DZJ-08

The DZJ-08 (Chinese: 08式80毫米单兵多用途攻坚弹系统; pinyin: 08 Shì 80 háomǐ dān bīng duō yòngtú gōngjiān dàn xìtǒng; lit.: 'Type 08 80 millimetre Individual Multipurpose Assault Ammunition System') is a portable, disposable, unguided, shoulder-launched, multipurpose recoilless weapon. The weapon is designed as a multi-role assault weapon aiming to provide anti-armor, anti-fortification, anti-personnel capability. Designed and manufactured by Norinco for People's Liberation Army, Type 08 is the successor to Type 89A multipurpose rocket launcher.

Type 08 Individual Multipurpose Assault Weapon System
Type	Multi-role (anti-armor, anti-fortification, anti-personnel) assault weapon
Place of origin	China
Service history
In service	2008–present
Used by	See Users
Production history
Designer	China North Industries Group Corporation
Designed	2000
Manufacturer	Norinco
Specifications
Mass	Total: 7.6 kg (17 lb)
Length	971 mm (3 ft 2.2 in)
Crew	1 (single-use, disposable)
Cartridge	80×428 mm
Cartridge weight	1.65 kg (3.6 lb)(Standard Multipurpose)
Caliber	80 mm (3.1 in)
Rate of fire	5-7 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity	172 m/s (560 ft/s)
Effective firing range	25 m (82 ft) to 200 m (660 ft)
Maximum firing range	300 m (980 ft)
Sights	optical 1×/3× day sight

Description

The Type 08 has a unique firing mechanism called hermetic balance projection (Chinese: 密闭式平衡抛射; pinyin: Mìbì shì pínghéng pāoshè) possibly inspired by C.Davis recoilless principle. Compare to the previous system, Type 08 utilizes countermass to reduce the recoil, noise, muzzle flash, pressure wave and back blast that can cause burns and overpressure as well as creating conspicuous launch signature of the user. Moreover, Type 08's multipurpose ammunition has a relatively small blast radius of 7 meters, which gives the weapon system a minimum range of 25 meters. Thus, a soldier can fire the weapon more safely inside confined spaces.[1]

The high-explosive ammunition of DZJ-08 is specially designed to penetrate structures. It can penetrates 25 mm of steel armor at 65° angle, or around 30 mm of steel armor at 90° angle. Although it is not effective against heavy vehicle, lightly armored vehicles, such as armored personnel carriers, can still be penetrated and destroyed by DJZ-08. The biggest improvement of DZJ-08 is the ability to penetrates 500 mm of reinforced concrete, whereas the predecessor PF-89A with its multipurpose round can only penetrate 300mm of reinforced concrete.[1]

Type 08 is China's first attempt to develop an anti-tank weapon that can be used in confined space and urban warfare. China used Type 89 rocket launcher to replace Type 69 RPG in the 90s, however the problem of back blast became prominent. Since May 2000, Norinco started to design a new generation of weapon that is portable, single-use and can be distributed to each individual soldier of infantry squad like Type 89 yet offers low collateral damage. DZJ-08 weights 7.6kg, is water-proof and features a fordable day sight. The weapon also has folding front-grip and carrying handle. Firing instruction is printed on the left side of the launch tube.[2][3]

Users

•  China: People's Liberation Army

See also

• AT-4 CS
• Davis gun
• Recoilless gun

References

1. "DZJ-08". Military Today.
2. "New Chinese rocket launcher". Jane's 360. 19 September 2014.
3. "China Shows Off Less Deadly Rocket Launcher". Popular Science. 19 September 2014.