Lexicon · China
PLZ-05
China’s main modern tracked 155 mm self-propelled howitzer — a L/52 autoloaded gun fielded by the PLA since 2008, with no export record and no verified combat use.
China’s primary modern tracked 155 mm self-propelled howitzer — a fully autoloaded L/52 gun fielded by the People’s Liberation Army since 2008, with high claimed range but no combat pedigree.
Overview
The PLZ-05 (Type 05) is the principal tracked self-propelled howitzer of the People’s Liberation Army Ground Force, produced by NORINCO and operated exclusively by China. A 155 mm/L52 gun with a full autoloader and digital fire-control system, it represents the PLA’s transition to a modern, NATO-interoperable caliber and is integrated into combined-arms brigades for indirect fire support. Despite more than a decade in service, the PLZ-05 has never been exported and its combat record is limited to exercises and parades.
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- Comparable systems — analyst view
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