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Yes
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Yes as event or premium
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No
A ZBL08-HJ13 model render created by “MarkII-Silvery”.
Summary: The ZBL-08-HJ13 is a partially disclosed improved variant of the ZBL-08 wheeled IFV. Its most notable feature is the replacement of the HJ-73 ATGM launchers on both sides of the turret with launchers compatible with the HJ-13, significantly enhancing its anti-armor capability.
History
The ZBL-08 was first publicly unveiled during the 60th anniversary parade of the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 2009. It is a product of NORINCO and uses an armored chassis designed and developed by Inner Mongolia First Machinery Group. Its development is believed to have begun in the early 2000s. In its designation, B stands for infantry, S for carrier, and L for wheeled.
After entering final production, the ZBL-08 was produced, deployed, and rapidly upgraded. In addition to replacing the aging WZ551 family, the ZBL-08 and its derivatives were also used to replace Type 59 tanks in some units, allowing these formations to transition into modern armored units.
A later-production ZBL-08 fitted with a crosswind sensor, laser warning system, and other equipment
During mass production, the ZBL-08 received numerous modifications, with improvements made to everything from its drivetrain to its fire-control system. Its upgrade potential was demonstrated once again during the Victory Day parade on September 3, 2025, when a ZBL-08 fitted with flotation boxes represented the amphibious formation.
However, one of the most criticized components of its weapon system—the HJ-73 launchers—remained largely unchanged for many years. As an improved derivative of a first-generation ATGM, the HJ-73 was considered from the beginning to be a cost-driven compromise for the ZBL-08. The missile was widely deployed on light PLA vehicles, but despite numerous improvements over the years, its anti-armor capability remains rather inadequate for the modern battlefield.
ZBL-08 reconnaissance variant
ZBL-08 fitted with flotation boxes
Different shapes of the muzzle reference system on early and later batches of the ZBL-08
Some leaked photographs suggested that the designers had previously experimented with a new weapon system for the ZBL-08. However, this possibility gradually faded from public attention following the emergence of a new 8×8 wheeled vehicle family.
This new wheeled IFV, referred to as the ZBL221 (or ZBL19), has been observed entering service in significant numbers over the past two years. Its unmanned turret is equipped with a new 30 mm chain gun and a four-round multi-purpose missile launcher compatible with the HJ-13. It has become one of the representative modern wheeled combat vehicles of the PLA.
Its introduction also marks the apparent entry of fire-and-forget ATGMs designed for IFV platforms into PLA service, complementing the HJ-12 and HJ-10 in different roles.
An experimental turret for the ZBL-08
ZBL221
In June 2026, a promotional video from an optics company at the Changchun Optoelectronics Technology Expo brought the ZBL-08 back into the spotlight. The video showed, from multiple angles, a ZBL-08 equipped with new launchers on both sides of the turret firing a type of fire-and-forget missile. The accompanying text stated that the company’s vehicle-mounted launch system could allow infantry fighting vehicles to be equipped with a general-purpose anti-tank missile.Preliminary analysis suggests that the missile shown is the HJ-13.
The appearance of this vehicle suggests that some Chinese research institutions are experimenting with new launchers intended to upgrade older IFVs and give them the ability to fire modern multi-purpose munitions. These could include not only the HJ-13, but also lower-cost missiles and loitering munitions.
The PLA has frequently employed this type of modernization approach, using advanced weapon systems to upgrade existing platforms rather than replacing them entirely. If this upgrade package eventually enters mass production and service, it could allow more units to gain experience operating these modern weapon systems while further extending the combat relevance of older vehicles.
HJ-13
The HJ-13 uses a dual-datalink and infrared thermal-imaging guidance system and reportedly features multi-missile networked cooperative engagement, allowing multiple missiles to exchange information through a datalink and engage multiple targets simultaneously.
It uses a tandem-charge warhead, with a maximum range of approximately 16 km and a reported static penetration capability of around 1,300–1,400 mm.
Compared with the infantry-portable HJ-12 and the heavier HJ-10 operated primarily by artillery units, the HJ-13 can be considered something of an intermediate system. It combines relatively long range and high penetration capability while providing non-artillery elements of medium combined-arms brigades with a powerful anti-armor capability.
Comparison of specifications among Chinese anti-tank guided missiles
HJ13/HJ13E Missile Launch Vehicle
Spefications
Crew: 3
Mass: 16 t
Length: 8 m
Width: 3 m
Height: ~2.5 m
Main armament: 30 mm ZPL02 autocannon, 2x152mm HJ13 ATGMs
Secondary armament: 5.8 mm QJT machine gun
Engine: 440 hp Deutz BF6M1015C diesel
Maximum speed: 100 km/h
Maximum range: 800 km
Ground clearance: 0.4 m
In War Thunder
The QN506 was introduced to the game as a premium vehicle and, at the time, became the first vehicle in the game equipped with fire-and-forget missiles. However, China has not received another vehicle with this capability since then.
In the meantime, several other nations have received tracked and wheeled vehicles armed with similar fire-and-forget missile systems, while the Chinese tech tree is still lacking such vehicles. As the most widely produced wheeled IFV currently in PLA service, the ZBL-08 would be a very fitting addition to the game, and the ZBL-08-HJ13 could be one of its most interesting variants.
Sources
https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/1989277532160296207
https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/7281734108
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