The PLZ83 in the current game only has one old-fashioned projectile, the DDB1(Before the '90s, its correct name would have been Type66-152-HE）, which makes it less playable and no fun compared to its competitors.
It should adding a new projectile to research and completing the missing smoke projectiles. So that the PLZ83 can compete fairly with other self-propelled guns.
Norinco’06 Foreign Trade Manual states that the explosive mass of the HE-BB for PLZ83 is 7.56KG, and its explosive type should be DRD-1E, Desensitised RDx type-1. The evidence is in the latter part.
（The World Ammunition Handbook, which provides a brief overview of the world’s various types of ammunition, and I guess someone must have provided information from this book）
First of all, the “world ammunition manual” cannot be relied upon. That book was published in 1990. It was old and outdated even in the 90s, and its focus was on foreign ammunition. In fact, it documents very little Chinese ammunition, and only partially reflects the situation from the 60s to the early 80s.According to the PLA’s confidentiality regulations, it is not possible to have relatively up-to-date manuals.
Second, the development of the PLZ83 was completed in November 1983. Therefore, the PLZ83 was mainly in service from the late 80s to the 00s, and was gradually replaced by new 155mm self-propelled howitzers. Therefore, it is normal that the 1990 ammunition manual did not record the main projectile of the PLZ83. In fact, the range of the Type66 was insufficient and did not match the tactical system of the PLA in the 90s and 00s. Offering only type66 for PLZ83 is not historical, and it lacks balance and fun. Therefore, information should be looked for in the late 90s and early 10s.
Thirdly, the Chinese projectile, in different eras, its explosive type is different.
In the 60-70s, it was still dominated by copying Soviet equipment. At that time, China’s technological strength, economy, explosives production capacity were insufficient. The projectile’s explosive type is basically TNT.
From the late 80s to the 00s, according to the foreign trade manuals and the accompanying drawings of the State Military Standards (GJB) documents of this period, we can know that the main explosive type at that time were various RDX mixtures.
DDE/PL66-152
Example: HE-BB for PL66 in the foreign trade manual, with an explosive mass of 7.56kg. And according to the accompanying drawings of GJB3911-1999, the further improved terminal guided projectile for PL66, DDE/PL66-152, the explosive type is DRD01E. According to the ammunition manual, the Chinese DRD-1 explosive mass is about 127% TNT. If the filling rate of 152mmHE is basically stable, 5.9KG multiplied by 127%, which is just equal to the explosive mass of HE-BB in the foreign trade manual. This shell often appeared in official reports of PLZ83 in China in the 00s and 10s.
Circumstantial evidence closes a loop. There is further evidence that the main projectile explosive type of this period was RDX mixture.
And by the 10s, from some news reports, we can know that the 155mm projectile explosive type has become A-XI-2.
Additional information on GJB-159A-1995 and GJB3911-1999(These two documents can be easily found on the Chinese internet)
HE for Type79 100mm Naval gun
Explosive type：DHL-1 ，Desensitised Heisuojin(RDX in Chinese) Lv(aluminium) type-1
HE for Type76 130mm Naval gun
Explosive type：DHL-1
152mm terminal-guided HE for PL66:DDE/PL66-152
Explosive type：DRD01E
122mm HE Rocket for Type81 :DHB1/PHL81-122
Explosive type：RTH-2,Rongxing(fusibility in Chinese)，Tnt&Heisuojin(RDX) type-2
122mm Cluster projectile for Type83 howitzer:DLM/PL83-122
Explosive type：DH-1, Desensitised Heisuojin type-1
.and more, please check the above documents for yourself.
All of the above evidence proves that the explosive type of Chinese projectiles changes over time.
In fact, this is also the process of continuous improvement of China’s technical capabilities, economy and explosives production capacity. According to public reports, by the mid-10s, China was able to produce new explosives like CL20 cheaply at a cost of about ¥1/g ($0.14/g). So…
Offering only type66 for PLZ83 is not historical, and it lacks balance and fun.
More projectiles for the PLZ83 for research // Gaijin.net // Issues