Difference between pages "Valentine I" and "PGZ04A"

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m (→‎See also: driver port is no longer 17 mm thick.)
 
(Rewrote intro, added to armaments and usage in battles.)
 
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{{Specs-Card
 
{{Specs-Card
−
|code=uk_valentine_mk_1
+
|code=cn_pgz_04a
 
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
 
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
 
}}
 
}}
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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
−
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]] along with the initial British ground tree. Britain's solution for a cheaper infantry tank, the Valentine boasts good armour, decent mobility, and a great gun to use against its foes.
+
The PGZ04A (Chinese: PGZ04(A)式25毫米弹炮结合防空武器系统; lit. 25 mm missile-gun AA system) is an upgraded version of the existing PGZ95 fleet in the PLAGF. This new version features new MANPADS, replacing the earlier QW-2 MAPNPADS, and currently serves as the close-range interception layer of the PLA's anti-air defense system.
 +
 
 +
The development of the PGZ95 can be traced back to the 1980s when the PLAGF was in desperate need of a new SPAA system. Earlier plans involved reverse-engineering Egyptian [[ZSU-23-4]]s, which had already been obtained by Mainland China through bi-directional arms trade. However, when an observer team arrived in Italy and discovered the [[SIDAM 25]], the PLAGF quickly abandoned the ZSU-23-4 plans and instead planned for a better SPAA system with all-weather combat capabilities. The new SPAA system was extensively tested in the 1990s and made its first appearance at the 50th National Day Parade (1999).
 +
 
 +
Introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]] along with the PGZ09, the PGZ04A is a unique SPAA vehicle with a gun-missile armament. The layout of its turret quite resembles the Italian SIDAM 25, but unlike the radarless SIDAM it has a search radar mounted on the top that makes it much easier to acquire targets, as well as thermal optics for easier spotting. The quadruple 25 mm cannons previously seen on the [[ZSD63]] are bored-out derivatives of the Soviet Shilka's guns with a slower rate of fire, higher muzzle velocity, and greater armour penetration. Although the PGZ04A's electronics, mobility, and ground attack capability are inferior to the newer PGZ09, its main selling point comes from a quartet of HN-6 MANPADS launchers mounted right above the guns. The HN-6 is slightly better in performance than the common Stingers used by contemporary SPAA and forces enemy aircraft to stay on their toes even outside of cannon range.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
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{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 +
An usual characteristic of a SPAAG is their light armour, and the PGZ04A is no exception. At only 22.7 tons, its does not have any high protection and is very unlikely to survive any high-explosive and overpressure damages.
  
−
With flat 60 mm thick armour all around, this vehicle can soak up shots, even flanked, provided the enemy shoots from a distance. Although, make sure to avoid directly facing tank destroyers since they tend to have powerful guns able to easily knock the Valentine out. The crew compartment is rather cramped so the crew can usually get knocked out by a single shot if the armour is penetrated. Angle the hull to increase your survivability: the enemy will even have a harder time to penetrate your armour.
+
The chassis of the PGZ04A is still enough to stop 12.7 mm rounds from going through it up front while that would not be the case for the sides and the rear of the chassis so at best keep your enemies in front of you. The turret, with only 8 mm of steel on every side, barely stops shrapnel and smaller-calibre firearms, anything above 12.7 mm can penetrate the turret with ease.
  
 
'''Armour type:'''
 
'''Armour type:'''
  
−
* Rolled homogeneous armour
+
* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret)
−
* Cast homogeneous armour (Front turret, Gun mantlet)
 
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
+
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Hull || 60 mm ''Front plate'' <br> 30 mm (65-67°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 60 mm (18°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 mm (42°) ''Top'' <br> 60 mm ''Bottom'' || 10 mm (59°) ''Top'' <br> 60 mm ''Joint plate'' <br> 15 mm (65°) ''Bottom'' || 10 mm
+
| Hull || 10 mm (69°) ''Upper glacis'' <br> 12 mm (36°) ''Lower plate'' || 8 mm (11°) ''Top'' <br> 10 mm ''Bottom'' || 10 mm (7°) || 8 mm
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Turret || 65 mm (9-50°) ''Turret front'' <br> 65 mm (7-78°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 60 mm || 65 mm (0-2°) || 16-65 mm
+
| Turret || 8 mm ''Turret front'' || 8 mm || 8 mm || 8 mm
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 
'''Notes:'''
 
'''Notes:'''
  
−
* Suspension wheels, bogies, and tracks are 20 mm thick.
+
* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, tracks are 15 mm thick, and torsion bars are 22 mm thick.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
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<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
−
{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 209|rbMinHp= 119}}
+
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=544|rbMinHp=339}}
  
−
The Valentine is not a fast tank to say the least. It reaches its max speed pretty fast... and stays there, like an old runner taking its beat. It struggles a bit climbing hills and decelerates a lot when turning. This vehicle's driving is comparable to that of a [[Churchill III]], but it does not turn on the spot. The Valentine series share a common British characteristic: painfully slow reverse speed (-3 km/h). The key with such a tank is to anticipate the paths while moving towards the front lines so as to not need to reverse.
+
Thanks to its light weight and a 383 hp F12L412 diesel engine, the PGZ04A can drive at a surprising top speed of 53 km/h, making it a fast and nimble enough vehicle to move around the battlefield and take cover if anything is coming to cause you some trouble. Another rare advantage is the great reverse speed of -18 km/h. Being significantly faster than the majority of Chinese vehicles, this speed not only allows the PGZ04A to retreat back to safety in time but also gives it more tactical agility for repositioning and flanking.
  
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
−
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 
<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
−
{{main|QF 2-pounder (40 mm)}}
+
{{main|PG87 (25 mm)}}
 +
The PGZ04A is equipped with 4 x 25 mm PG87 25x183B AA guns mounted on the side of the turret, which is the same gun as the [[ZSD63]] at Rank II.
 +
 
 +
With its above average velocity and high rate of fire, these 4 cannons combined can cause total annihilation of low-flying aircraft within its 2.5 km firing range and its ammunition has sufficient penetration to cause some trouble to lightly armoured vehicles. However, all this comes at a cost: you have only 1,032 rounds in total at your disposal, which is about half of the Shilka's ammunition supply. For players who are trigger-happy, this might a good chance to learn how to conserve their ammo and wait for the chance to deliver the fatal blow to enemy targets.
  
−
The QF 2-pounder begins to encounter some difficulties at this rank, although its fast rate of fire can save the day by plundering the enemy with a shot every 4 seconds, almost twice the average rate of fire of its adversaries. This tank also has an awesome gun depression of -15°, a small, bouncy and sturdy turret, use it towards an advantage.
+
Compared to the Shilka's AZP-23 cannons, the PG87 has superior AP rounds with better penetration and post-penetration damage, making it easier to spray down ground vehicles. The FI-T rounds pack a very similar explosive punch to the Soviet HEFI-T but are less powerful than the tracerless HEFI rounds. Generally, the PGZ04A's guns are less effective than the preceding PGZ09's, because they will require multiple hits to down large aircraft and the 2.5 km self destruct range on the FI-T rounds significantly limit their effectiveness against hovering ATGM helicopters. Against ground targets there is also no contest because of the lack of API-T rounds with explosive filler and APDS rounds with enhanced penetration. Still, it is cathartic to let loose a stream of 40 rounds per second, and the closer clustering of fire compared to Gepard- or Marksman- style turrets makes it less likely for targets to slip in between the rounds.
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="5" | [[QF 2-pounder (40 mm)|40 mm QF 2-pounder]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
+
! colspan="6" | [[PG87 (25 mm)|25 mm PG87]] (x4) || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
+
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 
|-
 
|-
 
! ''Arcade''
 
! ''Arcade''
−
| rowspan="2" | 61 || rowspan="2" | -15°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Shoulder|up to 10 km/h}} || 15.23 || 21.08 || 25.60 || 28.31 || 30.12 || rowspan="2" | 3.64 || rowspan="2" | 3.22 || rowspan="2" | 2.97 || rowspan="2" | 2.80
+
| rowspan="2" | 1,032 (258) || rowspan="2" | 600 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+85° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 70.4 || 97.5 || 118.4 || 130.9 || 139.3 || rowspan="2" | 5.20 || rowspan="2" | 4.60 || rowspan="2" | 4.24 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
 
|-
 
|-
 
! ''Realistic''
 
! ''Realistic''
−
| 9.52 || 11.20 || 13.60 || 15.04 || 16.00
+
| 47.6 || 56.0 || 68.0 || 75.2 || 80.0
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
==== Ammunition ====
 
==== Ammunition ====
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+
 
−
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
+
* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|FI-T*|Fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
−
|-
+
* '''Type 87 HE:''' {{Annotation|FI-T*|Fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
+
* '''Type 87 AP:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
+
 
−
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
+
{{:PG87 (25 mm)/Ammunition|FI-T*, AP-T}}
−
|-
 
−
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shot Mk.1 AP/T || AP || 72 || 68 || 52 || 37 || 27 || 19
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shot Mk.IXB APCBC/T || APCBC || 89 || 86 || 77 || 66 || 57 || 50
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shot Mk.1 APHV/T || AP || 80 || 75 || 58 || 41 || 30 || 21
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shell Mk.1 AP/T || APHE || 66 || 62 || 49 || 36 || 26 || 20
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
−
! colspan="10" | Shell details
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
−
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
−
|-
 
−
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shot Mk.1 AP/T || AP || 792 || 1.08 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shot Mk.IXB APCBC/T || APCBC || 792 || 1.24 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shot Mk.1 APHV/T || AP || 853 || 1.08 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
 
−
|-
 
−
| Shell Mk.1 AP/T || APHE || 792 || 1.08 || 1.2 || 9 || 20.9 || 47° || 60° || 65°
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
−
[[File:Ammoracks_ValentineMkI.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
+
<!-- [[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] -->
 
<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
 
<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
−
| '''61''' || 31&nbsp;''(+30)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+60)'' || Yes
+
| '''1,032''' || 380&nbsp;''(+652)'' || 0&nbsp;''(+1,032)'' || No
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
−
Notes:
 
  
−
* Pack 31&nbsp;''(+30)'' shells to remove the large ring of ammunition.
+
=== Additional armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
 +
<!-- ''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on about how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
 +
{{main|HN-6}}
 +
 
 +
The HN-6 is a MANPADS that comes with a 6 km all-aspect locking range, which will prove useful for handling low-flying helicopters and sometimes earn a surprise kill on careless jets; but do note that smaller helicopters or those with heat-suppression would have to be within 2.5 km before the seeker can lock onto their heat signature, so only fire upon those who gets into 2.5km radius.
 +
 
 +
The HN-6 is slightly more effective than the Stinger MANPADS used by contemporary SPAA vehicles like the [[Gepard 1A2]]. It has a small proximity fuse like the FIM-92K that makes it easier to hit targets, but it also has a slightly greater 12 G overload, a 42% larger TNT equivalent, and a slightly lower maximum flight speed that actually gives the missile more time to correct its trajectory. Unfortunately, the PGZ04A carries no internal reloads and has a limited capacity of 4, so it does not have the staying power of the [[LAV-AD]] for example.
 +
 
  
−
==== [[Optics]] ====
 
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
−
! colspan="3" | {{PAGENAME}} Optics
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
!
+
! colspan="4" | [[HN-6]] missile
−
! Default magnification
 
−
! Maximum magnification
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Main Gun optics
+
! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
−
| x1.8 || x3.5
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Comparable optics
+
| 4 || N/A || N/A || N/A
−
| colspan="2" | [[Pz.III J1]]
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
=== Machine guns ===
+
==== Ammunition ====
−
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
+
{{:HN-6/Ammunition|HN-6}}
−
<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 
−
{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}
 
−
 
 
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="5" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
 
−
|-
 
−
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 
−
|-
 
−
| Coaxial || 3,500 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
−
The Valentine Mk.1 is a bit of a hit or miss due to its relatively high BR: when uptiered, it plays like a British heavy tank, using its raw armour value to soak up shots. Having that much armour when matched against low-ranked tanks also means that the Valentine can take its time to aim at the weak spots/vital modules of the enemy. Otherwise, it plays like a pretty slow medium tank and should avoid the front lines since its cannon do so little damage.
 
−
 
−
The Valentine I is a team player, relying on its allies to provide damage while dragging attention from the enemy. It is a situational vehicle, its gameplay depends much on what it faces.
 
  
−
'''''Heavy tank'''''<br>
+
With its rapid-firing 25 mm guns and IR missiles, the PGZ04A does serve its purpose in close to mid-range air defense. Consider it to have two layers of defence: missiles for up to 6 km (depends on the target; it can lock onto jets at around 5 km; while helicopters is another story depending on its size and their heat signature), and the 25 mm cannons for anything within 3 km. The IR missiles have questionable tracking ability and often give up track on a target entirely if it manoeuvres to evade. However, it will help to distract incoming aircraft and bleed their speed, making them easier to be finished with the 25 mm cannons. The PGZ04A will have a tough time dealing with helicopters hovering at their maximum range launching ATGMs, as neither of the PGZ04 armaments can reach anything that's beyond 6 km.
−
When against Rank I tanks, play it like an heavy tank: follow light and medium tanks and seek attention from the enemies by firing at many of them , preferably the ones with a light weapon (shoot the gunner for a better effect). This way, many enemies will try to shoot the Valentine down and will get outflanked by light tank allies (inexperienced players often suffer from "tunnel vision" when shooting at an enemy, the Valentine for instance). Stay at a distance, angle the armour a bit to maximise protection and preferably show only the turret, which is thicker and bouncy. Keep in mind to anticipate a fast exit way so that when an enemy with a good gun shows up, the Valentine could retreat as fast as possible.
 
  
−
'''''Close range support'''''<br>
+
The PGZ04A's anti-ground ability is limited, due to its smaller calibre 25 mm cannons. They have no dedicated APDS rounds that were found in its predecessor, the PGZ09 (which also has larger cannons of 35 mm). The 25 mm struggles to penetrate the sides of top-rank MBTs, with some of them completely immune (for example, Israeli MBTs which has better side protection), although exterior modules can be quickly destroyed, especially tracks. If aimed well (and some luck), you can take out gun barrels of the enemy tank, but it is better to avoid engaging with MBTs to begin with. The 25 mm rounds also have poor post-pen effects, even against thinly armoured targets, but is counteracted by the high firerate and fire density of the 4 barrels.
−
Otherwise, facing low Rank II tanks, the Valentine should play as a support role, on the second line, preferably on the sides of the enemy. The main task here will be to distract enemies from stronger allies, making them turn their turret to shoot at the Valentine, only to realise they exposed their weak side armour to the allies. The 40 mm cannon does not allow for easy one-shot knock-outs: prepare to collect assists and support fire medals. Although, good close range penetration and fast firing rate can provide the Valentine with easy scores.
 
  
−
'''''Use the terrain'''''<br>
+
It is suggested to play the PGZ04A as a dedicated anti-air platform. However, due to its shorter range than its counterparts, you need to leave the spawn to be effective. The limited HN-6 capacity also necessitates moving to capture points to reload. While doing that, always have friendly tanks to screen you, as the moment you're caught alone by enemy ground targets you will have exceptionally low chance of survival.
−
Utilizing the great gun depression of the Valentine will increase the firing effectiveness greatly in battle. Find a hill on the battle field and peak the turret over the top. The gun depression should allow for full coverage of the battle field, whilst the hill will keep the hull covered. The turret will be exposed, angled and a very hard target due to its small size and angulation. This can make the Valentine an almost immovable object on the battlefield, allowing it to pick off most targets. If any damage is taken, reverse behind the slope to recover. Be aware of flankers.
 
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
−
* Very good armour for its battle rating
+
* Good rate of fire (600 rpm) plus 4 x autocannons mean high fire density
−
* Gun has a very good penetration for its BR
+
* 4 x IR missiles further improve its anti-air strengths especially against helicopters like [[AH-1 (Family)|AH-1]]
−
* Very short reload time, even with an incapacitated crew member
+
* The tracking device is optoelectrical tracker that can hide yourself from RWR equipped aircrafts
−
* Good turret rotation speed
+
* Gunner thermal assists fighting in poor conditions
−
* While it is a medium tank, it plays like a heavy tank and can call in artillery strikes which can be useful in certain situations
+
* Great mobility with adequate reverse speed
−
* Has smoke launchers
+
* 2 salvos of smoke grenades provide critical concealment
−
* Low profile
+
* Profile is quite low
−
* Very small weak spots
 
−
* Can act as a distraction for teammates to flank around
 
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
−
* Very slow due to underpowered engine
+
* IR missiles are often unreliable due to its short lock-on range and worse maneuverability
−
* Handling is poor especially on rough terrain
+
* 25 mm shells are not as potent as 35 mm or 57 mm shells at longer ranges
−
* It is incredibly slow when navigating over hills
+
* Insufficient penetration to damage Israeli or Soviet MBTs
−
* Gun is inaccurate at longer ranges
+
* Completely exposed autocannons and missiles mean they are easily damaged
−
* Only 3-man crew
+
* Search radar antenna is tall and big; can expose the location of PGZ04A
−
* 40 mm AP shells may require multiple shots to down enemy tank
+
* Like all SPAA, armour can only resist small calibre machine gun bullets
−
* Ammo rack is directly under the turret and easily set off if hit
 
−
* No access to HE shells
 
−
* Though small, the driver's port is a weak spot
 
−
* Large part of the rear armour is only 17 mm thick despite being sloped
 
−
* Terrible reverse speed
 
−
* Weak to HEAT and APCR shells
 
−
* Its poor speed makes it a perfect target for bombers as it can't escape quickly enough.
 
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
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===Development===
+
The story of PGZ04A goes back to his predecessor, PGZ95.
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The experiences taken from the development of the A9, A10 cruiser tanks and the A11 infantry tank prompted Vickers-Armstrongs to begin development of a new tank. As a private venture, the design did not receive any designations from the British General Staff during its creation. The designing of the tank focused on the tank having the weight of a cruiser, but with the armour comparable to the infantry tanks. The basis was to have the vehicle with 60 mm of frontal armour and a 2-pounder gun in a two-man turret. To make it as light as possible, it was small and featured a cramped interior. The design used features taken from the A9 and A10 tanks so the design was easier to produce and cheaper to make. Vickers unveiled the design to War Office at February 10, 1938. While they initially viewed it unfavourably for its tiny two-man turret, they took it in April 1939 due to the growing tense situation in Europe with Nazi Germany, with the first order coming in May 1940 after the losses suffered by the British Expeditionary Forces in the Battle of France. The name '''Valentine''' was given to the tank sometime between its introduction to War Office and its adoption. The origin of the name is disputed, some say it was due to its introduction on February 14 in 1938 or 1940, other say it was the middle name of Sir John V. Carden, who helped design the Valentine's predecessors. Other sources say it is a name from the Vickers' company full name (Vickers-Armstrong Ltd Elswick & [Newcastle-upon] Tyne), and David Fletcher from Bovington Tank Museum says that "Valentine" was a code name used by the company for its development.
 
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The Valentine was put into service as quickly as possible under the designation ''Tank, Infantry, Mk.III''. Vickers, Metropolitan-Cammell Carriage & Wagon, and Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company were all involved in the construction of this vehicle. During World War II, Canada was also contracted to build the Valentine to build up their own tank forces. The United Kingdom produced a total of 6,855 Valentines during the war between the three company while Canada built 1,420 Valentine tanks in their factories, for a total of 8,275 tanks produced, making the Valentine the most produced British tank in the entire war.
 
  
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===Variants===
+
During the 1980s when Mainland China was seeking for modernization of PLA, one major inventory they were lacking of was a SPAAG with onboard radar. It was during that time Egypt handed in some [[ZSU-23-4]] to the Chinese, which at first decided that they would go for a reverse-engineered version of the infamous Shilka. But later, they found another major problem: Shilka's optical system wasn't designed for all-weather operations and capabilities at night would be very limited. Meanwhile, another group of PLAGF's officials often went to Europe for equipment development exchanges and weapon tests, one time during the 1980s, they saw the [[SIDAM 25]] that came with all-weather operation capabilities .
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The Valentine is one of the most modified British tank in World War II, up to eleven variants were made during its entire production life.
 
  
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* ''[[Valentine Mk I|Mark I]]'': The first one, it was built with a rivet construction, a 135 hp petrol engine, and a 2-pounder, but was not sent to combat due to mechanical problems.
+
The NORINCO Northwest Institute of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering (西北机电工程研究所 at Xianyang City, Xi'an, Shaanxi) started its development and eventually, the older brother of PGZ04A- PGZ95 was accepted into PLAGF commission and it was first shown on the parade on 1st October, 1999 (the 50th National Day of PRC) based on PZD31 chassis. Completed with a S-band ''(Note, IEEE standard)'' CLC-1 search radar and opto-electronic tracking system, as well as 2 pairs of QW-2 MANPADS mounted on its turret. Due to the new electronic system, estimations showed that a PGZ-95 was even more expensive than a brand new [[ZTZ99]].
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* ''Mark II'': Uses a 131 hp diesel engine and has an auxiliary fuel tank added to the left hull.
 
−
* ''Mark III'': Has a slightly thinner side armour (60 mm to 50 mm) and a modified turret design, giving room for a loader in the tank, freeing the commander to do his job.
 
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* ''Mark IV'' A modified Mk.II using an American 138 hp GMC diesel engine and an American-produced transmission, making the tank more reliable.
 
−
* ''Mark V'': The same as Mk.IV, except using the Mk.III as the basis.
 
−
* ''Mark VI'': A Canadian built Valentine, using Canadian and American parts and a GMC diesel engine, plus later switching the BESA machine gun into a Browning machine gun.
 
−
* ''Mark VII'': A Canadian Mk.VI with a new radio set and a modified interior. Another Mk.VII named the ''Mark VIIA'' has jettisonable fuel tanks and new tracks, oil cooler, and headlights.
 
−
* ''Mark VIII'': Uses a British AEC diesel engine and a modified turret to use the 6-pounder. The modification eliminated the coaxial machine gun from the design.
 
−
* ''[[Valentine Mk IX|Mark IX]]'': A Mk.V modified to take the 6-pounder as well, but with an armour reduction. Later version also had a stronger 165 hp GMC diesel engine installed.
 
−
* ''Mark X'': Features another modified turret design using the 6-pounder, but made it able to use a coaxial machine gun again and still uses the 165 hp diesel engine. Uses a welded construction
 
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* ''[[Valentine Mk XI|Mark XI]]'': The Mk.X using the QF 75 mm gun instead of a 6-pounder, with the 210 hp diesel engine. However, these tanks only served as a command tank in the battlefield. Uses a welded construction
 
  
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===Combat usage===
+
Later in the 2000s, the PGZ95 received an overhaul upgrade on its systems and upgraded its MANPADS to 2 pairs of HN-6 (exported by CATIC as FN-6), eventually this upgraded version was named a PGZ04A. Along the [[PGZ09]], it became the cornerstone of PLAGF's field air defense with HQ (HongQi 红旗; Red banner) series SAMs.
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The Valentine mostly saw service in the North African Campaign, where the crew reported on it very favourable as a reliable and well-protected tank. The first unit who saw action with the Valentine was the 8th Royal Tank Regiment in Operation Crusader, where it was in the process of replacing the [[Matilda III]]. The reliability is expressed when some Valentine were reported to have travelled a distance of 4,800 km by the time the British reached Tunisia. The Valentine tanks soon saw wide-spread use by mid-1941 when they were issued out widely to armoured regiments due to the lack of cruiser tanks available to fill in the ranks.
 
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However, the biggest weakness of the Valentine tank is the lack of high-explosive rounds for the 2-pounder, a weakness suffered by every other tank using the 2-pounder. This and the 2-pounder's growing deficiency against tank armour was remedied by the usage of the 6-pounder on the Valentine after the Mark VIII version, and then the QF 75 mm gun. However, these larger guns were harder to mount on the small Valentine turret and made for a cramped interior, even removing the established loader's position made in an enlarge turret for the 2-pounder. By the time these larger guns were introduced for the tank, better tanks were being introduced, such as the [[Churchill Mk III|Churchill heavy tanks]] from Britain and the [[M4|M4 Shermans]] from the Americans. Despite the better tanks, the Valentine's low height is able to exploit small cover on the battlefield and take up a good hull-down position behind hills.
 
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Some Valentines were sent to the Soviet Union as part of the Lend-Lease program, most of the Valentines came from Canada's production lines. The Valentines saw use from the time of Battle of Moscow in 1941 all the way until the end of the war, though the Valentines saw use more as a second-line tank due to its relative weakness. It was criticized for its slow speed and weak gun, but was liked for its small size, reliability, and armour protection and thus the Soviet Supreme Command continue asking for it and its production to continue until the end of the war.
 
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By 1944, the Valentine is mostly taken out from the front-line services and replaced by the newer tanks. A few were retained for special purposes and command vehicles for [[Archer]] units, which is a tank destroyer based off the Valentine chassis. The tank continue to see use in the Pacific in limited numbers until May 1945 in the 3rd New Zealand Division, some had their armaments changed to the larger 3-inch howitzer to use it stronger high-explosive ammunition against the Japanese. New Zealand kept the normal and modified Valentines all the way until 1955. The last known combat usage of the Valentine was on Cyprus in early 1960s when a turret-less Valentine was used by the Greek militia, added with a make-shift armour and a machine gunner position with a Bren gun.
 
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===Survivors===
 
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About forty Valentines and vehicles based off the Valentine chassis exist in various conditions in the world. Valentines in running condition exist in the Bovington Tank Museum and in private hands in New Zealand and United Kingdom. The Valentines survivors can be seen in UK, Canada, Belgium, France, Russia, Australia, and New Zealand.
 
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
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;Skins
 
;Skins
  
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=britain&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=uk_valentine_mk_1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_pgz_04a Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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;Videos
 
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{{Youtube-gallery|4_cJ1CpEatw|'''Best gun depression''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:01 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|k_PBJS8OPLo|'''Valentine Mk. I Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''|xIrVVhdC9ac|'''Tank Chats #11 Valentine''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}
 
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
Line 254: Line 174:
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 +
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
  
−
;Related development
+
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
−
 
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
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* [[Valentine IX]]
 
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* {{Specs-Link|ussr_valentine_mk_9}}
 
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* [[Valentine XI]]
 
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
Line 266: Line 184:
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
  
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* [[wt:en/news/3566-profile-small-slow-and-tough-valentine-mk-i-en|[Vehicle Profile] Small, Slow and Tough: Valentine Mk.I]]
+
* [[wt:en/news/7170-development-pgz04a-a-much-anticipated-chinese-spaa-en|[Devblog] PGZ04A: A much anticipated Chinese SPAA]]
  
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{{Britain medium tanks}}
+
{{TankManufacturer Norinco}}
 +
{{China anti-aircraft vehicles}}

Latest revision as of 20:50, 28 November 2023

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PGZ04A
cn_pgz_04a.png
GarageImage PGZ04A.jpg
PGZ04A

Description

The PGZ04A (Chinese: PGZ04(A)式25毫米弹炮结合防空武器系统; lit. 25 mm missile-gun AA system) is an upgraded version of the existing PGZ95 fleet in the PLAGF. This new version features new MANPADS, replacing the earlier QW-2 MAPNPADS, and currently serves as the close-range interception layer of the PLA's anti-air defense system.

The development of the PGZ95 can be traced back to the 1980s when the PLAGF was in desperate need of a new SPAA system. Earlier plans involved reverse-engineering Egyptian ZSU-23-4s, which had already been obtained by Mainland China through bi-directional arms trade. However, when an observer team arrived in Italy and discovered the SIDAM 25, the PLAGF quickly abandoned the ZSU-23-4 plans and instead planned for a better SPAA system with all-weather combat capabilities. The new SPAA system was extensively tested in the 1990s and made its first appearance at the 50th National Day Parade (1999).

Introduced in Update "Red Skies" along with the PGZ09, the PGZ04A is a unique SPAA vehicle with a gun-missile armament. The layout of its turret quite resembles the Italian SIDAM 25, but unlike the radarless SIDAM it has a search radar mounted on the top that makes it much easier to acquire targets, as well as thermal optics for easier spotting. The quadruple 25 mm cannons previously seen on the ZSD63 are bored-out derivatives of the Soviet Shilka's guns with a slower rate of fire, higher muzzle velocity, and greater armour penetration. Although the PGZ04A's electronics, mobility, and ground attack capability are inferior to the newer PGZ09, its main selling point comes from a quartet of HN-6 MANPADS launchers mounted right above the guns. The HN-6 is slightly better in performance than the common Stingers used by contemporary SPAA and forces enemy aircraft to stay on their toes even outside of cannon range.

General info

Survivability and armour

An usual characteristic of a SPAAG is their light armour, and the PGZ04A is no exception. At only 22.7 tons, its does not have any high protection and is very unlikely to survive any high-explosive and overpressure damages.

The chassis of the PGZ04A is still enough to stop 12.7 mm rounds from going through it up front while that would not be the case for the sides and the rear of the chassis so at best keep your enemies in front of you. The turret, with only 8 mm of steel on every side, barely stops shrapnel and smaller-calibre firearms, anything above 12.7 mm can penetrate the turret with ease.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret)
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 10 mm (69°) Upper glacis
12 mm (36°) Lower plate 		8 mm (11°) Top
10 mm Bottom 		10 mm (7°) 8 mm
Turret 8 mm Turret front 8 mm 8 mm 8 mm

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick, tracks are 15 mm thick, and torsion bars are 22 mm thick.

Mobility

Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade Expression error: Unexpected * operator. 544 Expression error: Unexpected round operator. __.__
Realistic 339 Expression error: Unexpected round operator. __.__

Thanks to its light weight and a 383 hp F12L412 diesel engine, the PGZ04A can drive at a surprising top speed of 53 km/h, making it a fast and nimble enough vehicle to move around the battlefield and take cover if anything is coming to cause you some trouble. Another rare advantage is the great reverse speed of -18 km/h. Being significantly faster than the majority of Chinese vehicles, this speed not only allows the PGZ04A to retreat back to safety in time but also gives it more tactical agility for repositioning and flanking.

Modifications and economy

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: PG87 (25 mm)

The PGZ04A is equipped with 4 x 25 mm PG87 25x183B AA guns mounted on the side of the turret, which is the same gun as the ZSD63 at Rank II.

With its above average velocity and high rate of fire, these 4 cannons combined can cause total annihilation of low-flying aircraft within its 2.5 km firing range and its ammunition has sufficient penetration to cause some trouble to lightly armoured vehicles. However, all this comes at a cost: you have only 1,032 rounds in total at your disposal, which is about half of the Shilka's ammunition supply. For players who are trigger-happy, this might a good chance to learn how to conserve their ammo and wait for the chance to deliver the fatal blow to enemy targets.

Compared to the Shilka's AZP-23 cannons, the PG87 has superior AP rounds with better penetration and post-penetration damage, making it easier to spray down ground vehicles. The FI-T rounds pack a very similar explosive punch to the Soviet HEFI-T but are less powerful than the tracerless HEFI rounds. Generally, the PGZ04A's guns are less effective than the preceding PGZ09's, because they will require multiple hits to down large aircraft and the 2.5 km self destruct range on the FI-T rounds significantly limit their effectiveness against hovering ATGM helicopters. Against ground targets there is also no contest because of the lack of API-T rounds with explosive filler and APDS rounds with enhanced penetration. Still, it is cathartic to let loose a stream of 40 rounds per second, and the closer clustering of fire compared to Gepard- or Marksman- style turrets makes it less likely for targets to slip in between the rounds.

25 mm PG87 (x4) Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Stock Full Expert Aced
Arcade 1,032 (258) 600 -5°/+85° ±180° Two-plane 70.4 97.5 118.4 130.9 139.3 5.20 4.60 4.24 4.00
Realistic 47.6 56.0 68.0 75.2 80.0

Ammunition

  • Default: AP-T · FI-T*
  • Type 87 HE: FI-T*
  • Type 87 AP: AP-T

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
FI-T* 8 8 6 5 4 3
AP-T 63 61 51 41 33 27
Shell details
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
FI-T* 1,050 0.25 0.1 0.1 29.26 47° 56° 65°
AP-T 1,050 0.25 - - - 47° 60° 65°

Ammo racks

Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
1,032 380 (+652) 0 (+1,032) No

Additional armament

Main article: HN-6

The HN-6 is a MANPADS that comes with a 6 km all-aspect locking range, which will prove useful for handling low-flying helicopters and sometimes earn a surprise kill on careless jets; but do note that smaller helicopters or those with heat-suppression would have to be within 2.5 km before the seeker can lock onto their heat signature, so only fire upon those who gets into 2.5km radius.

The HN-6 is slightly more effective than the Stinger MANPADS used by contemporary SPAA vehicles like the Gepard 1A2. It has a small proximity fuse like the FIM-92K that makes it easier to hit targets, but it also has a slightly greater 12 G overload, a 42% larger TNT equivalent, and a slightly lower maximum flight speed that actually gives the missile more time to correct its trajectory. Unfortunately, the PGZ04A carries no internal reloads and has a limited capacity of 4, so it does not have the staying power of the LAV-AD for example.


HN-6 missile
Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer
4 N/A N/A N/A

Ammunition

Missile details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Range
(m) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
HN-6 SAM 600 5,000 10.77 1 0.1 924 79° 80° 81°

Usage in battles

With its rapid-firing 25 mm guns and IR missiles, the PGZ04A does serve its purpose in close to mid-range air defense. Consider it to have two layers of defence: missiles for up to 6 km (depends on the target; it can lock onto jets at around 5 km; while helicopters is another story depending on its size and their heat signature), and the 25 mm cannons for anything within 3 km. The IR missiles have questionable tracking ability and often give up track on a target entirely if it manoeuvres to evade. However, it will help to distract incoming aircraft and bleed their speed, making them easier to be finished with the 25 mm cannons. The PGZ04A will have a tough time dealing with helicopters hovering at their maximum range launching ATGMs, as neither of the PGZ04 armaments can reach anything that's beyond 6 km.

The PGZ04A's anti-ground ability is limited, due to its smaller calibre 25 mm cannons. They have no dedicated APDS rounds that were found in its predecessor, the PGZ09 (which also has larger cannons of 35 mm). The 25 mm struggles to penetrate the sides of top-rank MBTs, with some of them completely immune (for example, Israeli MBTs which has better side protection), although exterior modules can be quickly destroyed, especially tracks. If aimed well (and some luck), you can take out gun barrels of the enemy tank, but it is better to avoid engaging with MBTs to begin with. The 25 mm rounds also have poor post-pen effects, even against thinly armoured targets, but is counteracted by the high firerate and fire density of the 4 barrels.

It is suggested to play the PGZ04A as a dedicated anti-air platform. However, due to its shorter range than its counterparts, you need to leave the spawn to be effective. The limited HN-6 capacity also necessitates moving to capture points to reload. While doing that, always have friendly tanks to screen you, as the moment you're caught alone by enemy ground targets you will have exceptionally low chance of survival.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Good rate of fire (600 rpm) plus 4 x autocannons mean high fire density
  • 4 x IR missiles further improve its anti-air strengths especially against helicopters like AH-1
  • The tracking device is optoelectrical tracker that can hide yourself from RWR equipped aircrafts
  • Gunner thermal assists fighting in poor conditions
  • Great mobility with adequate reverse speed
  • 2 salvos of smoke grenades provide critical concealment
  • Profile is quite low

Cons:

  • IR missiles are often unreliable due to its short lock-on range and worse maneuverability
  • 25 mm shells are not as potent as 35 mm or 57 mm shells at longer ranges
  • Insufficient penetration to damage Israeli or Soviet MBTs
  • Completely exposed autocannons and missiles mean they are easily damaged
  • Search radar antenna is tall and big; can expose the location of PGZ04A
  • Like all SPAA, armour can only resist small calibre machine gun bullets

History

The story of PGZ04A goes back to his predecessor, PGZ95.

During the 1980s when Mainland China was seeking for modernization of PLA, one major inventory they were lacking of was a SPAAG with onboard radar. It was during that time Egypt handed in some ZSU-23-4 to the Chinese, which at first decided that they would go for a reverse-engineered version of the infamous Shilka. But later, they found another major problem: Shilka's optical system wasn't designed for all-weather operations and capabilities at night would be very limited. Meanwhile, another group of PLAGF's officials often went to Europe for equipment development exchanges and weapon tests, one time during the 1980s, they saw the SIDAM 25 that came with all-weather operation capabilities .

The NORINCO Northwest Institute of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering (西北机电工程研究所 at Xianyang City, Xi'an, Shaanxi) started its development and eventually, the older brother of PGZ04A- PGZ95 was accepted into PLAGF commission and it was first shown on the parade on 1st October, 1999 (the 50th National Day of PRC) based on PZD31 chassis. Completed with a S-band (Note, IEEE standard) CLC-1 search radar and opto-electronic tracking system, as well as 2 pairs of QW-2 MANPADS mounted on its turret. Due to the new electronic system, estimations showed that a PGZ-95 was even more expensive than a brand new ZTZ99.

Later in the 2000s, the PGZ95 received an overhaul upgrade on its systems and upgraded its MANPADS to 2 pairs of HN-6 (exported by CATIC as FN-6), eventually this upgraded version was named a PGZ04A. Along the PGZ09, it became the cornerstone of PLAGF's field air defense with HQ (HongQi 红旗; Red banner) series SAMs.

Media

Skins

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the vehicles;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links


Norinco (China North Industries Corporation)
Light AFV/IFV 
WZ501  ZBD86¹
WZ131  ▂Type 62 · Type 62
WZ211  Type 63 · ZTS63
WZ502  ZBD04A
MBT 
WZ120  Type 59¹ · ZTZ59A · ZTZ59D1
WZ121  Type 69
WZ122  ZTZ88B · ZTZ88A · ZTZ96 · ZTZ96A · ZTZ96A (P)
WZ123  ZTZ99-II · ZTZ99-III
WZ1001  WZ1001(E) LCT · ZTZ99A
Tank Destroyers  AFT09 · PTL02 · PTZ89 · ZLT11
SPH  PLZ83
SPAA  ZSD63/PG87² · PGZ09 · PGZ04A
Export 
WZ121  Type 69-IIa · T-69 II G
MBT2000  MBT-2000 · Al-Khalid-I
MBT3000  VT4A1
Other  WMA301 · WZ305
  ¹ License production / Reverse engineered · ² Field modifications

China anti-aircraft vehicles
Radar SPAAG  PGZ09
Gun and Missile SPAAG  PGZ04A
Missile SPAA  Antelope
Other  ZSD63/PG87 · ZSL92 · WZ305
Germany  ␗Sd.Kfz.222
North Vietnam  Phòng không T-34
USA  CCKW 353 (M45) · ␗M42
USSR  Tor-M1

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