According to a video published by the Chinese Ministry of Defense, the 71st Air Defense Brigade of the 71st Group Army of the PLA (People's Liberation Army) has received new military equipment including an improved version of the CS/SA5 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun (SPAAG) based on new 8x8 armored vehicle developed and designed by the Chinese company NORINCO (China North Industries Group Corporation Limited).
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The new improved version of the CS/SA5 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun (SPAAG) enters into service with the Chinese army. (Picture source China MoD video footage)
The NORINCO CS/SA5 is a Chinese self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) developed and manufactured by China North Industries Group Corporation Limited (NORINCO). It is designed to provide close-range air defense for ground forces against various aerial threats such as low-flying aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
In addition to its primary anti-aircraft role, the CS/SA5 can also serve as a ground support weapon, engaging lightly armored vehicles and infantry targets with its 35mm cannon. This flexibility makes it a valuable asset for modern armies that require a versatile and mobile air defense system.
The new CS/SA5 is based on a four-axle armored vehicle, which is likely an additional variant of Type 08 (ZBL-08) armored personnel carrier/infantry fighting vehicle. The chassis features a front-engine design, with the control compartment located adjacent to the engine area. The middle and rear sections of the hull house the fighting compartment, containing operator stations. A sizable combat module, equipped with all weaponry, is mounted on the roof. The driver's compartment comprises a fully enclosed crew cabin situated at the front left side of the hull, featuring windows at the front and on each side.
The main armament of the CS/SA5 consists of a 6-barrel 30mm Gatling gun capable of firing a variety of ammunition types, including armor-piercing and high-explosive rounds. On each side of the turret is also mounted two FN-6A Man-portable air defense missile systems (MANPADS). The cannon has a high rate of fire, enabling it to engage multiple targets quickly and effectively.
The Chinese 30mm six-barrel Gatling gun features a high rate of fire, ranging from 2,000 to 6,000 rounds per minute. This rapid-fire capability enables it to engage multiple targets in a short period, making it effective against fast-moving aerial threats such as low-flying aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Generally, the effective range of a 30mm rotary cannon can be anywhere from 2,000 to 4,000 meters for air-to-ground or ground-to-ground engagements. In air defense or close-in weapon system (CIWS) roles, the effective range against aerial targets may be somewhat shorter, typically around 1,000 to 2,500 meters.
The FN-6A is the vehicle-mounted version of the FN-6, which is a third-generation, man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) developed by China's state-owned defense company, China National Precision Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CNPMIEC).
The FN-6A features improvements over the basic FN-6 model, such as an enhanced infrared (IR) seeker, which reportedly offers better resistance to countermeasures and improved performance in adverse weather conditions. It has an effective range of approximately 6 km (3.7 miles) and a maximum altitude of around 3.8 km (12,500 feet).
The roof of the CS/SA5 turret is equipped with detection radar located at the rear and day/night thermal tracking site sights at the front. The vehicle is equipped with computerized tracking and firing control systems.
