In August 2023, a relatively obscure Chinese military vehicle was involved in a strange and random act, caught on video and published on a Chinese microblogging website. The 25-second-long publication shows the aftermath of an unlikely car crash involving the VN22 and a small car, somehow on a public highway.
The VN22 had made its debut In September of 2021 before almost vanishing from the public eye. It first appeared during the 13th China Air Show featuring over 450 weapons and equipment items.
Amidst the endless array of new products at such shows, China North Industries Group Corporation Limited or Norinco's creations, regardless of size, are hard to miss. That year, the company's shining star was the introduction of the VN22, a new 6x6 wheeled Armored personnel carrier that looks like it can do whatever.
One of the VN22’s main features is the adoption of a new engine with 800 horsepower. This, combined with an independent suspension system and the design of its hull with mine-resistant armor, achieves a unique balance between mobility, personnel protection, and firepower.
But, amidst the fanfare in China, Western analysts immediately noticed the glaring similarities between this upcoming vehicle and an American-made model used for decades now.
Is Norinco's VN22 Armored vehicle a copycat version of the United States Army Stryker? Or is it a truly Chinese creation with more firepower than the US vehicle might be able to handle?
