PLA expands Type 09 family
China boasted that 84% of the equipment participating in its military parade in Tiananmen Square on 3 September had never been publicly seen before.
Among these platforms were three members of the Type 09 8x8 armoured vehicle family.
Since the parade featured only vehicles in active service within People’s Liberation Army (PLA) ranks, it demonstrates the widespread introduction into mechanised units of this Norinco vehicle type that is nicknamed the Snow Leopard. It is the equivalent of Western 8x8 vehicles like the General Dynamics Stryker or Piranha.
Arguably of most interest was a signals/command version, of which four examples
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Land Warfare
-
DSEI 2025: Thales creating new remote weapon station and Storm 2 counter-drone jammer
Thales launched Storm-H in 2012 as an EW system equipping individual dismounted troops, and a decade later revealed details to develop the improved and more powerful Storm 2.
-
The integration between drones and land vehicles is accelerating
Drones and military ground vehicles are increasingly being designed to operate together as a single platform or even to convert crewed systems to automated ones.
-
Denmark shuns US platform as it settles on SAMP/T air defence system
The acquisition, which is part of the country’s broader defence package worth DKK58 billion (US$9.2 billion), goes against the grain with many other European countries opting for the US’s popular Patriot platform.