PLA Recoilless Gun used in Sichan

I saw this article on the BBC today with what looks like the Type 78/65 RR used in Sichan to blast debris from water channel:


I think this would be a good addition to the site:

More pictures of the gun in service:



It is also worth noting that the guns were operated by "Engineering soldiers." Who knew engineers use missiles for demolition?

Are the "engineering soldiers" mentioned part of the PLA or PAP?

Ryz05 said:

More pictures of the gun in service:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

It is also worth noting that the guns were operated by "Engineering soldiers." Who knew engineers use missiles for demolition?

Are the "engineering soldiers" mentioned part of the PLA or PAP?

Click to expand...

The gun don't fire missiles.

If you want to penetrate and break rock quickly, lacking time to drill and plant explosives, then anti tank rounds are your best bet.

HE will just explode on the surface and do little damage, its a shame that all the footage I have seen just shows the Engineer firing the round and not the effect of the impact.

Fortunately, I understand that most of the Sichuan Geology is relatively soft Sedimentary Rock, has it been harder Igneous or Metamorphic strata, then they would have had no option but the slow and arduous process of drilling. Sedimentary Rock would probably break apart very satisfyingly!

Here some YT video's with report about use of the recoilless gun

ITN report


BBC report