ZBD05 Tracked Amphibious Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Previously known as the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAAV) The vehicle is developed from the ZBD/Type 04 infantry fighting vehicle chassis but is now a completely separate vehicle. The ZBD04 chassis has been extended slightly at the rear and an extended bow section similar to those on the Type 63C amphibious armoured personnel n extended bow section similar to those on the Type 63C amphibious armoured personnel carrier and the Type 86 amphibious infantry fighting vehicle.

The large bow wave plate is hinged and hydraulically extended when the AAAV is in the water. When stowed it lays across the bow and glacis plate providing another layer of frontal protection.

The ZBD05 carries a two man turret with components from the Ukrainian Shkval turret. The turret mounts a 30 x 165mm automatic cannon, coaxial Type 80 7.62 x 54mmR machine gun, two Hong Jian-73C ATGM launchers, one on either side of the turret and eight 76mm smoke dischargers.

KBA-105 «SHKVAL»

AAAV with bow wave plate deployed:

Above, below, turret with Shkval 30 mm gun:

AAAV launching a Hong Jian-73C ATGM:

PLA Marines practicing a beachhead assault with AAAV:

C3 variant of the AAAV hull:

Excerpted from “How the PLA Fights: Weapons and Tactics of the People’s Liberation Army, Second Edition” published by the United States Army’s Training and Doctrine Command. Additions and updates by Dr Carlo Kopp and Dr Martin Andrew.