{
  "id": "yw-531",
  "name": "YW-531 (Type 63)",
  "aliases": [],
  "domain": "land",
  "country": "CHN",
  "category": "Armored personnel carrier",
  "status": null,
  "fielded": 1964,
  "operators": [
    "ALB",
    "BGD",
    "CHN",
    "COG",
    "IRQ",
    "KHM",
    "LKA",
    "MMR",
    "PAK",
    "PRK",
    "VNM",
    "ZWE"
  ],
  "prolif_count": 13,
  "summary": "The YW-531 (Type 63) Chinese Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) is a Chinese armored personnel carrier that entered service in the late 1960s. It was the first armored vehicle designed in China without Soviet assistance.",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Manufacturer",
      "section": "system",
      "v": "NORINCO",
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "crew",
      "v": 2,
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "length_m",
      "v": 5.476,
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "width_m",
      "v": 2.978,
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "height_m",
      "v": 2.58,
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "combat_weight_t",
      "v": 12.6,
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "engine_name",
      "v": "KHD BF8L 413F",
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "engine_hp",
      "v": 320,
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "road_range_km",
      "v": 500,
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "speed_road_kmh",
      "v": 65,
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Suspension",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "torsion bar",
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Fording depth",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "Amphibious",
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Thermal Sight Vehicle Commander",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "Yes, the Commander has a periscope at the top surface that can rotate 360 deg",
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Thermal Sight Gunner",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "Yes, two day periscopes which cover the front and right of the vehicle. One of the drivers periscopes can be replaced by a night vision device.",
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Hull Armor",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "14mm maximum, welded steel",
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Turret Armor",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "14mm maximum, welded steel",
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "NBC Protection",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "Yes",
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    }
  ],
  "payloads": [],
  "variants": [
    {
      "name": "Type 531 (1963)",
      "text": "Basic version with Type 56 7.62 mm machine gun, not mass-produced.",
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "ype A531 or Type 63 (1968)",
      "text": "Production variant with 12.7 mm machine gun Type 54, uprated engine and different transmission. Also known as Type 531A.",
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "VTT-323",
      "text": "North Korean version of the Type A531.",
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Type B531 or Type 63-I (1981)",
      "text": "Improved version with stronger suspension, additional firing ports and two additional roof hatches.",
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Type 63C",
      "text": "PLA version of the YW531C.",
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Type 63CA",
      "text": "PLA version of the YW531E.",
      "src": [
        "weg-yw-531"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "art": "apc8",
  "image": {
    "file": "yw-531.jpg",
    "thumb": "yw-531-thumb.jpg",
    "credit": "Sprt98",
    "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
    "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E6%B5%B7%E5%86%9B%E5%8D%9A%E7%89%A9%E9%A6%86%E2%80%94%E2%80%94ZSD63C%E5%BC%8F%E4%B8%A4%E6%A0%96%E8%A3%85%E7%94%B2%E8%BE%93%E9%80%81%E8%BD%A6.jpg",
    "title": "File:海军博物馆——ZSD63C式两栖装甲输送车.jpg"
  },
  "verified": null,
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-10",
      "change": "Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN), bulk import"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-10",
      "change": "Added photo (CC BY-SA 4.0)"
    }
  ],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/yw-531.html",
  "sources": {
    "weg-yw-531": {
      "title": "YW-531 (Type 63) Chinese Armored Personnel Carrier (APC)",
      "publisher": "U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)",
      "url": "https://odin.t2com.army.mil/WEG/Asset/YW-531_Type_63_Chinese_Armored_Personnel_Carrier",
      "published": "2026-03-20",
      "tier": 1,
      "checked": "2026-10-10"
    }
  }
}