Difference between revisions of "PGZ09"
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== Description == | == Description == | ||
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' --> | <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' --> | ||
− | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' | + | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (Chinese: PGZ09式自行高射炮; industry code WA3001) has been in PLAGF service since the late 2000s, alongside previous systems and SAM systems for field and infrastructure defense. The Oerlikon KDA (GDF-001) was introduced to Mainland China during the late 1980s and was licensed to be built domestically in 1990 as the PG90. With the introduction of AHEAD ammunition for the 35 mm autocannons by the mid-2000s, there were also plans to built a new SPAAG with such capabilities on a variety of chassis ranging from wheeled APC to the latest artillery chassis; alternative plans to introduce the 2S6 Tunguska were also proposed. The prototype using the latest artillery chassis eventually won the bidding; although there were plans to install SAMs on the sides, the finalized prototype only has a new FCS installed and the armament consisted of only a pair of 35 mm autocannons. |
+ | |||
+ | Introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]], PGZ09 is a Chinese counterpart to the Flakpanzer [[Gepard]] and [[Type 87]] designed to intercept incoming aerial targets such as helicopters, drones, or cruise missiles. With its high off-road speed, advanced electronic system with separated search/tracking radar, electro-optical tracking system, as well as a 2nd gen thermal sight, it can prove deadly to both careless aerial and ground targets and provide field air-defense to its allies wherever they are with its mobility. | ||
== General info == | == General info == | ||
Line 12: | Line 14: | ||
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}} | {{Specs-Tank-Armour}} | ||
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' --> | <!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' --> | ||
− | + | The chassis provides sufficient protection to the crew against small-calibre guns and shrapnel from explosions. As it is a SPAA, only the hull front is sufficient to stop HMGs and maybe some autocannons, while the turret itself offers little protection with only 8 mm of armour. Vulnerable to overpressure damage, the PGZ09 cannot survive artillery strikes, bombs, rockets or high-calibre HE shells. Its tall search radar is very visible and therefore likely to attract fire. If it is hit by anything with explosive filler it will be broken, the shrapnel and blast will also pass down the thin turret roof and damage/destroy components like the targeting radar and crew. Thus you need to be aware of whether the search radar antenna is exposed even when the tank is behind cover. | |
+ | |||
+ | '''Armour type:''' | ||
− | + | * Rolled homogeneous armour | |
− | |||
− | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
Line 22: | Line 24: | ||
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof | ! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | Hull || | + | | Hull || 10 mm Upper front (74°)<br>12 mm Lower front(25°) |
− | + | | 8 mm ''Top'' <br>10 mm ''Bottom'' || 10 mm || 8 mm | |
− | | | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | | + | | Turret || 8 mm || 8 mm || 8 mm || 8 mm |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
− | '''Notes:''' | + | '''Notes:''' |
− | + | ||
+ | * Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick. | ||
+ | * Mudguard and side skirts are 5 mm thick. | ||
+ | * Tracking radar is 15 mm of structural steel. | ||
=== Mobility === | === Mobility === | ||
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}} | {{Specs-Tank-Mobility}} | ||
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' --> | <!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' --> | ||
− | + | Thanks to the powerful 8V150 engine producing almost 800 hp, this turbocharged diesel engine lets the PGZ09 have a satisfying top speed of 65 km/h, a vast improvement over the [[WZ305]] and making it one of the fastest tracked SPAAGs along with the [[Gepard]], [[AMX-30 DCA]] and [[VEAK 40]]. It can follow teammates with ease and retreat to a safe position if anything comes at you with its -15 km/h reverse (only its tech-tree successor PGZ04A, ZTZ99A has higher reverse) | |
− | {{tankMobility}} | + | {{tankMobility|abMinHp=1136|rbMinHp=708}} |
=== Modifications and economy === | === Modifications and economy === | ||
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<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' --> | <!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' --> | ||
{{main|PG99-35-2 (35 mm)}} | {{main|PG99-35-2 (35 mm)}} | ||
− | + | ||
+ | As a variant of the Swiss Oerlikon GDF-002, the PG99-35-2 shares the same traits as the [[Oerlikon KDA (35 mm)|35 mm Oerlikon KDA]] guns found on other nations' SPAAs: high rate of fire, high muzzle velocity, and sufficient penetration to tear down most vehicles from the sides with ease. But due to the internal design of the PGZ09, it has lower ammo count than its Western and Japanese counterparts, carries only 40 APDS rounds as emergency anti-armour and most of all: its inferior -2° depression angle where it will be a major problem at complicated terrain. | ||
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%" | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%" | ||
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|- | |- | ||
! ''Arcade'' | ! ''Arcade'' | ||
− | | rowspan="2" | | + | | rowspan="2" | 480 (220 + 20) || rowspan="2" | 550 || rowspan="2" | -2°/+85° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 79.3 || 109.7 || 133.2 || 147.3 || 156.7 || rowspan="2" | 1.30 || rowspan="2" | 1.15 || rowspan="2" | 1.06 || rowspan="2" | 1.00 |
|- | |- | ||
! ''Realistic'' | ! ''Realistic'' | ||
− | | | + | | 53.5 || 63.0 || 76.5 || 84.6 || 90.0 |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
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==== Ammunition ==== | ==== Ammunition ==== | ||
− | * '''Default:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} | + | * '''Default:''' {{Annotation|API-T*|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} |
− | * '''DKG01A:''' {{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}} | + | * '''DKG01A:''' {{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T*|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} |
− | * '''DKP01A:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} | + | * '''DKP01A:''' {{Annotation|API-T*|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T*|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T*|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} |
* '''DM23:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}} | * '''DM23:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}} | ||
− | { | + | {{:PG99-35-2 (35 mm)/Ammunition|HEI-T*, API-T*, APDS}} |
− | |||
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==== [[Ammo racks]] ==== | ==== [[Ammo racks]] ==== | ||
− | + | [[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] | |
− | <!-- '''Last updated:''' --> | + | <!-- '''Last updated: 2.7.0.53''' --> |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||
|- | |- | ||
! Full<br>ammo | ! Full<br>ammo | ||
! 1st<br>rack empty | ! 1st<br>rack empty | ||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
! Visual<br>discrepancy | ! Visual<br>discrepancy | ||
|- | |- | ||
− | | ''' | + | | '''4''' || 2 ''(+2)'' || No |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
+ | '''Note''': | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Ammo racks disappear after 40 rounds from each belt have been fired. | ||
== Usage in battles == | == Usage in battles == | ||
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' --> | <!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' --> | ||
− | ' | + | Like its counterparts in NATO and Japan, speed is your friend and the PGZ09 is among the fastest ones, as an SPAA, your first priority should be aircraft and helicopters. At its BR range, few aircraft come with an RWR, so there should no worries on keeping the radar always on. If brought to a higher BR, do not keep your radar on for extended periods of time, as it will give yourself away to aircraft with RWR, so turn it off and only utilize the tracking radar after enemies have been spotted; alternatively, it comes with optoelectronic tracking system which helps concealing yourself from RWR-equipped aircraft (hotkey Y-1-4 by default changes between its tracking systems) or tracking low-flyers with excellent accuracy; another thing worth mention is that it's the only Oerlikon GDF-002 equipped SPAAG that comes with a thermal gunner sight (2nd generation), further accelerate your speed on spotting enemies from the background. Keep in mind your subpar ammunition count, so unless in emergency or fast-and-close targets, trigger-happy firing is not an option. |
+ | |||
+ | The PGZ09 can also be used in an anti-armour role to a certain extent thanks to the good penetration of 35 mm shells, these rounds are lethal to lightly armoured vehicles and the sides of Cold War MBTs, albeit the PGZ09 has the worst gun depression among SPAAs (at a mere -2°), making it struggle in even slightly uneven terrain, so keep some distance from land-based enemies if you're in a gunfight. Additionally, it has only 40 rounds of APDS at disposal so think twice before unleashing them on enemies. Do remember that those 8-10 mm of steel all-around won't help you too much on stopping some higher calibre machine guns, autocannons and anything with explosive fillers. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Note: when using the PGZ09 in the anti-armour role with thermals on, avoid placing the target at the front-right side of the hull. This is the location of the engine exhaust pipe, to the right of the driving compartment. Its heat will glare the gunner's thermal optic and heavily disrupt your aim. | ||
+ | |||
+ | When locking onto an air target using your fire control radar, the green square that captivates the target will gently float around, leading to the guns bobbing around as well. This can considerably decrease the accuracy of your bursts as your guns are not aiming at the exact centre of the target. The low accuracy is especially noticeable when the target is close to stationary, for example targeting a hovering helicopter 3 km away. The fire control radar will also give a wrong lead signal when the target is flying at treetop level. Therefore to counter these issues, you must switch to the optronic tracker. The PGZ09 is equipped with an optronic tracker just like that of the [[SIDAM 25]] that gives more accurate lead. Open the multifunction menu, then press 1 - 4 to switch to the optronic tracker. You will see that the original light green arc indicating your fire control radar scanning area decrease from 180° to ~30°. The optronic tracker gives a way more precise lead that won't float around or get interfered by ground clutter, and also allows you to target aircraft when the fire control radar is destroyed, making it the ideal targeting method against aircraft. You will however have to manually switch to it in every battle. | ||
+ | |||
+ | '''Enemies worth noting:''' | ||
+ | |||
+ | *[[SA 313B Alouette II (Germany)|SA 313B]], [[UH-1C]], etc. These early helicopters, despite being small and fragile, can give some nasty bites with their ATGMs. Experienced helicopter pilots tend to hover ~2-4 km away from the frontline firing missiles from afar, and at that distance it is somewhat difficult for the PGZ09 to effectively destroy them. If they are more than 3 km away and are slowly sliding sideways, hold your fire as the accuracy of your shells drop drastically and will be easily evaded, revealing your position. Instead, you should evade the helicopter, track its range with your radar, and once it gets within 3 km consider shooting it (still, remember that the closer the better). Note that with your gunner thermals you can clearly see the helicopter's missile, allowing you to take early action to try to avoid it. | ||
=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' --> | <!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' --> | ||
− | |||
'''Pros:''' | '''Pros:''' | ||
− | * First Chinese SPAA with search and fire control radars, significantly boosting anti-air capabilities | + | * Good firepower: |
− | * Autocannons are deadly against common aircraft like [[G.91 (Family)|G.91]] | + | ** First Chinese SPAA with search and fire control radars, significantly boosting anti-air capabilities |
− | * Fast gun targeting speed, can keep up with most targets | + | ** Autocannons are deadly against common aircraft like [[G.91 (Family)|G.91]] |
− | * Gunner thermal assists fighting in bad | + | ** Fast gun targeting speed, can keep up with most targets |
− | * | + | ** Gunner thermal assists fighting in bad weather |
− | * DM23 APDS allows it to fight back against MBTs such as [[XM-1 (GM)|XM-1]] | + | ** DM23 APDS allows it to fight back against MBTs such as [[XM-1 (GM)|XM-1]] |
− | * Adequate reverse speed of -15 km/h | + | ** Comes with optoelectronic tracking system that excels excellent accuracy and concealing yourself from RWRs. |
− | * 2 salvos of smoke grenades | + | * Good mobility: |
− | + | ** High speed, one of the fastest SPAAs in the game | |
− | + | ** Adequate reverse speed of -15 km/h | |
+ | * 2 salvos of smoke grenades can help conceal the vehicle for repositioning | ||
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
− | * Search radar antenna is tall | + | * Poor survivability: |
− | * | + | ** Search radar antenna is tall, can expose the location of the PGZ09 |
− | * Limited DM23 capacity | + | ** Armour is only proof against small calibre machine gun bullets |
− | * Extremely | + | * Poor weapon handling: |
− | * | + | ** Limited DM23 capacity of 40 rounds |
− | + | ** Extremely poor gun depression of only -2°, poor in even urban environment let alone hills | |
− | * | + | ** Gun placement makes close-range aiming quite awkward |
== History == | == History == | ||
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' --> | <!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' --> | ||
− | + | ||
+ | During the late 1980s, after attempts to make their own AA guns to replace the obsolete Soviet 37 mm, the PLA sought instead to purchase the renowned Swiss Oerlikon 35 mm GDF-002 cannon. In 1987, a deal was made and examples were imported along with the Skyguard system, and in 1990, China got a license for domestic production under the name PG90. When the later arms embargo in the 1990s stopped additional importation, Chinese-made domestic upgrades resulted in the PG99, which is said to be on-par with the GDF-003. | ||
+ | |||
+ | It saw extensive use defending facilities and as a towed gun. The PLAGF found the need for a new SPAAG to replace the PGZ95 (later the [[PGZ04A]]) for mobile field air-defense, and made good use of the 35 mm cannon with modern electronics. Early prototypes of the vehicle featured a hull based on ZSD89 APC. PLAGF also proposed a wheeled version, but this was ditched due to difficulties in mounting all the equipment onto a wheel-based chassis. As plans to import the 2S6 Tunguska were also ditched, it was also planned to mount 4 additional missiles of unknown model for long-range engagements; the plans for missiles were also ditched due to unknown reasons and left the vehicle with only a pair of PG99 autocannons. | ||
+ | |||
+ | In 2011, a new type of SPAAG was seen on state television, designated "PGZ07" by observers, little was known about it until the Victory Day parade in 2015 where this SPAAG was officially revealed by the PLA, officially known as the PGZ09 and it shared the same universal chassis with PLZ05 SPH. Equipped with the latest doppler search radar and optoelectronic equipment onboard, AHEAD and airburst shells, and the ability to equip 4 surface-to-air missiles, it, along with its predecessor the PGZ04A, serve as the cornerstone of the PLAGF's field air-defense system. | ||
== Media == | == Media == | ||
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' --> | <!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' --> | ||
− | + | ||
+ | ;Skins | ||
+ | |||
+ | * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_pgz_09 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.] | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
Line 153: | Line 158: | ||
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;'' | * ''reference to the series of the vehicles;'' | ||
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' --> | * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' --> | ||
− | |||
− | * | + | ;Similar SPAAs armed with the 35 mm Oerlikon: |
− | * | + | |
+ | * Flakpanzer [[Gepard]] | ||
+ | * [[Chieftain Marksman]] | ||
+ | * [[Type 87]] | ||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
Line 162: | Line 169: | ||
* ''topic on the official game forum;'' | * ''topic on the official game forum;'' | ||
* ''other literature.'' --> | * ''other literature.'' --> | ||
− | |||
− | * | + | * [[wt:en/news/7201-development-pgz-09-short-bursts-en|[Devblog] PGZ-09: short bursts]] |
− | |||
{{China anti-aircraft vehicles}} | {{China anti-aircraft vehicles}} |
Latest revision as of 18:10, 15 July 2023
Contents
Description
The HuoPao GaoShe ZiXing 09 (Chinese: PGZ09式自行高射炮; industry code WA3001) has been in PLAGF service since the late 2000s, alongside previous systems and SAM systems for field and infrastructure defense. The Oerlikon KDA (GDF-001) was introduced to Mainland China during the late 1980s and was licensed to be built domestically in 1990 as the PG90. With the introduction of AHEAD ammunition for the 35 mm autocannons by the mid-2000s, there were also plans to built a new SPAAG with such capabilities on a variety of chassis ranging from wheeled APC to the latest artillery chassis; alternative plans to introduce the 2S6 Tunguska were also proposed. The prototype using the latest artillery chassis eventually won the bidding; although there were plans to install SAMs on the sides, the finalized prototype only has a new FCS installed and the armament consisted of only a pair of 35 mm autocannons.
Introduced in Update "Red Skies", PGZ09 is a Chinese counterpart to the Flakpanzer Gepard and Type 87 designed to intercept incoming aerial targets such as helicopters, drones, or cruise missiles. With its high off-road speed, advanced electronic system with separated search/tracking radar, electro-optical tracking system, as well as a 2nd gen thermal sight, it can prove deadly to both careless aerial and ground targets and provide field air-defense to its allies wherever they are with its mobility.
General info
Survivability and armour
The chassis provides sufficient protection to the crew against small-calibre guns and shrapnel from explosions. As it is a SPAA, only the hull front is sufficient to stop HMGs and maybe some autocannons, while the turret itself offers little protection with only 8 mm of armour. Vulnerable to overpressure damage, the PGZ09 cannot survive artillery strikes, bombs, rockets or high-calibre HE shells. Its tall search radar is very visible and therefore likely to attract fire. If it is hit by anything with explosive filler it will be broken, the shrapnel and blast will also pass down the thin turret roof and damage/destroy components like the targeting radar and crew. Thus you need to be aware of whether the search radar antenna is exposed even when the tank is behind cover.
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour
Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hull | 10 mm Upper front (74°) 12 mm Lower front(25°) |
8 mm Top 10 mm Bottom |
10 mm | 8 mm |
Turret | 8 mm | 8 mm | 8 mm | 8 mm |
Notes:
- Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
- Mudguard and side skirts are 5 mm thick.
- Tracking radar is 15 mm of structural steel.
Mobility
Thanks to the powerful 8V150 engine producing almost 800 hp, this turbocharged diesel engine lets the PGZ09 have a satisfying top speed of 65 km/h, a vast improvement over the WZ305 and making it one of the fastest tracked SPAAGs along with the Gepard, AMX-30 DCA and VEAK 40. It can follow teammates with ease and retreat to a safe position if anything comes at you with its -15 km/h reverse (only its tech-tree successor PGZ04A, ZTZ99A has higher reverse)
Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
Arcade | 71 | 17 | 38 | 1136 | 1,526 | 29.89 | 40.16 |
Realistic | 66 | 16 | 708 | 800 | 18.63 | 21.05 |
Modifications and economy
Armaments
Main armament
As a variant of the Swiss Oerlikon GDF-002, the PG99-35-2 shares the same traits as the 35 mm Oerlikon KDA guns found on other nations' SPAAs: high rate of fire, high muzzle velocity, and sufficient penetration to tear down most vehicles from the sides with ease. But due to the internal design of the PGZ09, it has lower ammo count than its Western and Japanese counterparts, carries only 40 APDS rounds as emergency anti-armour and most of all: its inferior -2° depression angle where it will be a major problem at complicated terrain.
35 mm PG99-35-2 (x2) | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mode | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
Arcade | 480 (220 + 20) | 550 | -2°/+85° | ±180° | Two-plane | 79.3 | 109.7 | 133.2 | 147.3 | 156.7 | 1.30 | 1.15 | 1.06 | 1.00 |
Realistic | 53.5 | 63.0 | 76.5 | 84.6 | 90.0 |
Ammunition
- Default: API-T* · HEI-T*
- DKG01A: HEI-T* · HEI-T* · HEI-T* · API-T*
- DKP01A: API-T* · API-T* · API-T* · HEI-T*
- DM23: APDS · APDS · APDS · APDS
Penetration statistics | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ammunition | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | ||||||
10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1,000 m | 1,500 m | 2,000 m | ||
HEI-T* | 11 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 5 | |
API-T* | 68 | 66 | 57 | 47 | 39 | 32 | |
APDS | 127 | 125 | 118 | 110 | 102 | 95 |
Shell details | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ammunition | Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | ||||||
0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
HEI-T* | 1,175 | 0.55 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 204 | 79° | 80° | 81° | ||||
API-T* | 1,175 | 0.55 | 1.2 | 9 | 37.4 | 47° | 60° | 65° | ||||
APDS | 1,400 | 0.38 | - | - | - | 75° | 78° | 80° |
Ammo racks
![](/images/thumb/8/8c/Ammoracks_PGZ09.png/341px-Ammoracks_PGZ09.png)
Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
---|---|---|
4 | 2 (+2) | No |
Note:
- Ammo racks disappear after 40 rounds from each belt have been fired.
Usage in battles
Like its counterparts in NATO and Japan, speed is your friend and the PGZ09 is among the fastest ones, as an SPAA, your first priority should be aircraft and helicopters. At its BR range, few aircraft come with an RWR, so there should no worries on keeping the radar always on. If brought to a higher BR, do not keep your radar on for extended periods of time, as it will give yourself away to aircraft with RWR, so turn it off and only utilize the tracking radar after enemies have been spotted; alternatively, it comes with optoelectronic tracking system which helps concealing yourself from RWR-equipped aircraft (hotkey Y-1-4 by default changes between its tracking systems) or tracking low-flyers with excellent accuracy; another thing worth mention is that it's the only Oerlikon GDF-002 equipped SPAAG that comes with a thermal gunner sight (2nd generation), further accelerate your speed on spotting enemies from the background. Keep in mind your subpar ammunition count, so unless in emergency or fast-and-close targets, trigger-happy firing is not an option.
The PGZ09 can also be used in an anti-armour role to a certain extent thanks to the good penetration of 35 mm shells, these rounds are lethal to lightly armoured vehicles and the sides of Cold War MBTs, albeit the PGZ09 has the worst gun depression among SPAAs (at a mere -2°), making it struggle in even slightly uneven terrain, so keep some distance from land-based enemies if you're in a gunfight. Additionally, it has only 40 rounds of APDS at disposal so think twice before unleashing them on enemies. Do remember that those 8-10 mm of steel all-around won't help you too much on stopping some higher calibre machine guns, autocannons and anything with explosive fillers.
Note: when using the PGZ09 in the anti-armour role with thermals on, avoid placing the target at the front-right side of the hull. This is the location of the engine exhaust pipe, to the right of the driving compartment. Its heat will glare the gunner's thermal optic and heavily disrupt your aim.
When locking onto an air target using your fire control radar, the green square that captivates the target will gently float around, leading to the guns bobbing around as well. This can considerably decrease the accuracy of your bursts as your guns are not aiming at the exact centre of the target. The low accuracy is especially noticeable when the target is close to stationary, for example targeting a hovering helicopter 3 km away. The fire control radar will also give a wrong lead signal when the target is flying at treetop level. Therefore to counter these issues, you must switch to the optronic tracker. The PGZ09 is equipped with an optronic tracker just like that of the SIDAM 25 that gives more accurate lead. Open the multifunction menu, then press 1 - 4 to switch to the optronic tracker. You will see that the original light green arc indicating your fire control radar scanning area decrease from 180° to ~30°. The optronic tracker gives a way more precise lead that won't float around or get interfered by ground clutter, and also allows you to target aircraft when the fire control radar is destroyed, making it the ideal targeting method against aircraft. You will however have to manually switch to it in every battle.
Enemies worth noting:
- SA 313B, UH-1C, etc. These early helicopters, despite being small and fragile, can give some nasty bites with their ATGMs. Experienced helicopter pilots tend to hover ~2-4 km away from the frontline firing missiles from afar, and at that distance it is somewhat difficult for the PGZ09 to effectively destroy them. If they are more than 3 km away and are slowly sliding sideways, hold your fire as the accuracy of your shells drop drastically and will be easily evaded, revealing your position. Instead, you should evade the helicopter, track its range with your radar, and once it gets within 3 km consider shooting it (still, remember that the closer the better). Note that with your gunner thermals you can clearly see the helicopter's missile, allowing you to take early action to try to avoid it.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Good firepower:
- First Chinese SPAA with search and fire control radars, significantly boosting anti-air capabilities
- Autocannons are deadly against common aircraft like G.91
- Fast gun targeting speed, can keep up with most targets
- Gunner thermal assists fighting in bad weather
- DM23 APDS allows it to fight back against MBTs such as XM-1
- Comes with optoelectronic tracking system that excels excellent accuracy and concealing yourself from RWRs.
- Good mobility:
- High speed, one of the fastest SPAAs in the game
- Adequate reverse speed of -15 km/h
- 2 salvos of smoke grenades can help conceal the vehicle for repositioning
Cons:
- Poor survivability:
- Search radar antenna is tall, can expose the location of the PGZ09
- Armour is only proof against small calibre machine gun bullets
- Poor weapon handling:
- Limited DM23 capacity of 40 rounds
- Extremely poor gun depression of only -2°, poor in even urban environment let alone hills
- Gun placement makes close-range aiming quite awkward
History
During the late 1980s, after attempts to make their own AA guns to replace the obsolete Soviet 37 mm, the PLA sought instead to purchase the renowned Swiss Oerlikon 35 mm GDF-002 cannon. In 1987, a deal was made and examples were imported along with the Skyguard system, and in 1990, China got a license for domestic production under the name PG90. When the later arms embargo in the 1990s stopped additional importation, Chinese-made domestic upgrades resulted in the PG99, which is said to be on-par with the GDF-003.
It saw extensive use defending facilities and as a towed gun. The PLAGF found the need for a new SPAAG to replace the PGZ95 (later the PGZ04A) for mobile field air-defense, and made good use of the 35 mm cannon with modern electronics. Early prototypes of the vehicle featured a hull based on ZSD89 APC. PLAGF also proposed a wheeled version, but this was ditched due to difficulties in mounting all the equipment onto a wheel-based chassis. As plans to import the 2S6 Tunguska were also ditched, it was also planned to mount 4 additional missiles of unknown model for long-range engagements; the plans for missiles were also ditched due to unknown reasons and left the vehicle with only a pair of PG99 autocannons.
In 2011, a new type of SPAAG was seen on state television, designated "PGZ07" by observers, little was known about it until the Victory Day parade in 2015 where this SPAAG was officially revealed by the PLA, officially known as the PGZ09 and it shared the same universal chassis with PLZ05 SPH. Equipped with the latest doppler search radar and optoelectronic equipment onboard, AHEAD and airburst shells, and the ability to equip 4 surface-to-air missiles, it, along with its predecessor the PGZ04A, serve as the cornerstone of the PLAGF's field air-defense system.
Media
- Skins
See also
- Similar SPAAs armed with the 35 mm Oerlikon
- Flakpanzer Gepard
- Chieftain Marksman
- Type 87
External links
China anti-aircraft vehicles | |
---|---|
Radar SPAAG | PGZ09 |
Gun and Missile SPAAG | PGZ04A |
Other | ZSD63/PG87 · WZ305 |
Germany | ␗Sd.Kfz.222 |
North Vietnam | Phòng không T-34 |
USA | CCKW 353 (M45) · ␗M42 |
USSR | Tor-M1 |