PLZ-52

China's export-tracked 155 mm self-propelled howitzer — the PLZ-05A's international face, offered by NORINCO but with no confirmed sales.

Overview

The PLZ-52 is NORINCO’s export variant of the People’s Liberation Army’s PLZ-05A tracked self-propelled howitzer. It packages a 155 mm/L52 ordnance on a heavily digitized tracked chassis, targeting foreign customers that require a heavy, high-rate-of-fire artillery system. Despite over a decade of trade-show promotion, the PLZ-52 has yet to log a single confirmed export order.

Development

NORINCO first unveiled the PLZ-52 at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2012 exhibition in Pretoria, South Africa, presenting it as the international face of the domestic PLZ-05A, according to Army Recognition. The system was subsequently shown at Airshow China, but no production contract has materialized. It remains an available, factory-fresh export option with no operational history.

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