View source for Type 85 AFV

{{More citations needed|date=April 2014}}
{{Infobox weapon
| name=Type 85 (YW531H)
| image= ChineseType85C2Veh.jpg
| image_size = 300
|      caption=
|origin=China
|type=[[Armoured personnel carrier]]
|is_vehicle=yes
|manufacturer=[[Norinco]]
|design_date=1980s
|production_date=1990
|       length={{convert|6.125|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|        width={{convert|3.060|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|       height={{convert|2.590|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|       weight=13.6 tonne
|   suspension=torsion bar
|   speed={{convert|65|km/h|abbr=on}}
|        vehicle_range={{convert|500|km|abbr=on}}
|      primary_armament=1x 30 mm remote weapons station<br> 1x Type 54 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun
|    secondary_armament=
|       armour=Welded steel hull, resist rounds up to 12.7 mm
|       engine=[[Deutz AG|Deutz]] BF8L 413F 4-stroke air-cooled diesel
|         crew= 2 (commander and driver), 13 passengers
|    engine_power= {{convert|320| hp|abbr=on}}
|        pw_ratio=
}}

The  '''Type 85''' is a  tracked [[armoured fighting vehicle]] produced by Chinese company [[Norinco]] (industrial index: '''Type YW531H'''). It is an improved version of the [[Type 63 (armoured personnel carrier)|Type 63]] armoured personnel carrier. The vehicle is bigger, has additional firing ports and periscopes, a longer chassis with an additional road wheel on each side, and is equipped with an [[CBRN defense|NBC protection]] system.

The Type 85 series was developed in 1985, exclusively for the export market; for the [[People's Liberation Army|PLA]], the very similar [[Type 89 AFV]] was designed. The main user of the Type 85 series are the [[Royal Thai Armed Forces]] who received their first vehicles in 1987.

Currently, the improved [[Type 90 AFV]] is offered for export.

== Description ==
The hull is made of welded steel, and provides protection against small arms fire. The vehicle carries a maximum of 15 including crew. The driver sits in the front left of the hull, and has a single piece hatch, which opens to the left. The driver is provided with two day periscopes which cover the front and right of the vehicle. One of the drivers periscopes can be replaced by a night vision device. The commander sits behind the driver and has a single piece hatch.

The air-cooled, turbocharged diesel engine sits to the right rear of the driver. It has a large intake located in the top of the hull, with an exhaust on the right hand side. The engine feeds a manual transmission with five forward gears and one reverse gear. Track is driven at the front by a drive sprocket, and passes over five dual rubber-typed road wheels and track-return rollers, then loops over an idler at the rear, before returning to the front again.<ref>{{cite book|title=Jane's Armour and Artillery 2005-2006}}{{page number|date=November 2021}}</ref>

A 12.7 millimetre calibre machine gun with armoured shields is located in an open mount at the front of a small hatch in the center of the hull which opens into the troop compartment. The gun can traverse through 360 degrees and can be elevated to an angle of 90 degrees. A total of 1,120 rounds is carried on board. Two oblong roof hatches and a large rear door provide access to the troop compartment. On either side of the forward hull, a cluster of four 76&nbsp;mm smoke grenade dischargers is mounted.

The vehicle is amphibious, a folding trim board stowed at the front of the hull needs to be raised, and the vehicle can then propel itself in the water using its tracks. Standard equipment includes an NBC system, a Type 889 or VRC-83 radio, and a Type 803 intercom system.

== Variants ==
[[File:Type_85_(YW531H)_20131004.JPG|thumb|Type 85 armored personnel carrier, Changping Museum, Beijing.]]
[[File:Thai_Type_85_APCs_during_2010_Thai_political_protests_3.jpg|thumb|A Thai Type-85 AFV.]]
[[File:Thai_Type_85_APCs_during_2010_Thai_political_protests_2.jpg|thumb|A Thai Type-85 AFV.]]

* '''Type 85 Tracked Armoured Personnel Carrier''' or '''Type YW531H''' - Basic version, as described.
* '''Type 85 Infantry Fighting Vehicle''' or '''Type YW307''' - Fitted with a one-man turret with 25&nbsp;mm automatic gun (400 rounds) and 7.62&nbsp;mm coaxial machine gun (1,000 rounds). Crew: 3+7. A very similar vehicle with the same name but based on the [[Type 89 AFV]] chassis does also exist.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}
* '''Type 85 Infantry Fighting Vehicle''' or '''Type YW309''' - Fitted with the complete turret of the  [[BMP-1|WZ501]] with the 73&nbsp;mm gun. Crew: 3+8.<ref name="Janes 2001"/>
* '''Type 85 Armoured Command Vehicle''' - Retains the basic low-profile hull, but has some of the periscopes removed. Specialised equipment consist of a generator and radio sets Type 889 (or VRC-83), Type 892 (or VRC-84) and receiver Type 70-2B (or SR119).<ref name="Janes 2001"/>
* '''Type 85 Armoured Command Post''' - Has a higher roofline and is equipped with a generator and radio sets Type 889 (or VRC-83), Type 892 (or VRC-84) and receiver Type 70-2B (or SR119). This variant also serves as the basis for the command vehicles of Norinco's [[PLZ-45]] self-propelled gun-howitzer system: the '''GLC-45''' battery reconnaissance vehicle, the '''ZSY-45''' battalion command post vehicle and the '''ZCL-45''' battery command post vehicle.<ref name="Janes 2001"/>
* '''Type 85 Tracked Armoured Ambulance''' or '''Type WZ751''' - Unarmed ambulance with a higher roofline.<ref name="Janes 2001"/>
* '''Type 85 Maintenance Engineering Vehicle''' - Maintenance variant with higher troop compartment, fitted with a light crane and a generator.<ref name="Janes 2001"/>
* '''Type 85 Recovery Vehicle''' - Has a slightly wider hull and is equipped with a 1-tonne crane, generator and welding equipment. Armed with a 12.7mm machine gun.<ref name="Janes 2001"/>
* '''Type 85 Self-Propelled Howitzer 122mm''' or '''Type YW323'''{{citation needed|date=April 2020}} - Turret-less version with a [[122 mm howitzer 2A18 (D-30)|Type 85]] 122mm howitzer mounted on top of the semi-open rear hull. 40 rounds of ammunition are provided. Crew: driver, commander and 6-men gun crew.<ref name="Janes 2001"/><ref>{{cite encyclopedia|date=15 June 1998|encyclopedia=Jane's Armour and Artillery 1998–1999|title=NORINCO 122 mm self-propelled howitzer Type 85|first=Christopher F.|last=Foss}}</ref>
* '''Type 85 Self-Propelled Artillery Rocket Launcher''' or '''Type YW306''' - Variant with a 30-round 130&nbsp;mm rocket launcher mounted on top of the hull. A total of 60 rockets is carried on board. Crew: 6.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}
* '''Type 85 Self-Propelled Mortar 120mm''' or '''Type YW381'''{{citation needed|date=April 2020}} - With a 120&nbsp;mm mortar and 50 rounds in the hull rear. The mortar is fired through a big circular opening in the hull roof.<ref name="Janes 2001"/>
* '''Type 85 Self-Propelled Mortar 82mm''' or '''Type YW304''' - With a [[Type 87 mortar|Type 87]] 82&nbsp;mm mortar mounted in the rear hull and 120 rounds of ammunition.<ref name="Janes 2001"/>
* '''HJ-62C armoured scout vehicle''' - turret-less variant with a battlefield surveillance radar.<ref name="Janes 2001"/>
* '''Type YD804''' - Civilian fire-fighting version.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

=== Proposed variants ===
* '''120mm Turret-Mounted Mortar''' - with a [[BAE Systems]]/[[Royal Ordnance|RO Defence]] 120&nbsp;mm [[Armoured Mortar System]].<ref name="Janes 2001"/>
* '''NVH-1''' - Infantry fighting vehicle with 2-man Vickers turret, armed with a 30&nbsp;mm [[RARDEN]] gun and 210 rounds. Combat weight: 16 tonnes, crew: 11 man. Never entered production.<ref name="Janes 2001"/>
* '''NVH-4''' - Similar as the above, but armed with a 25mm Bushmaster gun. Combat weight: 17 tonnes, crew: 13 man.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}
* '''Anti-Tank''' - self-propelled gun with 105&nbsp;mm anti-tank gun to be exported{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}
* '''30mm remote weapons station''' - upgraded variant with a 30&nbsp;mm remote weapons station{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

== Operators ==
<!--READ FIRST: This section is for cited entries only. Please do not add entries into this list without a citation from a reliable source. All entries without a citation will be removed. Thank you.-->

[[File:Type 85 operators.png|thumb|400px|Map of Type 85 operators in blue]]

* {{flag|Bangladesh}}: 50 delivered from 1989<ref name="SIPRI">{{cite web |url=http://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/page/trade_register.php |title=Trade-Register-1971-2019.rft |website=Stockholm International Peace Research Institute |access-date=2019-04-21}}</ref>
* {{flag|Myanmar}}:200 received in 1990 and 250 received in 1993.<ref name="SIPRI" />
* {{flag|North Korea}}{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}
* {{flag|Nigeria}}: 60 Type 85s delivered as of October 28, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.armyrecognition.com/defense_news_october_2021_global_security_army_industry/army_of_nigeria_takes_delivery_of_60_type_85_tracked_apc_armored_personnel_carrier_from_china.html|title=Army of Nigeria takes delivery of 60 Type 85 tracked APC Armored Personnel Carrier from China &#124; Defense News October 2021 Global Security army industry &#124; Defense Security global news industry army year 2021 &#124; Archive News year}}</ref>
* {{flag|Sri Lanka}}: Including IFV 73mm{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}
* {{flag|Thailand}}: 410 YW 531H APCs delivered from 1987.<ref name="Janes 2001"/> Including APC,<ref name="Janes 2001"/> ACV, SPM{{citation needed|date=April 2020}} and SPRL<ref name="Janes 2001">{{cite encyclopedia|date=10 October 2001|encyclopedia=Jane's Armour and Artillery 2001–2002|title=NORINCO Type 85 armoured personnel carrier|first=Christopher F.|last=Foss}}</ref>
* {{flag|Zimbabwe}}: Including MEV<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36553:zimbabwe-defence-forces&catid=119:african-militaries|title=Zimbabwe Defence Forces|website=defenceweb.co.za|first=Luke |last=Griffiths |date=13 October 2014}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081014005547/http://www.sinodefence.com/army/armour/type89.asp Sinodefence - Type 85/89]
* [http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/type-85-apc.htm FAS - Type 85]

{{commons category|Type 85 (YW531H)}}
{{PRCAFVs}}
[[Category:Armoured fighting vehicles of the People's Republic of China]]
[[Category:Tracked armoured personnel carriers]]
[[Category:Military vehicles introduced in the 1980s]]