China’s new off-road assault vehicles go into mass production
- Third-generation Dongfeng Mengshi vehicles are expected to be widely used by the PLA
- They are hi-tech, lightweight and can be equipped with long-range and other weapons
China’s latest off-road assault vehicles are rolling off the mass production line and will become part of the military’s joint combat system, according to state media.
Zhou Chenming, a military analyst based in Beijing, said the vehicle had gone into mass production and was expected to be widely used by the PLA.
The hi-tech vehicle is lightweight and can be equipped with multiple types of weapons including long-range firepower, and it will be part of the military’s integrated joint combat system, according to the CCTV report.
Chen Lei, a senior engineer with the manufacturer, Dongfeng Off-Road Vehicle Company – a unit of Dongfeng Motor based in Hubei province – told the broadcaster that the vehicle had “outstanding mobility” and used new technologies and materials, without elaborating.
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The assault vehicle entered service in 2019 and the PLA has been mainly using them in China’s border areas. A delivery of the new vehicles was made to the Tibet Military Command in November and they have been used by border defence troops in the northern Himalayas.