehicle.  They have essentially the same hull as the Type 89 and the same automotive and electrical components.  The front armor is sharply-sloped, and the side armor is moderately-sloped, providing good armor protection in relation to the thickness or the armor.  The engine is at the front left, with the driver to the right of it; his hatch opens to the left, and he has three vision blocks to the front.  The center block can be removed and replaced with a night vision block.   The commander is to the rear of the driver.  He has a cupola that gives him all-around vision, but no night vision.  The Type 89’s weapon is pintle-mounted and on a third hatch opening, usually manned by the commander of the troops in the rear or a dedicated gunner. This gunner of the Type 89 also has a rotating cupola and protection is almost always seen around the gunner’s cupola in the form of thick (AV2) gun shields, but no overhead protection.  The rear troop areas are fitted out for their roles and carry mostly mission equipment, with little room for personnel.  The large door in the rear is retained, as are the side and door vision blocks; the firing ports, however, are deleted, and there are only two vision blocks on each side.  The two circular hatches over the front of the rear compartment are also deleted.  Both vehicles have a collective NBC system for the crew and passengers, as well as an automatic fire detection and suppression system for the crew compartment, passenger compartment, engine compartment, and fuel tanks. Vision blocks for the both vehicles are fitted with defoggers for use in cold conditions, like on the rest of the Type 89 series.

     The engines are German-designed and license-built, a BF8L413F 320-horsepower turbocharged diesel.  Both can be equipped with external fuel tanks for long-range operations in addition to its internal fuel; these are mounted at the rear.  Both are amphibious with a minimum of preparation – a trim vane must be erected at the front of the vehicle. The roadwheels have an uneven distribution, with a gap between the third and fourth roadwheels.

     The Type 85 ACPV (Artillery Command Post Vehicle) is also known as ZCL-45 and is not a standard command vehicle, but instead serves an FDC for artillery, MRLs, and mortar units. It has the same sort of raised roofline as the Type 85 ACV, but is no longer.  Like the Type 89 ACV, the dedicated gunner’s station is deleted, replaced with a simple cupola with a pintle-mounted weapon.  Like the Type 85 ACV, it has a 5kW generator on the rear roof; this can be dismounted and dug in if necessary.  The interior of the Type 85 ACPV has a ruggedized computer for the computation of fire solutions, and a long-range data-capable computer to transmit this information to the batteries.  It furthermore has one more long-range radio and one short-range radio.  It also has the equipment to compute fire solutions by hand in a pinch.

     The Type 85 BRV (Battery Reconnaissance Vehicle) is based on the Type 85, and serves as a FIST vehicle.  It is also known as the GLC-45. It does not have the raised roofline of the Type 85 ACPV. It has a small turret with a machinegun and a laser rangefinder, and enhanced vision devices.  Several hand-held-binoculars are provided, as well as a hand-held image intensifier.  The Type 85 BRV has long-range data-capable radio to pass information to artillery command posts, and a small computer to assist in this; this computer can also allow the radio to transmit raw fire direction data as well as the information from its imaging devices.  It does not have the 5kW generator.  The Type 85 BRV has GPS with an inertial navigation backup, another long-range radio, and a short-range radio.

     The ZSY-45 Artillery Battalion Command Vehicle (ABCV) is similar to the Type 89 Armored Command Vehicle; the primary difference is the mission-specific equipment inside.  As the Type 89 ACV, the roofline is raised, but the ZSY-45 is no longer than the standard Type 89. The dedicated gunner’s station is deleted, and the commander’s station has a simple cupola without powered rotation and armed with a pintle-mounted machinegun.  Internally, the ZSY-45 has a suite of equipment for the generation of fire coordinates and fire solutions.  The ZSY-45 has two long-range data-capable radios, one medium-range radio, and one short-range radio.  Equipment is provided for the generation of fire solutions manually, including maps, and code books are provided. A 5kW APU is provided to power the vehicle’s electronics while the engine is switched off; this APU can be dismounted (and usually dug in, to dampen the noise), and connected to the vehicle with a cable.  The ZSY-45 is an FDC vehicle and not a FISTV, and has no equipment such as laser rangefinders, designators, or enhanced vision equipment, though the commander’s position has an inscribed artillery plotting circle, and the vehicle does have an inertial navigation system and a surveying function is included in its computer equipment.

*See Notes above.