What Artillery Does China Have? PHL-16, PCH-191 and PLZ-05

The PLA has one of the largest artillery forces in the world, with thousands of guns and rocket launchers. Its most important weapons are long-range rocket systems such as the PHL-16 and PCH-191, which can fire guided rockets and short-range ballistic missiles up to about 500 kilometres, enough to reach the whole of Taiwan from the Chinese mainland. Alongside them, the PLZ-05 self-propelled howitzer and the lighter wheeled PCL-181 form the backbone of the army’s tube artillery.

This guide covers China’s main artillery systems and the role they would play in a war across the Taiwan Strait.

What artillery does China have?

China has replaced most of its Soviet-era guns over the past 20 years. The army’s combined-arms brigades each include an artillery battalion, and separate artillery brigades in every theatre command hold the long-range rocket launchers. The Rocket Force’s ballistic missiles sit above them, but the boundary is blurring: the newest army rocket launchers can also fire short-range ballistic missiles.

PHL-16 and PCH-191: the long-range rocket launchers

The PHL-16 and PCH-191 are China’s answer to the American HIMARS, but with far greater reach. Both carry interchangeable pods: one pod might hold several 370mm or 300mm guided rockets, another two 750mm short-range ballistic missiles. That gives them a range of up to about 500 kilometres, which from Fujian province covers the whole of Taiwan. The PCH-191 is frequently shown in exercises around Taiwan, and the PLA has used it in drills simulating strikes on the island. The American HIMARS, which the US has sent to Taiwan, is described in our profile of the M142 HIMARS.

PLZ-05 and PCL-181 howitzers

The PLZ-05 is a tracked 155mm self-propelled howitzer with an automatic loader, roughly comparable to the American M109 Paladin. It equips heavy brigades. The lighter PCL-181, a 155mm gun on a six-wheeled truck, is easier to move by road and air, and has been widely deployed, including on the Tibetan plateau. Both are much more modern than the towed guns they replaced, and they work with drones that spot targets and correct fire, a lesson the PLA has drawn from the war in Ukraine.

Artillery and Taiwan

In a war over Taiwan, China’s long-range rocket launchers would be among the first weapons used. They could strike Taiwanese airfields, radars, ports and command centres from the mainland, supplementing the Rocket Force’s ballistic missiles described in our guide to Chinese missiles. If Chinese troops landed, they would bring lighter guns and rocket launchers across the Strait, which is one reason the PLA has invested in wheeled artillery that can be carried by ship. China’s tanks are covered in our guide to Chinese tanks.

How does China compare?

China has far more artillery than the United States, which relies more on air power, and its long-range rocket launchers outrange most American systems in service. Our guides to American artillery and British artillery show how Western armies are trying to catch up with longer-range rockets and new self-propelled guns.

Frequently asked questions

What artillery does China have?

China’s main artillery systems include the PHL-16 and PCH-191 long-range rocket launchers, the PHL-03 rocket launcher, and the PLZ-05 and PCL-181 155mm howitzers.

What is the PHL-16?

A Chinese long-range rocket launcher that can fire 370mm guided rockets or 750mm short-range ballistic missiles, reaching up to about 500 kilometres.

Can Chinese artillery reach Taiwan?

Yes. The PHL-16 and PCH-191 can cover all of Taiwan from the Chinese mainland with their longest-range munitions.

Does China have HIMARS?

China does not use HIMARS, but its PHL-16 and PCH-191 are similar wheeled rocket launchers with much longer range.

What is China’s main howitzer?

The tracked PLZ-05 and the wheeled PCL-181, both 155mm self-propelled howitzers.

How many artillery pieces does China have?

China does not publish the figure, but Western estimates put the PLA’s artillery at several thousand guns and rocket launchers.