The PHL-81 is a truck-mounted self-propelled 122 mm

multiple rocket launcher A multiple rocket launcher (MRL) or multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) is a type of rocket artillery system that contains multiple rocket launcher, launchers which are fixed to a single weapons platform, platform, and shoots its rocket (weapon ...

(SPMRL) produced by the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

for the

People's Liberation Army Ground Force The People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF), also referred to as the PLA Army, is the army, land-based service branch of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), and also its largest and oldest branch. The PLAGF can trace its lineage from 192 ...

. The PHL-81 is being replaced by the modernised version PHL-11.

Design and development

It is a variant of the Soviet

BM-21 Grad The BM-21 "Grad" () is a self-propelled 122 mm multiple rocket launcher designed in the Soviet Union. The system and the M-21OF rocket were first developed in the early 1960s, and saw their first combat use in March 1969 during the Sino-S ...

. The Type 81 was the first in a family of Chinese self-propelled 122 mm rocket launchers. The system forms the backbone of People's Liberation Army Ground Force's combined arms brigade. Type 81 went through different iterations of modernization to improve the combat effectiveness. The spin-stabilized rocket fired by the Type 81 may be armed with a

high explosive An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An exp ...

warhead or a steel fragmentation warhead.

Variants

;Type 81: Designation: PHL-81. The Type 81 mounts a 40-round launcher on an Hongyan CQ261 6X6 truck chassis. The truck was later changed to a Shaanxi SX250 in 1975. ;Type 83: Improved variant of Type 81. The Type 83 mounts a 24-round launcher on a 6x6 truck chassis. ;Type 89: Designation PHZ-89. This is an improved variant of the original Type 81 MRL system. It was adopted by the PLA in 1989. The Type 89 mounts a new type of 40-round box launcher on the armored tracked chassis of the Type 83 self-propelled gun. The rockets may be fired in 20 seconds. The launcher is mounted at the rear with a reload pack in front. ;Type 90: Designation PHL-90. The Type 90 shares the 40-round launcher with PHZ-89, but the rockets are mounted on a Tiema SC2030 6X6 truck. The truck also carries a reload pack of 40 additional rockets; the launcher to be reloaded within 3 minutes. ;Type 90A: Designation PHL-90A. The Type 90A is an upgrade of the Type 90. The 40-round launcher is mounted on a Tiema XC2200 6×6 truck, has improved fire control, and a battery may be remotely controlled by a command vehicle. It is manufactured by

Norinco China North Industries Group Corporation Limited, doing business internationally as Norinco Group (an abbreviation of "North Industries Corporation"), and known within China as China Ordnance Industries Group Corporation Limited (), is a Chinese ...

. ;Type 90B: The Type 90B is an upgrade of the Type 90A. The 40-round launchers are mounted on a Beifang Benchi 2629 6×6 trucks. The system adds

WZ551 The WZ-551 is a Chinese wheeled infantry fighting vehicle family. The name WZ-551 actually covers two families of vehicles with the official designations in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) – Type 90 and Type 92. Over 3,000 WZ-551s are in ser ...

reconnaissance vehicles, and the command vehicle has improved command and fire control systems.

Operators

; *

Chadian Ground Forces The Chadian Ground Forces (, ) are the main and largest component of the Military of Chad, Chadian National Army. Historically Chad has had one of the strongest armies in the Sahara Desert, Sahara region, larger than the Malian Army, Malian or Cen ...

- 5 units in service as of 2021 ; *

- 550 units of PHL-81/PHL-90; 350 unit of PHL-11; 375 units of PHZ-89; 700 units of PHL-81 in storage. ; *

Gabonese Army The Armed Forces of Gabon (), officially the Gabonese Defense and Security Forces (), is the national professional military of Gabon, divided into the Army, Air Force, Navy, and a National Gendarmerie, consisting of about 5,000 personnel. The arme ...

- 4 units of Type 90 were delivered in 2004 ; *

Ghana Army The Ghana Army is the principal land warfare force of Ghana. In 1959, two years after the Gold Coast (British colony), Gold Coast became independent from the British Empire, the Ghana Regiment, Gold Coast Regiment was withdrawn from the Royal West ...

- 3 units in service as of 2021 ; *

Indonesian Marine Corps The Marine Corps of the Republic of Indonesia (, KORMAR RI), previously known as the Commando Corps of the Indonesian Navy (, KKO), is an integral part of the Indonesian Navy and is sized at the military corps level unit as the naval infantry ...

- At least 4 units of Type 90b purchased in 2015 ; *

Myanmar Army The Myanmar Army (; ) is the largest branch of the Tatmadaw, the armed forces of Myanmar, and has the primary responsibility of conducting land-based military operations. The Myanmar Army maintains the second largest active force in Southea ...

- 100+ units of Type-81 and 80+ units of Type-90 ; *

Namibian Army The Namibian Army is the ground warfare branch of the Namibian Defence Force. History Development of Namibia's army was the fastest of the three arms of service. The first units of the Army were deployed as early as 1990. The Army was formed ...

- at least 2 Units have been observed in public appearances. ; *

Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army (, ), commonly known as the Pak Army (), is the Land warfare, land service branch and the largest component of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The president of Pakistan is the Commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the army. The ...

- Type 83 produced locally as the "Azar". ; *

Peruvian Army The Peruvian Army (, abbreviated EP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with safeguarding the independence, sovereignty and integrity of national territory on land through military force. Additional missions include assistance in s ...

- 27 units of Type 90B purchased in January 2014 ; * Sudanese Land Forces - In service as of 2023. ; *

Royal Cambodian Armed Forces The Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF; , ) is Cambodia's national military force. The Supreme Commander-in-Chief is King Norodom Sihamoni. Since 2018, General Vong Pisen has been the Commander-in-Chief of the RCAF as head of the Army, Na ...

- 100+ Type 81 and 12 Type 90B in service the total is 125 units.

References

External links

Technical data of the Type 81 SPRL
{{PRCAFVs Self-propelled artillery of the People's Republic of China 122 mm artillery Self-propelled rocket launchers Multiple rocket launchers Military vehicles introduced in the 1980s

Design and development

Variants

Operators

See also

References

External links