Type WZ 551 with 25-mm cannon and 7.62-mm MG.

   
   
 

The Type WZ 551 first appeared in 1986. This new family of vehicles will be capable of being used for a wide range of roles,
including 82-mm and 120-mm mortar carriers, and be armed with a wide range of weapons, including a 12.7-mm machine gun,
25-mm cannon, 90-mm or 105-mm guns. The vehicle is similar in appearance to the French VAB (6 x 6) but has a number of 
important differences as well as being longer, wider and heavier.

Variants 
A number of Type WZ 551 variations have been observed and are presented in the following subparagraphs.

• 12.7-mm APC (6 x 6). This is the basic version discussed in this lesson.

• 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). 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.

• 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.

  

• 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.
  

Recognition Features.
six drive wheels (6 x 6). 
air inlet and outlet louvers in the roof on the engine compartment with the exhaust pipe running along the upper left 
side of the hull. 
a commander's and driver's windscreen to the front, which would be covered in combat by an armored shutter hinged at the top
When the shutter is lowered, forward observation is conducted with three roof-mounted periscopes, the center one of which 
can be replaced by an infrared night vision device. 
a rear-opening circular roof hatch and a forwardopening side door for both the commander and driver in the upper part of 
which is an armored shutter. 
a troop compartment at the rear where troops enter and exit through a large door that is hinged on the right and has a 
firing port and a vision block. 
four oblong roof hatches, two on each side, above the troop compartment; they are hinged on the outside and can be locked 
vertical if required. 
in each side of the troop compartment, four firing ports with a periscope mounted above in the roof of the vehicle. 
The first firing port in each side is for a 7.62-mm machine gun with the remaining three being for assault rifles. 
a gas extractor for each firing port. 
fuel tanks located on each side of the troop compartment. 
a trim vane that is erected at the front of the hull before entering the water. 
on at least one prototype, a door in the lower half of the hull between the first and second wheels that is used for 
vehicle maintenance. 

Vehicle Characteristics. 
The Type WZ 551 has an all-welded armored hull. The vehicle is fully amphibious, being propelled through the water by 
two shrouded propellers mounted one each side under the rear of the vehicle. These are swung backwards when in the water. 
The engine compartment is to the rear of the driver's compartment. The commander and driver sit at the front of the vehicle 
with the commander at the right, driver to the left and the gunner behind the commander. Specifications for the Type WZ 551 
fitted with a one-man turret are provided in the lists and paragraphs that follow.

Type WZ 551 Measurements
Crew, 2. 
Passengers, 9. 
Configuration, (6 x 6). 
Combat weight, 15,000 kg. 
Length,6.65 meters. 
Width, 2.8 meters. 
Height to top of hull, 1.95 meters. 
Height over 25-mm turret,2.89 meters.	
Ground clearance, 0.41 meters. 
Track, 2.44 meters. 
Wheelbase, 1.9 + 1.9 meters. 
Maximum road speed, 85 km/h. 
Maximum water speed, 7 km/h. 
Maximum road range, 600 km.	

Vehicle Capabilities. 
The Type WZ 551 can
cross a 1.2-meter trench. 
mount a 0.5-meter vertical step. 
climb a 60-percent grade. 
climb a 30-percent side slope. 
ford amphibiously.

Armament Characteristics. 
The Type WZ 551 has two layers of armament: main and secondary.

• Main Armament. Main armament on the Type WZ 551 is a 25-mm cannon with an ammunition load of 400 rounds.

• Secondary Armament. Secondary armament on the Type WZ 551 is a7.62-mm machine gun with an ammunition load of 
  1,000 rounds.