ZBD-04A

The PLA's primary tracked infantry fighting vehicle, mounting a 100 mm gun/missile launcher and coaxial 30 mm autocannon in a two-man turret. The improved ZBD-04A refined armor, fire control and mobility over the original ZBD-04.

In service since 2008 · 1 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

km/h

500

km range

hp/t

100

mm gun

22,500

Several performance figures for China-origin systems are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification. Treat these specs as directional, not tested values.

Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

Chinese state channel

State export agencies (NORINCO/CATIC); limited availability to Western-aligned states.

Channel: State export agency

Fielded & proven

Limited · 1 operator

In service since 2008. Status: active · ~3,000 built.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from.

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.: 65 km/h

Stronger than 11% of IFVs
Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.: 500 km

Stronger than 26% of IFVs
Power-to-weight Engine power per tonne of vehicle weight. Higher means better acceleration and cross-country mobility.: 25 hp/t

Stronger than 74% of IFVs

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.: 100 mm rifled gun/missile launcher
Secondary armament Additional weapons: coaxial MG, remote weapon station, gun pods.: 30 mm autocannon + coaxial machine gun
Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.: 100 mm
Ammunition Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.: 32

Stronger than 11% of IFVs

Protection

Armor, countermeasures and survivability.

Armor Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified.: Welded steel with modular composite add-on armor
NBC protection Sealed crew compartment with overpressure filtration for nuclear/biological/chemical environments.: Yes

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.: 7 m
Width Overall width — matters for rail/road transport of vehicles.: 3 m
Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.: 2.5 m
Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.: 22,500 kg
Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.: 3
Troop capacity Number of embarked troops/passengers (IFV, APC, transport). Higher carries more.: 7

Stronger than 36% of IFVs

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Engine Powerplant model and type.: Diesel engine
Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.: 590 hp

Stronger than 66% of IFVs
Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…: Diesel

Sensors & avionics

Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.

Thermal imaging Thermal sights for night and obscured-visibility operations.: Yes

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.: 3,000

Stronger than 81% of IFVs
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 1

Stronger than 23% of IFVs

Specifications compiled from public NORINCO and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

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