PRC HMMWVs

There are at least two Chinese automobile manufacturers building HMMWV copies, possibly, with the assistance of AM General. Both HMMWV copies rely heavily on imported U.S.-made parts including chassis, gear box, and diesel engine. It appears that at least one company, Dongfeng Motor Corporation (DFM), has the full consent and cooperation of AM General. Both manufacturers claimed that they will be able to gradually increase the percentage of indigenously made content on the vehicles in the future, since the PLA is unlikely willing to accept any equipment that relies largely on foreign made parts.

Background

During the 1988 Beijing Defence Exhibition, AM General demonstrated an example of its M998 4x4 high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV) to the People's Liberation Army. The vehicle was reportedly left in China after the exhibition closed for further testing and evaluation. The PLA did not show much interest initially due to the vehicle’s high unit price and maintenance costs, but this attitude was somehow changed during the 1991 Operation Desert Storm, when the HMMWV gained high publicity in front of press cameras.

The Chinese petroleum industry has purchased a small number of Hummer, the civilian version of the HMMWV, through commercial sources from the United States since the mid-1990s. This provided the Chinese auto makers with an opportunity to examine the vehicle closely and for reverse-engineering. In 2002, Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) revealed its HMWWV copy known as SFQ2040 “LieYing” (Falcon). Later in 2003 another HMWWV copy EQ2050 'Dongfeng Armour' developed by DFM made its debut in a car show. Both companies are actively promoting their products to the PLA as a potential candidate for the replacement of the Soviet-inspired jeep-size BJ2020S series light utility vehicles currently used by the PLA.

Both EQ2050 and SQF 2040 are based on imported AM General Hummer H1 chassis. The DFM EQ2050 is powered by a Dongfeng licensed built Cummins EQB150-20 110kW/2,700R turbo-charged diesel, but it can also be fitted with the U.S.-made V8 diesel originally designed for HMMWV. Both vehicles have a 5-speed gear box and a 2-speed transfer box. They are both four-wheel drive with independent suspensions and central inflating system. The EQ2050 also has re-designed lights and radiator to make itself look different from the original HMMWV.

Like the HMMWV, both vehicles are available in a range of configurations including soft-top, hard-top, truck, shelter, etc. Dongfeng recently introduced two wagon versions of the EQ2050: the EQ2028 and its armoured military police version EQ2058.

Dongfeng Motors EQ2050

Infobox Automobile
name=EQ2050


manufacturer=Dongfeng Motors
production=2003-present
class=Large truck
successor=None
related=High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (an AM General military vehicle)
engine=license built Cummins EQB150-20 110kW/2,700R turbo-charged diesel or imported GM 6.5 litre V8 turbo-charged diesel
wheelbase= Auto mm|3300|0
length= Auto mm|4970|0
width= Auto mm|2134|0
height= Auto mm|1916|0
fuel_capacity=60 gal/mph

The Dongfeng Motors (DFM) introduced its EQ2050 4X4 high-mobility utility vehicle in 2003. The vehicle is based on the General Motors 'Hummer', which is also known as the M998 High-Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) in the U.S. Army. The vehicle is in direct competition with SQF2040, another HMMWV-copy developed by the automobile-making branch of Shenyang Aircraft Industry Corporation (SAC). The Dongfeng EQ2050 has already passed the road tests by the PLA and is currently in operational trial and evaluations, while the SAC SQF2040 was seen used as the chassis for a surface-to-air missile system.

The latest reports confirmed that the DFM EQ2050 'Dongfeng Armour' has completed a comprehensive road and cross-country tests which lasted for several months. Four EQ2050s travelled to Tibet highland, Gobi desert, and the snow region in northeast Heilongjiang province to test the vehicle’s performance in harsh weather and road conditions. A small number of the vehicle was then delivered to a PLA special operations forces (SOF) unit in Guangzhou Military Region for operational trial and evaluations.

Possibly in service with Zimbabwe (100).

There are two new versions of this vehicle:

* EQ2028 wagon
* EQ2058 armoured military/police wagon

EQ2050 Gallery

AC SFQ2040

Infobox Automobile
name=SFQ2040


manufacturer=
production=
class=Large truck
successor=None
related=High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (an AM General military vehicle)
engine=
wheelbase= Auto in|0|0
length= Auto in|0|0
width= Auto in|0|0
height= Auto in|0|0
fuel_capacity=

Meanwhile Shenyang Aircraft Industry Co (SAC) version called "Zhanshen," for God of War, is trying to impress the PLA with a vehicle-mounted mobile air defence missile system jointly developed with NORINCO, the primary weapon manufacturer in China. The missile system, mounted on an SAC SFQ2040, is similar to the U.S. Army HMMVEE-mounted Avenger air defence system. SAC also emphasizes the low cost of its SFQ2040, only one third of the price of the U.S.-made HMWWV.

Unlike the steel body EQ2050, the SAC SFQ2040 has an aluminum alloy body, making it much lighter than the former. Both vehicles have limited armour protection against small calibre weapons. The vehicles can be fitted with additional equipment such as air conditioning, GPS, night vision equipment, vehicle-mounted radio, electronic winch, and multipurpose weapon mount.

ee also

*HMMWV
*FMC XR311
*FN Herstal AS 24
*M151 MUTT

References

* [http://www.jamestown.org/publications_details.php?volume_id=18&issue_id=643&article_id=4610 Jamestown Foundation article]
* [http://www.sinodefence.com/army/transport/hmmwv.asp Sinodefense article]
* [http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/20/the-peoples-hummer-chinas-brave-warrior/ Beijing Jeep BJ2022 Brave Warrior version]
* [http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/taxonomy/term/17?from=80 Foreign Policy blog on Pirated Hummers]
*cite web |url=http://www.strategypage.com/dls/articles/20055180337.asp |title= China Clones the American Avenger Air Defense System with reference to a HMMWV copy |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20061115210930/http://strategypage.com/dls/articles/20055180337.asp |archivedate=2006-11-15
* [http://paultan.org/archives/2004/12/05/china-pirates/ Paul Tan Article on Asian Auto industry cloning of western vehicles] Also includes Honda CRV's, Mercedes Benz E-Class
* [http://www.chinacarforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=656 China Car Forum article]
* [http://www.chinacarforums.com/forum/archive/index.php?t-1503.html Archived China Car Forum page with more Links]
* [http://auto.tom.com/drive/dfhm.html Auto Tom website article in Chinese]
* [http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/08/08/business/van.php International Herald Tribune article]