China deploys new infantry fighting vehicles along Taiwan Strait

The Type 19 IFV feature a hull identical to the ZBL-09 IFV (pictured above) in service with the PLA and a new turret. (Russian MoD)

The Eastern Theater Command (ETC) of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has inducted a new type of 8×8 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) in an equipment awarding ceremony in eastern Guangdong.

According to a video recently released by state-owned broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV), the 145th Medium Combined Arms Brigade of the 73rd Group Army under the ETC inducted an unknown number of new IFVs – probably Type 19 (also designated as Type 22) – in the ceremony.

The 73rd Group Army is headquartered in Xiamen – roughly 10 km from Taiwan's Kinmen Islands in the Taiwan Strait – and is responsible for handling disputes that may arise in the stretch of water.

The new vehicles – deployed for the first time with the PLA – feature a hull identical to the ZBL-09 (also known as Type 09) IFV in service with the PLA and a new turret.

Although the vehicle's specifications have not been disclosed, it is possible that the new hull features redesigned suspension and automotive components to support a higher gross vehicle weight (GVW).

The higher GVW allows the vehicle to carry a greater payload than the ZBL-09, possibly resulting in better armour protection and heavier mission systems deployed on the platform.

This new design is consistent with Western design trends, where the maximum GVW of 8×8 IFVs has typically increased from around 21 tonnes – as in ZBL-09 – to over 35 tonnes.