PHL-81

The PHL-81 is a truck-mounted self-propelled 122 mm multiple rocket launcher (SPMRL) produced by the People's Republic of China for the People's Liberation Army Ground Force.^[4]

Type 81 rocket launcher[1]
Type	Self-propelled rocket launcher Rocket artillery
Place of origin	China
Service history
Wars	2006 Lebanon War[2] 2025 Cambodia–Thailand clashes[3]
Production history
Designed	1987
Manufacturer	Jinxi Machinery Factory Hubei Jiangshan Machinery Factory
Produced	1989–present
Specifications
Mass	18 to 30 tons
Length	9.8 m (32 ft 2 in)
Width	3.24 m (10 ft 8 in)
Height	3.50 m (11 ft 6 in) with AAMG
Crew	5
Caliber	122 mm (4.8 in) (missiles)
Barrels	40
Traverse	360°
Main armament	122 mm rockets
Secondary armament	12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun
Engine	WR4B-12V150LB 12-cyl diesel 520 hp (382 kW)
Suspension	torsion bar
Operational range	450 km (280 mi)
Maximum speed	55 km/h (35 mph)

The PHL-81 is being replaced by the modernised version PHL-11.

Design and development

Rear view of Type 81 MLRS (SX250 chassis)

It is a variant of the Soviet BM-21 Grad.^[5] The Type 81 was the first in a family of Chinese self-propelled 122 mm rocket launchers.^[4]

The system forms the backbone of People's Liberation Army Ground Force's combined arms brigade. Type 81 went through different iterations of modernization to improve the combat effectiveness.^[6]

The spin-stabilized rocket fired by the Type 81 may be armed with a high explosive warhead or a steel fragmentation warhead.^[4]

Variants

Type 81

Designation: PHL-81. The Type 81 mounts a 40-round launcher on an Hongyan CQ261 6X6 truck chassis. The truck was later changed to a Shaanxi SX250 in 1975.^[7][4]

Type 83

Improved variant of Type 81. The Type 83 mounts a 24-round launcher on a 6x6 truck chassis.^[4]

Type 89

Designation PHZ-89. This is an improved variant of the original Type 81 MRL system. It was adopted by the PLA in 1989. The Type 89 mounts a new type of 40-round box launcher on the armored tracked chassis of the Type 83 self-propelled gun. The rockets may be fired in 20 seconds. The launcher is mounted at the rear with a reload pack in front.^[4]

Type 90

Designation PHL-90. The Type 90 shares the 40-round launcher with PHZ-89, but the rockets are mounted on a Tiema SC2030 6X6 truck. The truck also carries a reload pack of 40 additional rockets; the launcher to be reloaded within 3 minutes.^[4]

Type 90A

Designation PHL-90A. The Type 90A is an upgrade of the Type 90. The 40-round launcher is mounted on a Tiema XC2200 6×6 truck, has improved fire control, and a battery may be remotely controlled by a command vehicle. It is manufactured by Norinco.^[8]

Type 90B

The Type 90B is an upgrade of the Type 90A. The 40-round launchers are mounted on a Beifang Benchi 2629 6×6 trucks. The system adds WZ551 reconnaissance vehicles, and the command vehicle has improved command and fire control systems.^[9]

Operators

 Cambodia

• Royal Cambodian Army − 20 PHL-81 and some PHL-90B (Type 90B^[3]) as of 2025^{[update][10]: 239}

 Chad

• Chadian Ground Forces − 5 units in service as of 2025^{[update][11]: 463}

 China

• People's Liberation Army Ground Force − 200 units of PHL-81/PHL-90; 375 units of PHZ-89; 1,000 units of PHL-81 in storage as of 2025^{[update][10]: 242}

 Gabon

• Gabonese Army − 4 units of Type 90 were delivered in 2004^[12]

 Ghana

• Ghana Army − 3 units in service as of 2025^{[update][11]: 476}

Hezbollah

• Origin unknown. Approximately 118 rockets were fired during the 2006 Lebanon War^[2]

 Indonesia

• Indonesian Marine Corps − 4 PHL-90B as of 2025^{[update][10]: 261}

 Myanmar

• Myanmar Army − Type 81. Unknown number in service as of 2025^{[update][10]: 282}

 Namibia

• Namibian Army − 3 units in service as of 2025^{[update][11]: 488}

 Pakistan

• Pakistan Army − 52 Type 83 as of 2025^[update]. Produced locally as the Azar^[10]: 287

 Peru

• Peruvian Army − 27 units of Type 90B as of 2025^{[update][13]: 431}

 Sudan

• Sudanese Land Forces − PHL-81. Unknown number in service as of 2025^{[update][11]: 501}

 Togo

• Togolese Army − Type 81. Unknown number in service as of 2025^{[update][11]: 505}

See also

• PHL-03: Chinese truck-mounted 300 mm multiple rocket launcher.
• PHL-16: Chinese truck-mounted 370 mm multiple rocket launcher.