Dongfeng EQ2050

AM General presented a Humvee to the PLA for a demonstration in 1988 at the Beijing Defence Exhibition.[1] The PLA were not interested in the vehicle, due to concerns of high maintenance costs and the vehicle's bulky size.[1][5] The Humvee was seen in action worldwide via television during Operation Desert Storm, which gave the PLA second thoughts about having a similar vehicle for military use.[6]

The Chinese petroleum industry purchased civilian Hummers in the 1990s.[1] This gave Chinese automakers the ability to inspect the vehicle for reverse engineering.[6] In 2003, the EQ2050 debuted at a car show after a prototype was made in 2002.[1] Dongfeng Motor Group and Shenyang Aircraft Corporation were involved in producing prototypes similar to the Humvee for the PLA, with the former being selected.[7]

The vehicle became the PLA's preferred candidate in 2004, with 57 vehicles sent to the organization for trials from 2004 to 2006.[1] They were driven in the Tibetan Plateau, Gobi desert, and the northeastern parts of Heilongjiang province to simulate driving the EQ2050 in winter conditions.[1]

The first 100 EQ2050s were manufactured with American-made parts.[6] They passed design trials in 2006.[1] EQ2050s were then delivered to PLA special forces unit in the Guangzhou Military Region.[8]

While the EQ2050 was adopted by the PLA, it has also been adopted by People's Armed Police firefighter brigades[9] and by Chinese Public Security Police forces.[6][7] A civilian concept known as the Brave Soldier was put on display at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show.[10] The CS/VA1 Light Strike Vehicle was first seen on public display at the 2012 Africa Aerospace & Defence Exhibition in Pretoria, South Africa.[11][12]

In October 2016, the EQ2050 was reported to be deployed by the PLA near the Afghan-Chinese border.[13][14] During the 2020 Belarusian protests, Radio Free Europe reported the deployment of Belarusian EQ2050s throughout Minsk.[15]

In the 2020 China–India skirmishes, Zhou Liying made allegations in social media that the Dongfeng-made EQ2050s suffered poor performance which contributed to the deaths of Chinese soldiers due to its armor via WeChat.[16][17] The PLA's English-language website announced that Zhou was arrested for spreading rumors about the quality of the EQ2050s.[16] Zhou has apologized for making rumors.[16]

Interior of the EQ2050 at the 2016 Moscow International Automobile Salon convention.

When the vehicle was first built, the EQ2050 included the Hummer H1 chassis.[2] It was powered by a Dongfeng-built Cummins EQB150-20 110 kW/2,700R turbo-charged diesel engine, but it came with the option of using a U.S.-made V8 diesel engine instead.[2][6] The licensing rights for the Cummins engine were purchased so that Beijing could avoid any potential sanctions.[5]

Since 2008, almost all parts for the EQ2050 are made in China.[2] Both the EQ2050 and EQ2058 vehicles have a 5-speed gear box and a 2-speed transfer box.[18]

The EQ2050 is a four-wheel drive vehicle with an independent suspension system and central inflating system.[2] The EQ2050 has redesigned lights and radiators.[1] Dongfeng worked with AM General Motors to acquire American parts for the first EQ2050s made in production[8] before the company was able to produce the necessary parts in China.[1] The vehicle can be configured to be armed with machine guns, automatic grenade launcher, or anti-tank missiles mounted on top.[3] Body styles include soft, hard, truck, and van versions.[1][2]

It was previously licensed to DRB-HICOM in Malaysia to be marketed to countries that needed a right-hand drive vehicle, as the HICOM High Mobility Utility Vehicle (HMUV).[19]

• EQ2058: A version of the EQ2050 made for military purposes, which has an armored body outfitted via armored plating.[1] Bonnet/door are made of non-composite materials to reduce detection through infrared radiation.[1] Equipped with EMP shielding from EMP disruptions.[1]
• CS/VA1 Light Strike Vehicle: A fast attack vehicle that can be equipped with either a machine gun or automatic grenade launcher.[11] It is marketed by Norinco.[20]
• CSK002 Airbone Assault Vehicle: Airborne assault vehicle equipped with smoke grenade dischargers, a machine gun on top and an AGL on the front passenger seat.[21][22]
• DongFeng CS/SS4: Self-propelled mortar system with the Type 81 mortar attached on the vehicle's body.[23]
• Brave Soldier: A civilian version of the EQ2050 which will use petrol engines instead of diesel engines as a concept.[24] Sometimes known as EQ2040H Brave Soldier.[25] Working models were shown in Chinese auto shows.[25]
• Pickup Truck[26]

Map of HMMWV (Humvee) operators worldwide. Dark blue shows HMMWV operators, light blue shows PRC HMMWV operators

•  Bangladesh: Bangladesh Army infantry uses Dongfeng EQ2050s.[27]
•  Belarus: 22 Dongfeng EQ2058s donated for use by Belarusian Special Forces units.[28][29] Delivered under an act of gratuitous transfer of military assistance signed by Belarus and China on June 19, 2012 and have made public appearances on its independence day parade.[30] In Belarusian service, it is known as the Bogatyr.[31] They're equipped with either a PK machine gun, 9M113 Konkurs, AGS-17 or the ADUNOK remote control weapons system on top.[32][33][5] The hardtop version is only used.[34]
•  Central African Republic – Dongfeng EQ2050s donated in August 2018.[35]
•  China: Dongfeng EQ2050s in service with the People's Liberation Army.[36] Also in use by People's Armed Police Fire Fighting brigades[9] and by Public Security Police forces.[6][7]
•  Gabon: Seen with the Gabonese Republican Guard from a 2019 military parade.[37]
•  Laos: Dongfeng CS/SS4 seen in military parade held to celebrate 70th anniversary of the Lao People's Armed Forces on January 20, 2019.[38]
•  Mali: Reported to be using the EQ2050 since January 2020.[39]
•  Tajikistan: Reported to have purchased the EQ2050F and the CS/SS4 as of February 21, 2020 when they were put on a parade.[40][41] The EQ2050Fs were reported to be used by the 7th Air Assault Brigade.[41]
•  Trinidad and Tobago: Six EQ2050s delivered in 2015 to the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force.[42]
•  Turkmenistan[27]
•  Venezuela[27]
•  Zimbabwe: Dongfeng EQ2050s used by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces with 100 EQ2050s bought in 2004 with more bought in 2007.[43] 300 EQ2050s in service with the ZDF.[44]