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WZ-551 Wheeled Armored Personnel Carrier - Variants

• 12.7-mm APC (6 x 6). This is the basic version. Secondary armament on the Type WZ 551 is a 7.62-mm machine gun with an ammunition load of 1,000 rounds.
• Ambulance (6 x 6). This version has a raised rear troop compartment, a crew of three and can carry four stretchers. Mounted on the forward part of the roof is a cupola with an externally-mounted 12.7-mm machine gun for which 500 rounds of ammunition are carried.
• 73-mm IFV (6 x 6). This version has a turret that is similar to the Soviet BMP-1 vehicle. Armament on this version consists of a 73-mm gun with a load of 40 rounds, a 73-mm Red Arrow 73 ATGW mounted over the main armament for which four missiles are carried and a coaxial 7.62-mm machine gun with a load of 2,000 rounds.
• 25-mm IFV (6 x 6). The main armament on the Type WZ 551 is a 25-mm cannon with an ammunition load of 400 rounds. This version has a crew of two and is fitted with a one-man operated turret on the roof to the immediate rear of the engine compartment. To the rear of the turret are two rectangular roof hatches. A 25-mm cannon is mounted externally with a 7.62-mm machine gun mounted coaxially to its left. Smoke dischargers are located on each side of the lower part of the turret. The gunner has a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the right and two periscopes and a day/night sight mounted in the forward part of the turret roof. The 25-mm cannon can fire single shots or rates of fire of 100, 300 or 500 rds/min. Two hundred rounds of ready use 20-mm ammunition are carried plus a further 200 rounds in reserve. One thousand rounds of 7.62-mm ammunition are carried. The infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) version of WZ 551 equips No.52 and No.55 Mountain Brigades in the Tibet Command.
• Type NGV-1 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (6 x 6). This NGV-1 is essentially the WZ 551 (6 x 6) fitted with a French GIAT Dragar one-man power operated turret. In addition to being armed with a 25-mm GIAT M811 cannon, it is also armed with a 7.62-mm machine gun and two banks of three smoke dischargers.
• Anti-tank Vehicle (4 x 4). This version is fitted with a one-man turret with four Red Arrow 8 ATGWs ready to launch; an additional eight missiles are carried in reserve. This version has a crew of four. As an alternative the 4 x 4 version can be fitted with the one-man turret armed with the 73mm gun, 7.62-mm machine gun and Red Arrow 73 ATGW. This vehicle has a weight of 12,500 kg, a length of 6.05 meters, a width of 2.8 meters, a height to the top of the hull of 1.95 meters and to the launcher, 2.6 meters, a wheelbase of 3.2 meters and a maximum road speed of 85 km/h with a range of 600 km.
• WJ08 police armored anti-riot vehicle is a police armored vehicle developed on the basis of the Chinese WZ551 military armored vehicle. The vehicle is white in color, decorated with a golden police badge, equipped with a variety of weapons, and has a variety of combat capabilities, which greatly improves the armed police force's ability to deal with various emergencies, and has greatly improved the performance of the same type of old equipment. .
• 105-mm SPH (6 x 6). In 2001 China disclosed a new 105mm 6 x 6 armoured car that uses components of the WZ 551 6 x 6 APC.
• 120-mm SPM (6 x 6). In 2001 China disclosed a new 120mm self-propelled mortar system using a modified WZ-551 6 x 6 armoured personnel carrier (APC) chassis. The fully enclosed turret on the center of the roof is similar to that used with the Russian 120mm 2S23 NONA-SVK self-propelled mortar system mounted on a modified BTR-80 8 x 8 APC chassis. In 1997 it was reported that Russia would supply China with 2S23 mortars. But there is no indication that the deal was real, or that the transfer of technology to China to allow local production of the 2S23 system ever took place.
• 122-mm SPH (8 x 8). This vehicle is based on a lengthened 6 x 6 chassis. Mounted on the hull top at the rear is a turret armed with a 122-mm howitzer for which 40 rounds of ammunition are carried. Before firing, two spades can be lowered at the rear of the hull to provide a more stable firing platform. The 122-mm SPH has a weight of 20,000 kg, a length of 7.9 meters, a width of 2.8 meters, an overall height of 2.7 meters and to the hull top, 1.75 meters, a wheelbase of 1.75 + 2 + 1.3 meters, a maximum road speed of 85 km/h with a range of 500 km. This vehicle can also cross a 2-meter trench and climb a 60-percent grade.
• Introduction of the WMZ551B, an upgraded wheeled amphibious APC, to units in the southeast reportedly will give these forces improved firepower, maneuverability, and reliability.
• The Chinese Company Norinco unveiled for the first time at the November 2014 Zhuhai Air Show China a new modernized version of the WMZ551 6x6 armored personnel carrier. The VN2 6x6 armored infantry fighting vehicle is the latest variant of the WMZ551. The VN2 armored vehicle is a 15-18 ton armored vehicle, with a length of 6.78 meters, a width of 2.8 meters, and a height of 2.06 meters to the top deck. It can be transported by road, rail and ship, and can also be transported by C-130 by air. The VN2 armored vehicle can operate under low-intensity combat conditions, and can also be deployed in peacekeeping operations and counter-terrorism operations.