Power is from a 670 horsepower diesel-fueled engine and the chassis utilizes a torsion bar suspension system for cross-country travel. There are six rubber-tired roadwheels to a hull side with the drive sprocket at front and the track idler at rear. Two track-return rollers are noted. A conventional track-and-link assembly runs the length of the arrangement, offering excellent off-road travel.
The vehicle features an operational range out to 310 miles while road speeds hit upwards of 47 miles-per-hour (faster than the preceding ZBD-04 which maxed at 40 mph. However, in water, this value is reduced to just 4 mph compared to the ZBD-04's 12 mph water-going speed. In either case, the vehicle is inherently versatile and can keep up with the main armored fighting force.
Dimensions include a length of 23.6 feet, a width of 10.5 feet, and a height of 8.1 feet. Beyond its operating crew of three (driver, commander, gunner), up to seven combat-ready infantrymen can be housed in the fighting cabin. Access to the cabin is through a door fitted to the rear hull panel, offering occupants some protection from the vehicle itself when entering/exiting the tank.
Variants of this newer line of IFVs includes the "ZBD-04A AT", a dedicated missile-carrier housing the AFT-10 (HJ-10) ATGM family of armor-defeating weapons. The vehicle carries wave radar, a thermal imaging system, television camera, and laser range-finder as part of its equipment kit. The "ZBD-04A CC2" is a dedicated Command & Control vehicle outfitted with the necessary battlefield equipment, primarily centered on communications. This model is noted for its raised hull roof line to accommodate its specialty role. The "ZBD-04A CRV" is a Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle utilized in the frontline role. Electro-Optical (EO) and radar equipment is fitted to this model and the tank carries a retractable mast for the work. The "ZBD-04A ARV" is the Armored Recovery Vehicle form, a crane-equipped model for use in recovering other armored vehicles.
The "PLZ-07" is a related modification of the ZBD-04A chassis, re-imagined for the Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH) role and carrying a 122mm solution.
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