Chinese state-owned television has revealed that the People’s Liberation Army Ground Force’s (PLAGF’s) new 155 mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer – believed to have the designation PLC-181 – is also being operated by an artillery brigade under the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA’s) Eastern Theatre Command.
In a video posted online on 28 April, the China Central Television 7 (CCTV 7) channel reported that the 25-tonne SPH, which is manufactured by China North Industries Corporation (Norinco) and has the export designation SH-15, features an automatic gun-laying system, a semi-automatic ammunition loading system, a digitised control board, and has room for six personnel in the cabin area (including the driver). The video also shows that the brigade has been equipped with at least 15 units of the SPH.
A screengrab from a CCTV 7 report shows several PLC-181 SPHs operated by an artillery brigade in the PLA's Eastern Theatre Command. (CCTV 7)
No further details were provided regarding the system – which may also bear the designation PLL-18, as this meets previously understood PLA designation conventions – or concerning other PLAGF units currently operating the SPH, which has been in service since at least January 2019. At the time, the state-owned Global Times newspaper reported that a PLAGF artillery brigade stationed in Tibet had been equipped with the new SPH to “boost its combat capability and improve border security”.
According to Norinco, the SH-15, which is based on a 6×6 truck chassis and is capable of travelling at a top speed of 90 km/h on roads, is fitted with a 155 mm L52 howitzer capable of firing between four and six rounds per minute.
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