The Type 78 is a Chinese-made 82 mm smoothbore recoilless gun designed to provide a rapid, direct fire support for the
PLA
PLA may refer to:
Organizations Politics and military
* People's Liberation Army, the armed forces of China and of the ruling Chinese Communist Party
* People's Liberation Army (disambiguation)
** Irish National Liberation Army, formerly called ...
infantry troops against targets such as
light tanks
A light tank is a tank variant initially designed for rapid movements in and out of combat, to outmaneuver heavier tanks. It is smaller in size with thinner armor and a less powerful main gun, tailored for better tactical mobility and ease of ...
,
armoured vehicles
Military vehicles are commonly armoured (or armored; see spelling differences) to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets, shells, rockets, and missiles, protecting the personnel inside from enemy fire. Such vehicles include armoured fight ...
, and
bunkers. The Type 78 is an improved version of the
Type 65 with some modifications. Type 78 has been equipped by the
PLA Ground Forces in significant numbers and are still serving with some class-B units and reserve forces today. The Type 78 is being replaced by the more capable
Type 98.
Design
The Type 78 consists of the barrel, optical aiming sight,
tripod
A tripod is a portable three-legged frame or stand, used as a platform for supporting the weight and maintaining the stability of some other object. The three-legged (triangular stance) design provides good stability against gravitational loads ...
, and accessories. The gun can be fired either with the help of a tripod or on the gunner’s shoulder. There are two types of rounds available: high-explosive (HE) with a maximum range of 300m (Type 65) or 500m (Type 78).
Chinese Defence Today - Type 78/65 82mm Recoilless Gun
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References
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Weapons of the People's Republic of China
Anti-tank rockets
Recoilless rifles