China’s state broadcaster has revealed new footage showing People’s Liberation Army ground forces training with the Type 19 8×8 wheeled fighting vehicles, confirming their operational deployment within frontline units of the Western Theater Command.
The footage was released by China Central Television and shows training activities conducted by the 149th Medium Combined Brigade of the 76th Group Army under the PLA Western Theater Command. The exercises were part of the opening phase of the PLA’s 2026 annual military training cycle, according to captions shown in the broadcast.
The video shows infantry units deploying from the rear ramp of the armored vehicles, supported by fire from turret-mounted weapons during maneuver drills. The vehicles shown are identified as the Type 19 new-generation wheeled armored combat vehicles, which have entered service only recently.
Chinese military reporting describes the Type 19 as an advanced evolution of the earlier Type 08 family, including variants derived from the ZLT-11 platform. Public references to the Type 19’s induction into service first appeared in 2023, but the latest footage provides one of the clearest views to date of the vehicle operating with regular PLA combat formations.
The Type 19 features a hull constructed from high-strength steel combined with modular composite armor. Despite a combat weight of about 25 tons, the vehicle is reported to provide 360-degree protection against 7.62mm armor-piercing rounds, frontal protection against 14.5mm armor-piercing fire, and limited resistance to 25mm and 30mm kinetic threats. The hull also incorporates mine-resistance enhancements.
The infantry fighting vehicle variant shown in the footage is equipped with an unmanned 30mm turret, paired with a 5.8mm coaxial machine gun and anti-tank guided missiles. The turret is remotely operated, reducing crew exposure while allowing engagement of both armored and soft targets during mobile operations.
The training footage shows the vehicles operating in open terrain under winter conditions, consistent with Western Theater Command geography, which includes high-altitude and inland regions. The drills focused on rapid deployment, infantry cooperation, and combined maneuver tasks rather than live-fire testing.
The Western Theater Command is responsible for China’s western land borders and is one of the PLA’s most strategically important regional commands. Units under its control regularly conduct mechanized and motorized training aimed at improving mobility and rapid response.
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