DZJ-08 (Type 08) Chinese 80mm Rocket Launcher

The DZJ-08 Type 08, 80-millimeter Individual Multipurpose Assault Ammunition System') is a portable, disposable, unguided, shoulder-launched, multipurpose recoilless weapon. The weapon is designed as a multi-role assault weapon aiming to provide anti-armor, anti-fortification, anti-personnel capability. Designed and manufactured by Norinco for the People's Liberation Army, Type 08 is the successor to Type 89A multipurpose rocket launcher. The Type 08 has a unique firing mechanism called hermetic balance projection possibly inspired by C.Davis recoilless principle. Compare to the previous system, Type 08 utilizes countermass to reduce the recoil, noise, muzzle flash, pressure wave, and backblast that can cause burns and overpressure as well as creating a conspicuous launch signature of the user. Moreover, Type 08's multipurpose ammunition has a relatively small blast radius of 7 meters, which gives the weapon system a minimum range of 25 meters. Thus, a soldier can fire the weapon more safely inside confined spaces. The high-explosive ammunition of DZJ-08 is specially designed to penetrate structures. It can penetrate 25 mm of steel armor at 65° angle, or around 30 mm of steel armor at 90° angle. Although it is not effective against heavy vehicle, lightly armored vehicles, such as armored personnel carriers, can still be penetrated and destroyed by DJZ-08. The biggest improvement of DZJ-08 is the ability to penetrates 500 mm of reinforced concrete, whereas the predecessor PF-89A with its multipurpose round can only penetrate 300mm of reinforced concrete. Type 08 is China's first attempt to develop an anti-tank weapon that can be used in confined space and urban warfare. China used Type 89 rocket launcher to replace Type 69 RPG in the 90s, however, the problem of backblast became prominent. Since May 2000, Norinco started to design a new generation of weapons that is portable, single-use, and can be distributed to each individual soldier of infantry squad like Type 89 yet offers low collateral damage. DZJ-08 weights 7.6kg, is water-proof, and features a fordable day sight. The weapon also has a folding front grip and carrying handle. Firing instruction is printed on the left side of the launch tube.