Chinese continues its growth as a formidable military power with each passing decade, ranking as one of the top three fighting forces anywhere in the world by defense aggregate GlobalFirepower.com (just behind Russia and ahead of regional rival India). Fueling this growth is an immense military-industrial complex which has produced a myriad of local battlefield solutions to local Army requirements. This includes the PHZ-11 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), a tracked, self-propelled rocket-projecting vehicle firing a variety of 122mm rocket types.
The PHZ-11 is part of the PHL-11 MLRS truck family which sees 4x4, 6x6, and tracked wheel arrangements. All fire the 122mm or larger battlefield rocket. For its part in the growing lineup, the PHZ-11 sits atop a track-and-wheel arrangement based in the PLZ-05 Self-Propelled Howitzer (SPH) and PGZ-09 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Artillery (SPAAA) systems also in service with the PLAGF. This adds versatility as well as mobility with inherent cross-country capabilities allowing it to keep up with the main fighting force. The system incorporates twin 20-shot rocket pods in a side-by-side arrangement with the launcher component seated over the rear of the chassis offering 360-traversal as well as limited elevation arcs.
As in the American M270, the PHZ-11 seats its operating crew in a light armored cabin over the bow. Windows are bullet resistant and the cab armored against small arms fire and artillery spray. The running gear runs from bow to stern with the drive sprocket at front, the track idler at rear, and track-return rollers situated over the roadwheels and under the track-link network. There are six rubber-tired roadwheels to each hull side giving the vehicle tank-like agility and cross-country performance. The chassis sits on a torsion bar / hydropneumatic suspension system.
Power & Performance Those special qualities that separate one land system design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the PHZ-11 Tracked Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS).
1 x 8V150 turbocharged diesel-fueled engine deveoping 800 horsepower driving conventional track-and-wheel arrangement. Installed Power
34 mph 55 kph Road Speed
280 miles 450 km Range
Structure The physical qualities of the PHZ-11 Tracked Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS).
3 (MANNED) Crew
22.0 ft 6.7 meters O/A Length
10.5 ft 3.2 meters O/A Width
11.2 ft 3.4 meters O/A Height
90,004 lb 40,825 kg | 45.0 tons Weight
Armament & Ammunition Available supported armament, ammunition, and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the NORINCO PHZ-11 Tracked Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS).
2 x 20-shot 122mm rocket pods seated over the rear of the vehicle.
AMMUNITION: 40 x 122mm rockets (variable warloads).
Variants Notable series variants as part of the NORINCO PHZ-11 family line.
PHZ-11 - Base Series Designation.
Operators Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the NORINCO PHZ-11. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national land systems listing.
Total Production: 100 Units Contractor(s): China NORth INdustries COrporation (NORINCO) - China
[ China ]
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Image from the Chinese Ministry of Defense; Public Release.
Going Further... The NORINCO PHZ-11 Tracked Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) appears in the following collections:
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