Along with various types of wheeled self-propelled artillery installations, tracked self-propelled guns continue to be offered for export in China. So, at the recently ended international aviation and space salon Airshow China 2021 in Zhuhai, a 155-mm PLZ-52 was demonstrated.
PLZ-52 SPH . pic.twitter.com/4xD9m3J3LP
— jimmie chan (@71Arifin) September 9, 2021
This combat vehicle is a further development of the PLZ-45 already known and in service with Algeria, Bangladesh, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
The main difference lies in the gun with a barrel length of 52 caliber. This measure made it possible to significantly increase the maximum firing range of an active-reactive high-explosive fragmentation projectile from 39,000 to 53,000 meters.
There are laser-guided and satellite-guided ammunition.
The rate of fire has also been increased - from five to eight rounds per minute. The sighting system is equipped with a laser rangefinder, a thermal imaging device. The crew has modern means of navigation and communication at their disposal.
A 12.7 mm machine gun is mounted on the turret to defeat air and ground targets.
The armor protects the crew of four from small arms fire and fragments of mines and shells. The maximum speed on the highway is 65 km/h.
According to military experts, the PLZ-52 can successfully compete with the best Western self-propelled guns.
Alexey Brusilov
