Developed since the 1990s by NORINCO, the ZBL-09 Snow Leopard represents a generation of fully modern, modular Chinese 8x8 Armored Combat Vehicles
This APC was first revealed in 2006
It is an advanced modular design, aimed at export customers
It is currently in mass production for the Chinese Army
ZBL-09 is also being proposed for export customers under the name VN-1
It was exported to Venezuela and possibly some other countries
The design of the ZBL-09 Snow Leopard was heavily influenced by both Western and Russian armored personnel carriers
The vehicle has a weight between 15 ~ 20 tons, depending on the configuration
It has a length of 8 m, a width of 3 m, and a height of 2.1 m
Standard crew is 3 people: the driver, commander and gunner, plus 9 soldiers in the passenger compartment at the rear
The operating crew is given modern conveniences and access to an all-digital Battlefield Management System
for real-time threat assessment and heighted situational awareness
Communications are protected and integrated to serve alongside existing modern fighting vehicles
Armor protection is against small arms fire and artillery spray though bolt-on armor can be used to address limitations in crew protection
An automatic fire suppression system is carried and an NBC kit is optional
Roof hatches are provided for and a rear entry/exit door is set at the rear hull facing for the passengers
Firing ports also allow occupants to engage external threats with their personal infantry weapons
The powerplant is of German origin, the BF8L413F 4-stroke, 8-cylinder, turbo-charged, air-cooled diesel giving 320hp
Engine compartment is located at the front of the hull. Vehicle is fitted with a central tyre inflation system for improved cross-country mobility
The maximum speed can reach 100 km/h, The maximum operating range is up to 800 km
On the water it can swim at 8 km/h, which is propelled by two waterjets
This Chinese APC is armed with a turret-mounted 30 mm cannon and coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun
The 30 mm cannon is similar to a Soviet 2A72, which is used on a number of Soviet/Russian armored vehicles and attack helicopters
The Snow Leopard can be also fitted with two rails for HJ-73 anti-tank missiles
This missile is out-dated comparing with modern Western designs, however it still poses threat to armored vehicles
Other turrets and weapon options are also available
A whole host of variants were developed. A number of them are in service with Chinese army
It seems that China operate these vehicles in rapid deployment units, similar to American Stryker Brigade combat teams
Each unit consists of various armored vehicles with different battlefield roles, based on the same platform
Other variants of the ZBL-09 are being offered for export. Also there is a number of unidentified variants