The Perfect Soldier: Special Operations, Commandos, and the Future of Us Warfare by James F. Dunnigan
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Chinese Stryker In Action
by James Dunnigan
August 12, 2008
Discussion Board on this DLS topic
The recent (last March) unrest in Tibet provided a rare opportunity to see the Chinese Type 92 wheeled armored vehicles in action. Within two days of the outbreak of violence, troops, apparently from the 149th Mechanized Infantry Division, were seen in the streets of Tibetan cities. The 149th has long been in charge of guarding the road from China to Tibet's capital, Lhasa. Thus the 149th divisions vehicles were several hundred kilometers away when the riots broke out. Some apparently came in via the new railroad, but most took the road.
The Type 92 was developed in the 1990s, and is similar to the U.S. Stryker or LAV. It is an 18 ton, 6x6 armored vehicle that is most frequently used to transport infantry. These carry a crew of three, plus nine infantry. Most of them are the APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) model and armed only with a 12.7mm machine-gun. This model is also used by the police, usually painted white, for riot control. The IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) version has a 25mm automatic cannon and better electronics.
There is also a 4x4 version of the Type 92. This vehicle weighs 7.2 tons, can carry up to eight people and is armed with a 12.7mm machine-gun. It is used for reconnaissance, as a command vehicle or for police work.
There are also 8x8 wheel versions, designed to carry 122mm artillery or 120mm anti-tank guns. The artillery version is based on the Russian 122mm howitzer which China is known to have reverse engineered. It is the same weapon used on the Chinese full-tracked Type 85 and Type 89 artillery.
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