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China / Cold War / Modern

PLZ-83

The PLZ-83 gave China a domestically produced turreted 152 mm self-propelled howitzer broadly comparable in role to contemporary Soviet divisional artillery systems.

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No exact, reusable image passed source and visual review for PLZ-83. The archive leaves this profile unillustrated rather than publishing a misleading substitute.

RolePLA tracked field artillery
Main weapon / system152 mm howitzer
Platform / layouttracked chassis with fully rotating turret
MediaNo verified reusable primary image located

Development and design

The vehicle mounted a Chinese 152 mm gun derived from the Type 66/D-20 lineage in an armored turret on a tracked chassis. It represented a major step beyond earlier improvised Chinese self-propelled artillery. 1, 2

Operational use

PLZ-83 systems entered PLA service in the 1980s and remained in use as newer 155 mm families appeared. 1, 2

Role and significance

The PLZ-83 is the starting point for understanding China’s transition from Soviet-caliber Cold War artillery toward longer-ranged 155 mm export and domestic systems. 1, 2

Sources and further reading

Representative source set used for this profile. No exact reusable primary image passed image review.

  1. U.S. Army ODIN, PLZ-83 Type 83
  2. U.S. Army ODIN, Chinese artillery search