A brigade from the Chinese People's Liberation Army's 76th Group Army conducts autonomous coordinated training with new 8x8 wheeled infantry fighting vehicles in the Gobi Desert. Photo: Screenshot from the military channel of CCTV News

A video released by official media on Tuesday showcased the development of the Chinese ­People's Liberation Army (PLA)'s latest wheeled infantry fighting vehicle (IFV). A military expert said that this new model represents comprehensive improvements in firepower, protection, mobility, informatization and ergonomics and it can now be considered to be entering mass deployment.

In the CCTV News footage, a brigade from the PLA Army's 76th Group Army was conducting autonomous coordinated training. Multiple new 8x8 wheeled IFVs were seen driving across the terrain, coordinating with troops to complete various tasks. The new 8x8 armored personnel carrier features an unmanned turret and anti-tank missiles, and its tailgate can be figured to open either sideways or downward.

In 2025, the company received new equipment. For the PLA soldiers, the challenge extended beyond changes in specialized skills to include upgrades in training models and combat concepts, said the report.

The new IFV is a deep redesign of the Type 08 wheeled armored vehicle family, with comprehensive improvements in firepower, protection, ­mobility, ­informatization and ergonomics, Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times.

According to a CCTV report in June, the vehicle has several new features: high mobility and speed suitable for all-domain operations; an unmanned ­turret offering wider visibility and ­higher automation, improved ­protection and crew safety; amphibious capability; long-range vehicle-mounted anti-tank missiles; and a flexible tailgate that can open either sideways or downward, combining both options in one design.

Compared with the Type 08, the new model has significantly enhanced firepower. It introduces an unmanned turret for the first time, improving ­survivability and freeing up interior space, while featuring a new-­generation 30mm chain gun with adjustable firing rate. The anti-tank missiles have also been upgraded, enabling asymmetric strikes within enemy tank direct-fire range, Zhang said.

Protection has been comprehensively upgraded with thicker composite add-on armor, and structural improvements offer better resistance against mines and improvised explosive ­devices. 

Mobility is also stronger, with better off-road climbing ability than the Type 08. Its informatized situational awareness and system integration capabilities are more advanced, and improved ergonomics enhance combat efficiency, said Zhang.

The vehicle has appeared multiple times in official media reports this year.Zhang said it is now entering mass ­deployment and may eventually replace the Type 08 as the core equipment of the PLA's medium combined brigades.

In January, CCTV reported on a coordinated tactical exercise involving an armored infantry squad from a brigade of the 76th Group Army, marking the vehicle's first public appearance.

Prior to its official debut, media outlets such as Hong Kong-based Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group had analyzed the vehicle's capabilities based on online images, reporting that it features a remote-controlled weapon station, an unmanned turret, and four HJ-16 anti-tank missiles, delivering more powerful and precise firepower. 

It adopts a hydraulic suspension system and incorporates signature-reduction measures to minimize infrared signatures, and can be fitted with composite armor to enhance protection and concealment.

Following a series-based, modular "vehicle family" development model, the vehicle's common chassis, in addition to the three existing variants, can be rapidly adapted into other configurations, comprehensively enhancing the medium brigade's combat effectiveness and long-range cross-regional mobility.

Compared with the current Type 08 wheeled armored vehicle family, these variants feature considerable differences in firepower configuration, chassis and hull layout, offering more flexible operational performance and superior protection, said Ta Kung Wen Wei.

Like the Type 08 family and the Type 11 Wheeled Assault Gun, the new IFV is expected to develop into multiple variants with different functions, forming a complete vehicle family. 

Through this "one chassis, multiple variants, series-based development" approach, the new-generation will efficiently cover the full spectrum of combat elements - from command, reconnaissance and strike to support - significantly improving overall combat effectiveness and logistical support efficiency, Zhang added.