The DZJ-08 () is a portable, disposable, unguided, shoulder-launched, multipurpose recoilless weapon designed and manufactured by Norinco.
History China used the Type 89 rocket launcher to replace the Type 69 RPG in the 90s, however the problem of back blast became prominent.
Since May 2000, Norinco started design of a new generation of mass produced weapon that is portable, single-use and can be distributed to each individual soldier of an infantry squad like the Type 89, yet offer low collateral damage.
Design The Type 08 is China's first attempt to develop an anti-tank weapon that can be used in confined spaces and urban warfare, both by soldiers and robot wolves.
The weapon is designed as a multi-role assault weapon aiming to provide anti-armor, anti-fortification, anti-personnel and fire-and-forget capability.
The DZJ-08 weighs 7.6kg, is water-proof, and features a foldable day sight. The weapon also has a folding front grip and carrying handle. Firing instructions are printed on the left side of the launch tube.
Operation The Type 08 has a unique firing mechanism called sealed balance projection () possibly inspired by C.Davis recoilless principle.
Compared to the previous system, the Type 08 utilizes countermass to reduce the recoil, noise, muzzle flash, pressure wave and back blast that can cause burns and overpressure as well as create conspicuous launch signature of the user.
Ammunition Type 08's multipurpose ammunition has a relatively small blast radius of 7 meters, which gives the weapon system a minimum range of 25 meters. Thus, a soldier can fire the weapon more safely inside confined spaces.
The high-explosive ammunition of the DZJ-08 is specially designed to penetrate structures. The warhead contains magnesium and thermite. It can penetrates 25 mm of steel armor at 65° angle, or around 30 mm of steel armor at 0° angle.
Effectiveness Although it is not effective against heavy vehicles, the DJZ-08 can still penetrate and destroy lightly armored vehicles like armored personnel carriers.
The biggest improvement of DZJ-08 is the ability to penetrate 500 mm of reinforced concrete, whereas the predecessor PF-89A with its multipurpose round can only penetrate 300mm of reinforced concrete. Variants The DZJ-08 has several variants, with each variant corresponding to a specific type of ammunition.
DZJ-08 Multipurpose Assault Munition The DZJ-08 Multipurpose Assault Munition () is the original variant with multipurpose bunker buster warhead.
DZA-11 Penetrative Fragmentation Munition The DZA-11 Penetrative Fragmentation Munition () is a penetrator warhead variant with secondary high-explosive fragmentation fillings.
DZP-11 High-Explosive Anti-Tank Munition The DZP-11 High-Explosive Anti-Tank Munition () is a tandem armor-piercing high-explosive anti-tank warhead.
DNS-181 Programmable Air-Burst Munition The DNS-181 Programmable Air-Burst Munition () is a programmable air-burst high explosive fragmentation warhead.
A fire control unit, likely designated DRU-181, featuring a keyboard and a digital display, is attached to the forward position of the launcher.
Users
People's Liberation Army
See also
Recoilless gun
References