July 23,
2008: The recent (last March) unrest in
Tibet provided a rare opportunity to see the Chinese Type 92 wheeled armored
vehicles in action. Within two days of the outbreak of violence, troops,
apparently from the 149th Mechanized Infantry Division, were seen in the
streets of Tibetan cities. The 149th has
long been in charge of guarding the road from China to Tibet's capital, Lhasa.
Thus the 149th divisions vehicles were several hundred kilometers away when the
riots broke out. Some apparently came in via the new railroad, but most took
the road.
The Type
92 was developed in the 1990s, and is similar to the U.S. Stryker or LAV. It is
an 18 ton, 6x6 armored vehicle that is most frequently used to transport
infantry. These carry a crew of three, plus nine infantry. Most of them are the
APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) model and armed only with a 12.7mm machine-gun.
This model is also used by the police, usually painted white, for riot control.
The IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) version has a 25mm automatic cannon and
better electronics.
There is
also a 4x4 version of the Type 92. This vehicle weighs 7.2 tons, can carry up
to eight people and is armed with a 12.7mm machine-gun. It is used for reconnaissance, as a command vehicle or
for police work.
There are
also 8x8 wheel versions, designed to carry 122mm artillery or 120mm anti-tank guns. The artillery version
is based on the Russian 122mm howitzer
which China is known to have reverse engineered. It is the same weapon used on
the Chinese full-tracked Type 85 and Type 89 artillery.
