China Unveils New Mobile Self-propelled Anti-aircraft Gun To Destroy Precision Weapons

China unveiled a new mobile self-propelled anti-aircraft gun to destroy precision weapons on Sunday, during a comprehensive exercise conducted by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Army Academy of Artillery and Air Defense.

"The new artillery could eliminate threats from precision weapons such as drones and cruise missiles," Chinese media reported Monday quoting military experts as saying.

"One of the highlights of the weapon are its wheels, which enable the new self-propelled anti-aircraft gun to have higher mobility compared to those that are already in the PLA service and use tracks. The new guns are also more suitable for off-road operations," Wei Dongxu, a military expert told Global Times.

"The gun could also serve as a very powerful weapon against ground targets like light armored vehicles and fortifications," Dongxu added.

Citing the images released by PLA Daily on its Sina Weibo account on Sunday evening, Chinese military experts stated that the gun could be based on an eight-wheeled armored vehicle featuring a single 35 millimeter cannon as its main means of attack.

"Appearance of the weapon in a PLA Daily report indicates the technology has now matured and the weapon might have already been commissioned into the Chinese military," Dongxu said.

High mobility also means the weapon could cover a wider range of airspace, is more difficult to detect and better able to survive enemy attacks, analysts noted.

According to Wei, the gun is likely equipped with an electro-optical aiming system that can send 35 millimeter shells to accurately intercept targets in the air, including drones and cruise missiles.