For many years China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) has been marketing the 122 mm (40-round) Type 90 multiple rocket launcher based on a locally manufactured Mercedes-Benz (6 × 6) truck chassis. Full details of this are given in a separate entry. This has been in service with the Peoples Liberation Army for some years and has also been exported.

Further development of the 122 mm (40-round) Type 90 by NORINCO has resulted in the latest Type 90B, which is a complete weapon system.

According to NORINCO, the latest Type 90B differs from the earlier Type 90A as a reconnaissance vehicle has been added to the system. In addition, the overall mobility of the system is said to have been improved as has the reliability of the system.

A typical Type 90B battalion would consist of the following:

• Three reconnaissance vehicles based on the NORINCO WZ 551 (6 × 6) armoured personnel carrier chassis

• Battalion command vehicle based on a Mercedes-Benz (4 × 4) truck chassis

• Meteorological radar based on two Steyr (4 × 4) truck chassis

• Maintenance vehicles based on Steyr (4 × 4) truck chassis, one would be for mechanical maintenance and the other for electronic maintenance

Three batteries with each consisting of:

• Battery command vehicle on Mercedes-Benz (4 × 4) truck chassis

• Six 122 mm rocket launchers on Mercedes-Benz (6 × 6) truck chassis

• Six 122 mm rocket resupply vehicles based on Mercedes-Benz (6 × 6) truck chassis

Development of the Type 90B is complete but there are no known export orders for the system.

The 122 mm (40-round) launcher is based on a Beifang Benchi 2629 series 6 × 6 truck chassis, which in turn is a German Mercedes-Benz design. The vehicle is fitted with a forward control type cab. This chassis is used for a number of applications by the Peoples Liberation Army including towing artillery systems. The Mercedes-Benz 6 × 6 cross-country truck chassis is made by NORINCO.

Equipment installed on the chassis includes the launching tubes, automatic operational and laying device, display terminal, radio unit, differential GPS, north-finding gyro, automatic loading device and a semi-automatic collapsible awning device.

The 122 mm launcher can launch all NORINCO 122 mm unguided solid propellant rockets with a minimum range of 20,000 m and a maximum range of 40,000 m.

The Type 90B command vehicle has a fully enclosed rear cabin in which is installed a message processing system, commanders computer and operating console, operators computer and operating console, status display, communication controller, differential GPS, radio set and intercom. The unit is fully air conditioned and is normally operated by a crew of five.

The reconnaissance system is based on a modified WZ 551 (6 × 6) amphibious APC with a raised superstructure to the rear of the commander and driver positions at the front of the vehicle. The WZ 551 is used in significant numbers by the Peoples Liberation Army and has also been exported to a number of countries. These are known to include Oman and Sri Lanka.

Mounted on the roof is a reconnaissance pod that includes a laser range-finder and an optical device. This can be retracted into the vehicle under full armour protection if required.

The laser range-finder has a minimum range of 150 m and a maximum range of 10,000 m and can measure distances to an accuracy of 5 m.

The thermal viewer has two fields of view, narrow and wide, with detection range being quoted as 5,000 m and recognition range being 2,500 m. The CCD camera has two fields of view, wide and narrow and has a detection range of 8,000 m and an identification range of 4,000 m.

Mounted inside of the reconnaissance vehicle is a message processor, display, differential GPS as well as a radio and intercom system.

Armament consists of a roof-mounted, pintle-mounted 12.7 mm machine gun and a bank of four electrically operated smoke grenade dischargers either side of the full firing forwards. The reconnaissance vehicle has a crew of four.

The WZ 551 is fully amphibious, being propelled in the water by two propellers mounted one either side, at the rear.

The Type 702D meteorological radar is based on two Steyr 4 × 4 trucks, with one having the meteorological radar and the other the support equipment.

The meteorological radar shelter consists of the following main subsystems. Antenna assembly, elevating ball screw mechanism, main control console, terminal computer system, communications, power distribution box and an air conditioning unit.

The meteorological support shelter consists of the following main subsystems. A 12 kW diesel generator, hydrogen bottles, water bucket, automatic balloon releasing device, ground meteorological instrument, meteorological equipment cabinet, radio sondes, balloons, reflectors, filling pipe and a weight set.

Detection range of the system is quoted as 200 km, while detection altitude is quoted as 25 km. Meteorological data measured includes windspeed, wind direction, air temperature, air humidity and air pressure.

The mechanical maintenance vehicle is mainly used to perform replaceable repair of mechanical and hydraulic components for the Type 90B launcher.

The electronic maintenance vehicle is mainly used to perform failure diagnostic and location as well as emergency trouble shooting of electronic, electric and optical electronic equipment of the system.