QTS-11 OICW. 5.8 mm Heavy and 20 mm Air Burst.

TerraN_EmpirE said:

It is possible for the PLA to do so based around the QBZ95 and QLG10A or comperable systems and it would likely be cheaper then developing the ZH05. the question is however one of capasity and rate of fire. If ZH05 has a magazine either internal or external then it has the capacity for firing at a higher rate of fire. It would also have a longer range.

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if the soldier fire a shot, pause, take a look and fire again if necessary I think ROF shouldn't be a problem here. I think a trained grenadier can reload and take a look at the surrounding at the same time. If they need to fire a salvos of grenades, then I think MK47 is more suitable in this scenario, or multiple grenadier.

I think the under slung smart grenade launcher is a better choice comparing to XK-11 since the XK-11 is bolt action on the grenade part and IMO not that much faster. As for the ROF on semi auto magazine feed grenades on the OICW like the ZH05, I think that will depends if most soldier need to spam the area with grenades. I can see soldiers spamming grenade in one area, but with smart grenade, I think they will shoot one out first and observe the target area for a while before shooing another one. Another advantage I can think of, is allowing soldier to chose the round they want to use for the situation they are in.

The thing is Ahho these new ZH05 prototypes don't look to be semi auto. They look bolt action. And that has us. As it rases questions as to what the PLA is thinking.
Now from a rate of fire stand point although a grenade machine gun might be better suited but not always allocable. Those systems are heavy and typically mounted. If dismounted They take time to setup and leave the troops setting them up open to attack. If mounted then the vehicles they are attached to have to be organic to the troops they support and be able to get there they are needed.
the next step down would be a multi shot system. That's either a system in the same class as ZH05 a smart grenade launcher, or a revolver system like the ever popular Melkor M32A1 a six shot 40mm grenade launcher that may be retrofit able to fire the same airburst as ATK is working on. The key factor is weight and ammo. A combat soldier can carry more 20 or 25mm rounds then 35-40mm rounds.

The point of this system, and why the PLA probably didnt go the electronic-underslug-GL-route is that a full length grenade launcher built untop of the QBZ-03 platform allows for more range, grenade velocity and flatter trajectory. With the 35 or 40mm UGLs and their relatively short tubes, there is a major ballistic curve which screws the accuracy completely. Remember that this airburst grenade weapon is primarily designed to engege hidden enemies behind cover or through windows - you'll want to have some real accuracy for your grenade round in these situations to engage point targets, and not just enough accuracy to engage area targets as with those UGLs.

Also, one can see that the ZH-05 is primarily an assault rifle first and an airburst grenade launcher second. The 'carbine portion' isnt just for self defense but it is its actual primary mode of operation. This is also why this entire system looks more like a rifle and not like the comparable South Korean/American weapons which have a lot more bulk and weight.

Over on CDF there's been a spate of new ZH-05 photos.

Uncensored picture of that prototype ZH-05 from a few years back



Rare front view of ZH-05, revealing the integrated FCS (laser rangefinder?) in the rifle


And remember those rumours about the PLAMC at aden armed with ZH-05s? Well here is what seems to be proof.



Looks like official confirmation of this weapon's status is imminent. At the very least we can be certain this gun isn't merely some R and D project.

Noting the slanted handguard, it seems that the PLAMC was using the prototype ZH-05, while the current ZH-05 is the one without that integrated battery-box.

Insignius said:

Noting the slanted handguard, it seems that the PLAMC was using the prototype ZH-05, while the current ZH-05 is the one without that integrated battery-box.

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More likely is the current ZH-05 simply has a redesigned battery box.

This also puzzle me, why the bolt action grenade launcher? Was it implemented to deal with jams and reliability issue?

Retro-fitting the revolver type grenade launcher seems like a great idea, comparing to building a whole new system like the XM-25.

Do you guys think that having a dedicated multi-shot grenade launcher and having a ZH-05 or AR underslung smart grenade launcher within a firing team be redundant?

Bltizo said:

Over on CDF there's been a spate of new ZH-05 photos.

Uncensored picture of that prototype ZH-05 from a few years back

Rare front view of ZH-05, revealing the integrated FCS (laser rangefinder?) in the rifle

And remember those rumours about the PLAMC at aden armed with ZH-05s? Well here is what seems to be proof.

Looks like official confirmation of this weapon's status is imminent. At the very least we can be certain this gun isn't merely some R and D project.

Click to expand...

Well, the M99 12.7mm anti-materiel rifles were also brought along one of those expeditions last year, but that wasn't the offically adopted anti-materiel rifle, it was the another model that got inducted.

That said, this ZH-05 was brought along for the ride as to provide some "real world testing" of the weapon system, as the anti-piracy expeditions is about the closest the PLA can get to real combat as it can be.

MwRYum said:

Well, the M99 12.7mm anti-materiel rifles were also brought along one of those expeditions last year, but that wasn't the offically adopted anti-materiel rifle, it was the another model that got inducted.

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Yep, I wasn't saying they were going to adopt ZH-05 because they brought it with them to Aden for testing.

However the signals we've been getting in the last few days highly suggest the PLA are ready to declassify ZH-05

ahho said:

This also puzzle me, why the bolt action grenade launcher? Was it implemented to deal with jams and reliability issue?

Retro-fitting the revolver type grenade launcher seems like a great idea, comparing to building a whole new system like the XM-25.

Do you guys think that having a dedicated multi-shot grenade launcher and having a ZH-05 or AR underslung smart grenade launcher within a firing team be redundant?

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Underslug is bad, since the range and velocity of the grenade is bad.

Over at CDF member Hongjian posted some bits from a research paper detailing that the PLA sought to have a grenade launcher that can engage human sized point targets at 800m and should launch its payload at velocities not under 200m/s with a flat trajectory.
You arent going to get these performance specs with these short and stubby underslug grenade launchers that are only effectively accurate against area targets for, like, 200-300 meters maximum.

Infact, China's ZH-05 appears to have a longer barreled 20mm portion than comparable western weapons.