China has begun testing a new amphibious anti-tank missile system that could dramatically enhance its maritime strike capabilities. The system, spotted during recent exercises, features twelve HJ-10 top-attack missiles mounted on the chassis of the ZTD-05 amphibious assault vehicle — a powerful fusion of mobility, protection, and firepower.
The HJ-10 missile, a heavyweight in China’s anti-armor arsenal, is frequently compared to the U.S.-made Javelin system for its top-attack capability. Unlike traditional direct-impact missiles, top-attack designs strike the upper surfaces of armored vehicles, where protection is thinnest. This dramatically increases their kill probability, even against heavily armored modern tanks.
China typically deployed the HJ-10 on lighter ZBD-04A infantry fighting vehicle chassis, producing the AFT-10 mobile missile launcher. The AFT-10 was primarily intended for land operations, where rapid deployment and flexibility were critical. The decision to mount the same missile system on the heavier ZTD-05 platform represents a calculated shift.
Manufactured by state defense contractor Norinco, the ZTD-05 is no ordinary armored vehicle. It is built specifically for amphibious assault, capable of crossing coastal waters at high speeds thanks to a powerful water-jet propulsion system. Its armor is substantially thicker than that of the ZBD-04A, designed to withstand direct hits from small to medium-caliber weapons during beach assaults. Marrying this platform with the HJ-10 missile pack significantly extends its tactical utility in amphibious and coastal operations.
The ability to launch a dozen precision-guided, top-attack missiles from a single amphibious platform changes the calculus for any opposing force considering a defense against a Chinese amphibious landing. Traditional anti-tank vehicles usually carry fewer missiles due to weight and size constraints. Here, China has opted for volume, enabling a saturation attack capability that could overwhelm even well-organized defensive positions.
“This is about more than just tanks,” said a senior Western military analyst who spoke on condition of anonymity. “This platform would be devastating against a range of targets — armored vehicles, bunkers, defensive strongpoints. In a contested beachhead scenario, it would provide Chinese landing forces with a crucial edge in establishing and expanding a foothold.”
Open-source intelligence suggests the HJ-10 boasts a range exceeding that of the U.S. Javelin, with some estimates placing its maximum effective distance at up to 10 kilometers under optimal conditions. It employs a fiber-optic guidance system — allowing the operator to steer the missile in-flight — or a fire-and-forget mode using millimeter-wave radar and imaging infrared seekers. Such flexibility is highly valued in the chaos of combat, where environmental factors and countermeasures often degrade simpler systems.
The new system dovetails with broader trends in China’s military modernization efforts. Over the last decade, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has heavily invested in capabilities tailored for “island chain” operations — strategies designed to project force across the East and South China Seas. Amphibious capabilities are a core component of these efforts, particularly with respect to long-standing territorial disputes and the politically sensitive issue of Taiwan.
China has poured resources into building a blue-water navy, expanding its fleet of amphibious assault ships, landing craft, and support vessels. Parallel developments in airlift and logistics capabilities underline a concerted push to enable large-scale joint operations beyond its immediate coastline. Integrating a powerful amphibious anti-tank platform into this framework provides an additional layer of tactical flexibility.
“What we’re seeing is not a one-off,” said Dr. Lin Wei, a Shanghai-based defense analyst. “It’s part of a deliberate, staged enhancement of China’s ability to conduct complex, cross-domain operations. Anti-tank firepower is crucial in the ‘last mile’ of an amphibious landing, and this new system directly addresses that need.”
The importance of advanced anti-armor systems has been starkly highlighted by recent conflicts. In Ukraine, Western-supplied Javelins and other anti-tank weapons have played a major role in blunting armored assaults. Observers believe China has closely studied these developments, recognizing that armored formations are vulnerable without adequate protection against precision-guided munitions.
China’s new system suggests a desire not only to defend against armored threats but also to proactively suppress them during offensive operations. This would be vital in a scenario like an invasion of Taiwan, where defenders are expected to rely heavily on armored counterattacks and fortified positions to resist amphibious forces.
Deploying a twelve-missile battery on a single platform brings immense firepower but also practical challenges. The vehicle becomes a high-value target, drawing disproportionate enemy fire. Maintaining mobility and concealment will be critical to survival on the battlefield. Furthermore, reloading the system after expending its missiles could be slow, limiting its endurance in high-intensity combat.
Logistics and maintenance requirements could also be significant. The HJ-10 is a large, relatively complex missile, requiring specialized support to keep it operational in the field. This will demand an effective, resilient logistical network — something China has been investing in but has yet to test at scale in wartime conditions.
Despite these hurdles, the overall effect of the system’s introduction is clear: China is seeking to outpace potential adversaries in both the quality and quantity of its precision firepower options.
Unsurprisingly, the unveiling of this new platform is likely to trigger responses from neighboring militaries. Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and even regional partners like Australia are already reassessing their coastal defense postures in light of China’s expanding amphibious capabilities.
Taiwan, in particular, may feel the immediate pressure. Already facing an unfavorable numerical balance, Taiwan’s military relies heavily on armored vehicles and fortified defenses to resist potential invasion. The prospect of facing massed precision missile strikes from amphibious platforms like the new ZTD-05/HJ-10 hybrid will complicate defensive planning.
In Washington and allied capitals, the news will add urgency to efforts aimed at bolstering partners’ anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities. Systems that can detect, target, and neutralize these mobile launchers before they can deploy their missiles will become even more important.
“This development underscores the need for distributed, networked defenses,” said a retired U.S. Marine Corps general. “Fixed defenses are going to be chewed up quickly by systems like this. Mobile, resilient, and lethal counter-systems are the way forward.”
The fusion of amphibious mobility, advanced targeting, and massed firepower embodied by this new system reflects a broader trend in modern warfare: the increasing primacy of precision strikes delivered from flexible, mobile platforms. Whether on land, sea, or air, militaries are racing to integrate smart munitions into survivable delivery systems.
China’s latest amphibious anti-tank missile platform is not merely a niche weapon. It is a statement of intent: to dominate the “gray zones” of maritime and littoral combat where conventional distinctions between land and sea warfare blur. In such environments, the ability to deliver overwhelming firepower quickly, precisely, and flexibly could decide the outcome of future conflicts. As the ZTD-05-based system enters further testing and potential deployment, it will be a critical bellwether for China’s evolving amphibious assault doctrine.
