If you’re not sure, please say something like: “what looks (admittedly only to you) like”
China's transport, tanker & heavy lift aircraft
- Thread starter Totoro
- Start date
To me they look like airbags to break the landing, not wheels. Very probably an 8-tonne ZBD03 rather than a 20 tonne Type 08 derivative
This doesn't look like wheels.
Looks like Chinese soft landing system is substantially different from the Russian one, and uses inflatable bags.
Pay attention to the center of the vehicle, tracks are in place - suspension is at the low position, it's barely discernible, but visible.
Below is a tracked vehicle dropped by Y-20, which is distinct from the one in my previous post.
I suppose here's the image you're looking for, from another perspective
Source:
Thank you!
You are right.
Looks more like ZBD04A (6 pairs of road wheels), which weighs over 20 tons.
Here is ZBD03 (5 pairs of road wheels) in comparison:
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Maybe you get that illusion because ZBD-03's suspension retracts and lies flat for packing before it's parachuted, just like the BMD series.
The front sprocket and rear idler wheel are about the same size as the regular road wheels, and all of them lying flat together will sort of look like 6/7 road wheels, especially in a blurry pic.
That said, isn't the PLA developing a new airborne IFV? IIRC the ones that we have seen have 6 road wheels and ZBD-04/04A turret.
So... could that be it?
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