PL-9 air defense vehicle

The Pen Lung 9 (Air Dragon 9, PL-9) air defense vehicle is a derivation of the Type 86 (WZ 551D) armored personnel carrier (APC) that mounts four PL-9 low-altitude missiles on the vehicle's rear decking. The PL-9's design is similar to the U.S. AIM-9 Sidewinder and performance is reported to be comparable.

The vehicle's nose rises from the ground at a 45-degree angle and cuts sharply back into a short, shallow glacis. The silhouette then goes up almost vertically to form the...