PLZ-45

PLZ45 Self-Propelled Howitzer
PLZ45 Self-Propelled Howitzer
Type	Self-propelled artillery
Place of origin	People's Republic of China
Specifications
Mass	33 tons
Length	10.52 m (34 ft 6 in)
Width	3.3 m (10 ft 10 in)
Height	3.52 m (11 ft 7 in) with AAMG
Crew	5
Caliber	155 mm (6.1 in)
Traverse	360°
Rate of fire	Maximum: 5 rounds/min; Sustained: 2 rounds/min
Effective firing range	50 km (31 mi)
Main; armament	155 mm howitzer
Secondary; armament	12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun/ 2 sets of 4-barrel grenade launchers
Engine	diesel; 525 hp (391 kw)
Suspension	torsion bar
Operational; range	450 km (280 mi)
Maximum speed	56 km/h (35 mph)

The PLZ-45 is a 155 mm self-propelled howitzer used by the People's Liberation Army of China, the Bangladesh Army, the Kuwaiti Army, the Saudi Arabian Army, and possibly the Pakistani Army.

The system was designed by Su Zhezi [苏哲子] of 674 Factory, and developed by Norinco, 123 Factory (Heilongjiang Hua’an Industry Group Company--黑龙江华安工业集团公司), 127 Factory (Tsitsihar Heping Machine Shop--和平机器制造厂), 674 Factory (Harbin First Machine Manufacture Limited Company 哈尔滨第一机器制造厂) and Beijing Institute of Technology. It is based on Norinco's Type 89 (PLL01) 155mm/45-calibre towed gun-howitzer.

PLZ-45 is companied by ZCY45/ZCL45 command vehicle, GCL recon vehicle, 704-1 recon radar system, LLX05K weather radar system, PCZ45 ammunition vehicle, W653 engineering vehicle, CXD45 maintenance vehicle and other support equipments.

When using ERFB rounds, PLZ-45 can reach target 30km away, 39km with ERFB-BB／HE rounds. PLZ-45 can also use NATO M-107 rounds.

Saudi Arabia has purchased the howitzer and is expected to become a major user.