The Yi Tian wheeled self-propelled surface-to-air missile system uses the WMZ551 6x6 wheeled armoured fighting vehicle hull on which is mounted a surface-to-air missile comprising two square quad box launchers each containing a TY-90 short range short-range surface-to-air missile separated by the sensor system and mounting. The system comprises a CCD day/night sight, thermal imaging sight, laster range finder that elevate with the missile launchers. A top this is a mast mounted rotating planar array low probability of intercept (LPI) radar, designated the 825[36].
Against a helicopter or non-stealth attack aircraft the radar provides surveillance out to 18km, tracking at 12km, engagement at 10km with the missile firing at 6km from an oncoming target. Against a cruise missile the surveillance range drops to 8km. The system can intercept at target with a maximum speed of 400 m/sec (1,440km/hr) and the system reaction time reaction time is given as between 6 – 8 secs
The vehicle weighs 16 tons, has a crew of four and is armed with a remote controlled QZZ89 12.7 x 108mm heavy machine gun mounted forward on the right hand side of the roof next to the driver. There is a small CCD optical sensor camera mounted under the gun cradle which is operated by a joystick inside the gunner’s position. There are four twin 76mm smoke dischargers mounted on the roof immediately, two mounted behind the machine gun and the driver’s hatch.
The vehicle takes 30 seconds to prepare for firing from a cold start and two seconds to move which would assume the engine is running.
Yi Tian Air Defence Battalion [37]
The Yi Tian Air Defence Battalion comprises a battalion headquarters and three self-supporting air defence companies. The battalion headquarters consists of a WZ551 armoured command vehicle 4x4 truck with a folding mast mounted IRIS-80 radar. For instance, the 113th Mechanised Infantry Division of the 38th Army Group is equipped with both Type 92 and 92A wheeled infantry fighting vehicles. Other vehicles based on the chassis include command, anti-tank with the Hong Jia-8 ATGW, the Yi-Tian self propelled SAM system and the wheeled 122mm self-propelled gun, the latter is at this time close to approval.
The air defence company headquarters comprises a single WZ551 ACV mounting a surveillance radar, six fire WZ551 air defence vehicles, two 4 x 4 resupply and two 4 x 4 maintenance trucks. Each company could spilt into two self-supporting groups (dui). Whether the company is organised into two vehicle platoons (pei) or squads (bian) is not known.
