WZ550 AT

[PlanyKaanere 722]

WZ550 AT

 

(No, that's not a VAB Mephisto)

 

Hello everyone! Today I'm suggesting a Chinese wheeled ATGM carrier:

 

Historical background

 

Spoiler

The WZ550 AT (also known as AFT-9 HJ-9) is a Chinese ATGM carrier based on a shortened WZ-551 chassis.

 

In the 1980s Norinco designed the WZ551 6x6 APC based on the chasis of the Tiema XC2200 truck (itself based on the Mercedes-Benz 2060 chassis). While the vehicle was adopted by the PLA as the Type 90, its performance was deemed unsatisfactory and work began on an improved variant. This was first revealed to the public in 1986 as the Type 92 and entered service in 1995. Meanwhile, work was underway on a 4x4 variant, which was to be designated as WZ550. This variant entered service as a police and anti-tank vehicle.

 

An initial prototype for an anti-tank WZ550 was designated as WZ91 and used HJ-8 ATGMs. Ultimately, a production version was approved using the newer HJ-9 ATGMs. This anti-tank variant of the WZ550 entered service in the 90s and was first revealed to the public in 1999. The WZ550 remains in service with the PLA along with other variants of the Type 92.

 

Technical specifications:

 

The WZ550 weighs 13.750 Kg. It’s powered by a 320 HP Deutz BF8L413FC V-8 turbo-diesel; it features 4x4 drive with a top speed of 95 Km/h on road. The engine is located behind the driver, with the exhaust on the left side of the hull. The hull protects against small arms and artillery splinters; an NBC protection system is also featured. The two windshields can be covered by an armored shutter, leaving forward vision to several fixed periscopes and one rotating. A crew of three is carried (driver, commander, and gunner). Unlike other variants of the Type 92, the WZ550 is not amphibious.

 

The turret features four HJ-9 missiles, with another eight stored in the hull. Its vertical guidance range is of -10º/+10º and its horizontal range of 200º to each side. The turret retracts into the hull when in travelling mode. The guidance system features day sights, thermal sights, TV goniometers and a laser transmitter. The thermal sight operates in the 8 to 12 μm band and has a detection range of 4 Km. Additionally, two banks of four 75 mm smoke grenade launchers are carried.

 

Weight	13.750 Kg
Length	6.05 m
Width	2.44 m
Height	1.98 m
Crew count	3 (driver, commander, gunner)
Missile (count)	HJ-9 (12)
Engine power	320 hp
Maximum road speed	95 km/h
Range	~800 km
Gradient	60º
Side slope	30º
Vertical step	0.5 m
Trench	0.6 m
Fording	~1 m

 

The HJ-9 (Hong Jiang-9, Red Arrow-9) is a Chinese laser-guided SACLOS ATGM. The missile has a length of 1.2 m, a diameter of 152 mm and a weight of 37 Kg. Two sets of four fins fold out after launch. It’s powered by two rocket motors (a booster and a sustainer) for a maximum effective range of 5000 m and a minimum of 100 m. The missile uses SACLOS laser guidance with a wavelength of .9 μm; this ensures resistance against common jamming techniques, including smoke and soft-kill APS. Only one missile can be controlled simultaneously.

 

The missile is armed with a tandem HEAT warhead with a penetration under ERA of 1,200 mm RHA at 0º or of 320 mm at 68º.

 

Gallery

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

(Sensor array)

 

(Driving position)

 

(Gunner's seat)

 

(HJ-9 outside its tube)

 

Finally, why should it be added? Very simple, because the Chinese can allways do with more vehicles, especially domestic ones. For this one I recommend a BR of arround 9.0.

 

Sources

 

• https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/modern/China/WZ551-Type92_APC.php (history)

• http://www.360doc.com/content/19/0118/11/8250148_809642631.shtml (missile)

• http://mil.news.sina.com.cn/2003-07-31/140900.html (missile)

• https://bbs.tiexue.net/post2_12801058_1.html (vehicle)

• http://www.military-today.com/missiles/aft_9.htm (vehicle)

• http://www.army-guide.com/eng/product4627.html (vehicle)

• https://www.armyrecognition.com/chinese_china_army_wheeled_armoured_vehicle_uk/aft-9_hj-9_wz550_anti-tank_missile_launcher_wheeled_armoured_data_sheet_specifications_information_u.html#identification (vehicle)

• https://www.construction-engine.com/bf8l413fc289319hp.html (engine)

Edited September 6, 2021 by PlanyKaanere

[ItssLuBu 1,793]

Approved and open for discussion. 

[WulfPack 1,693]

+1

[tiger7742 260]

+1

[Milocat 4,842]

+1 for sure, great AGTM carrier for China!

[EjectionSeat 5]

+1

[MichaeL98 102]

Its BR will be largely affected by the in-game performance of HJ-9 missile.

Though having some draw backs such as hard to hide, poor armor(most ATGM carriers in the game also suffer from this), have to wait until the laucher unfolds etc., if the weapon system consists thermal sights and its missiles have tandem charge with a penetration of over 800mm(just for example) and a reasonable flight speed, it could be still quite competitive at 9.0 or even 9.3, being a good addition to China's 9.7 line up.

[PlanyKaanere 722]

Thanks to everyone who voted!

 

5 hours ago, MichaeL98 said:

Its BR will be largely affected by the in-game performance of HJ-9 missile.

Though having some draw backs such as hard to hide, poor armor(most ATGM carriers in the game also suffer from this), have to wait until the laucher unfolds etc., if the weapon system consists thermal sights and its missiles have tandem charge with a penetration of over 800mm(just for example) and a reasonable flight speed, it could be still quite competitive at 9.0 or even 9.3, being a good addition to China's 9.7 line up.

 

Agreed. Sadly, I haven't found any reference on the top speed of the HJ-9.

[Borotovas 4,499]

+1

 

It looks great.

[Cedjoe 5,481]

Is that a VAB Mephisto, a VAB UTM-800 or a VAB Lancelot? 

 

+1 as long as we get VABs in the french tree 

[tiger7742 260]

Now that the PTL-02 is coming to china (YAY), adding this vehicle probably would be easier, hopefully we can see it in the near future

[PlanyKaanere 722]

4 hours ago, tiger7742 said:

Now that the PTL-02 is coming to china (YAY), adding this vehicle probably would be easier, hopefully we can see it in the near future

 

Indeed, hope we can see this and the Yitian in the near future!

[Yontzee 1,669]

Yeaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh +1

[DF41_Express_ 26]

On 03/02/2021 at 00:46, PlanyKaanere said:

Weight

13.750 Kg

Length

6.05 m

??????????13kg????????

 

We now have the ZT3A2 in the South African/British tech tree as the first wheeled ATGM carrier in WT, so hopefully this can arrive soon!

It is much faster than the ZT3A2 so I think 9.0 is a good BR for it.

[tiger7742 260]

*Copy paste from another post*

I was browsing through youtube earlier today and came across this video, during timestamps 0:50-0:52 and 1:04-1:06 there is footage this vehicle in action, showing both the launcher rotating and rising out from the hull, meaning that when implemented this vehicle will probably have its launcher retracted inside its hull while driving and extend out of the vehicle when it stopped.

[Zev_Winters 313]

This would be a good Chinese counterpart to vehicles like the Shturm-S, ZT3A2, etc. 

 

You say four smoke grenade launchers but the display vehicle shows six and another training image appears to show eight total.

[PlanyKaanere 722]

2 hours ago, Zev_Winters said:

You say four smoke grenade launchers but the display vehicle shows six and another training image appears to show eight total.

 

I meant two banks of four smoke grenades, one on each side. All vehicles should indeed have eight launchers. On the ones that seem to have six one of the launchers is being obscured by the others.

 

Thanks for the heads-up, I clarified it in the post  .

[PlanyKaanere 722]

 

Found a picture of an WZ550 with an HJ-8 turret, probably what tanks-encyclopedia refers to as "WZ91", the prototype for the WZ550 with HJ-9s.

 

Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20090402044623/http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/missile/row/hj-8.htm

Edited July 2, 2022 by PlanyKaanere

[OddPhenomena 1,015]

3 hours ago, PlanyKaanere said:

 

Found a picture of an WZ550 with an HJ-8 turret, probably what tanks-encyclopedia refers to as "WZ91", the prototype for the WZ550 with HJ-9s.

 

Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20090402044623/http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/missile/row/hj-8.htm

I've been trying to narrow down some more information on this, as well as pictures, but haven't been successful. So far as I can tell, it's most likely a one-off modification made to a WZ550. It seems to use the ZDF89's launcher and loading system, given the rear of the vehicle is raised in a way similar to how the ZDF89's chassis is. Hopefully more information can be found on this one day.

[NAYEONnaise 1,936]

for an IT-1 or MEPHISTO counterpart for China, why turn it down? +1 for me. highly mobile and stabilized ATGM carriers are a must.

Edited July 3, 2022 by NAYEONnaise

[Renamed27206 40]

+1

[PlanyKaanere 722]

https://warthunder.com/en/news/7826-development-hj-9-the-red-arrow-en

 

 

YEAH my first implementes suggestion!

[Yontzee 1,669]

7 minutes ago, PlanyKaanere said:

https://warthunder.com/en/news/7826-development-hj-9-the-red-arrow-en

 

 

YEAH my first implementes suggestion!

Nice add mate! 

[Vassau 41]

Devblog says it has a 290hp engine. Shouldn't it be 320hp, like the PTL, WMA since they're literally the same chassis?

[MichaeL98 102]

9 hours ago, Vassau said:

Devblog says it has a 290hp engine. Shouldn't it be 320hp, like the PTL, WMA since they're literally the same chassis?

It's a shortened PTL hull, with 4 wheels instead of 6. So maybe it's engine is also changed?