Red Arrow strikes

Red Arrow strikes

BY CHRISTOPHER F FOSS

NORINCO (China North Industries Corporation; Stand 10- E22, Chinese Pavilion) is showing its Red Arrow 10 anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) system installed on the VN1 (8x8) armoured personnel carrier (APC) platform. The Red Arrow, also referred to as the HJ-10, has previously been shown integrated onto a ZBD-08 full tracked armoured fighting vehicle (AFV).

The system has two banks each of four Red Arrow 10 series ATGW in their canisters in the ready-to-launch position on a turntable, which can be traversed through 360°, enabling it to be rapidly laid onto the target.

Installed between the two banks of Red Arrows is the retractable mast-mounted sensor pod, which contains an optronics package consisting of TV and infrared sensors for target detection under almost all weather conditions, and the laser missile guidance package. The Red Arrow 10 ATGW is fitted with a tandem high-explosive anti-tank warhead, which is claimed to be able to penetrate up to 1,400mm of conventional steel armour protected by explosive reactive armour.

The maximum range of the Red Arrow 10 is 10,000m, and it has lock-on-before-launch or lock-onafter-launch capabilities.

The VN1 (8x8) is used in significant numbers by the People’s Liberation Army in many configurations, as well as an APC. These include a fully amphibious infantry fighting vehicle, which is propelled in the water by two propellers, mounted one either side at the rear.

The main advantage of installing the Red Arrow 10 on a wheeled platform rather than a tracked platform is that it has great strategic mobility and lower operating and support costs. Tracked vehicles normally have to be deployed over long distances by heavy equipment transporters, while wheeled vehicles can be deployed on their own.