If you think your looking at a BMP-1 when looking at the Type 86, that’s because it’s a copy. The PLA got their hands on a BMP-1 through purchasing the vehicle from Egypt. It entered production in limited numbers in 1987.
Personally I am confused as to the decision to manufacturer a vehicle based on the BMP-1 for the export market, as by the time the Type 86 entered production, the BMP-2 and BMP-3 were and had been in full production in Russia. It went on to enter service with the PLA in 1992 and an estimated 1000 were manufactured.
The Chinese Type 86 Infantry Fighting Vehicle, like the BMP-1 uses a 100mm main gun. It can fire a modified High Explosive Anti Tank round and High Explosive as an anti personnel round. The vehicle uses an autoloader and can reach a rate of fire of 8 rounds per/min. It uses a coaxial 7.62mm MG for close encounters. A launcher for ATM is mounted on top of the 100mm and 4 spare missiles is stored in the vehicle.
The Type 86 is powered by a 6V150 water-cooled diesel engine, which generates 292hp. It has a manual gearbox with 5 forward and 1 reverse gears. It uses torsion bar suspension.
It uses a normal 3 man crew, driver front left, engine to his right, and the commander sits behind the driver. The gunner sits in the turret.
The rear compartment is where the 8 man troop are located. Just like the BMP-1 they travel on benches, back to back and have firing ports in the sides to which they can fire the personnel weapons out off. Fume extractors suck out the fumes released from firing and bags catch ejected cases from firing. They exit the vehicle through rear doors, which have the same defect of being used as fuel tanks, which cook off when struck. They also have roof hatches.
The vehicle is rated to with stand 7.62mm rounds. It has an NBC system and can inject diesel fuel on to the hot exhaust to create a smoke screen.
The Chinese Type 86 Infantry Fighting Vehicle Variants
WZ501 – Basic variant IFV with a one-man turret, which houses a 73mm low-pressure smoothbore gun and a HJ-73 ATGM rail launcher. The vehicle is generally identical to the Russian BMP-1
WZ503 – Armoured personnel carrier (APC) variant with main weapon replaced by a 12.7mm machine gun. Prototype only.
WZ504 – HJ-73B ATGM launch vehicle. Four HJ-73B missiles and optical sights are carried in a retractable weapon station, which can be hidden in the troop compartment when not in use. Basic ammunition load is 16 rounds. Prototype only.
WZ505 – Also known as Type 86-I. IFV with a one-man turret, which houses an indigenous 25mm automatic cannon and a coaxial 7.62mm Type 59 machine gun
WZ506 – Armoured command vehicle
NFV-1 IFV – A China-U.S. co-operation project in the 1980s that fits an FMC 25mm ‘Bushmaster’ automatic cannon on a Type 86 IFV hull, carrying 8 troops. Prototype only.
Type 86B – Amphibious variant based on the WZ501. The vehicle is fitted with a front wave fence and an external boat motor to improve its swimming performance. In service with the PLA Marine Corps
Type 86G – The latest improved variant fitted with a 30mm cannon turret and a HJ-73 ATGM launcher
Crew: 3 (commander, driver, gunner)
Passenger: 8 infantry soldiers
Weight: 13.3 tonnes
Engine: 292hp 6V150 4-stroke water-cooled diesel
Suspension: Torsion bar Radio: Radio set and telephone
Dimension: Length: 6.74m; Height: 1.92m; Width: 2.97m
Range: Road 410-510km; Swim 100km
Max Speed: Road 65km/h; Swim 7-8km/h