Chinese Type 63 107mm High-Explosive Rocket

1. Overview

The Type 63 107mm rocket is a Chinese-developed unguided artillery rocket that has achieved remarkable global proliferation since its introduction in the 1960s. Designed as a lightweight, portable system suitable for infantry support and guerrilla warfare, the Type 63 has been manufactured in vast quantities and exported to over 60 countries. Its combination of simplicity, effectiveness, and low cost has made it the most widely distributed multiple rocket launcher system in the world. The Type 63 and its variants have seen combat on every continent and remain in active service with numerous regular armies and irregular forces.

2. Country/Bloc of Origin

  • Primary Developer: People’s Republic of China (NORINCO – China North Industries Corporation)
  • Development Period: Late 1950s to early 1960s
  • Introduction to Service: 1963
  • Licensed/Copied Production: North Korea, Iran, Egypt, Pakistan, Sudan, and numerous other countries
  • Export History: One of China’s most successful weapons exports, transferred to over 60 nations through military sales and aid programs

3. Ordnance Class

  • Type: Unguided artillery rocket (surface-to-surface free-flight rocket)
  • Primary Role: Area saturation fire support, infantry support, and harassment fire
  • Delivery Method: Launched from 12-tube towed launcher, vehicle-mounted systems, pack animal systems, or single-tube improvised launchers
  • Category: Light Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), man-portable rocket artillery

4. Ordnance Family / Nomenclature

  • Chinese Military Designation: Type 63 (六三式 / Liùsān shì)
  • Export Designation: Type 63 107mm MRL (Multiple Rocket Launcher)
  • NORINCO Product Codes: Various, including export packaging designations
  • Related Variants:
    • Type 63 HE: Standard high-explosive fragmentation
    • Type 63 Incendiary: White phosphorus or thermite fill
    • Type 63 Smoke: Screening smoke generation
    • Type 63-I: Improved HE variant with enhanced fragmentation
    • Type 81: 12-tube self-propelled variant
    • Type 82: Pack animal/man-portable variant (single tube)
  • International Copies:
    • North Korean: 107mm MRL
    • Iranian: Haseb, Fajr-1
    • Egyptian: Sakr-18
    • Pakistani: Anza MKI rocket system

5. Hazards

Primary Hazards:

  • Blast Effect: High-explosive detonation produces significant overpressure within 10-12 meter radius
  • Fragmentation: Cast steel body produces approximately 1,000+ fragments
  • Lethal Radius: 10-15 meters
  • Effective Casualty Radius: 25-35 meters for unprotected personnel
  • Incendiary Variants: White phosphorus creates severe burns and secondary fires

Sensitivity Considerations:

  • Rockets are designed for rough handling and transport stability
  • Nose-mounted fuze requires impact to function; relatively safe until armed
  • Solid propellant is stable but flammable; becomes more sensitive with age and improper storage
  • Fuze arming occurs during flight (50-200m from launch point)

UXO Concerns:

  • Significant dud rates, especially in soft terrain (sand, mud, snow)
  • Oblique impacts often fail to initiate fuzes
  • Armed fuzes in failed rockets present extreme hazard
  • Partially burned motors may contain unstable propellant residue
  • Fuzes corrode over time, potentially increasing sensitivity

Special Hazards:

  • Mass detonation hazard when stored with propellant and fuze
  • UN Hazard Division 1.1 (mass explosion hazard)
  • Propellant fires produce toxic smoke
  • Damaged rockets may have compromised structural integrity

6. Key Identification Features

Dimensions:

  • Overall Length: 840mm (33.1 inches)
  • Body Diameter: 107mm (4.21 inches)
  • Fin Span: Approximately 170mm when deployed
  • Total Weight: 18.8 kg (41.4 lbs) complete round
  • Warhead Weight: 8.33 kg (18.4 lbs)

Physical Characteristics:

  • Body Shape: Cylindrical steel tube with conical ogive (nose section)
  • Construction: Seamless steel tube, pressed or welded fin assembly
  • Fin Configuration: Six curved wrap-around fins that extend upon leaving launch tube
  • Motor Section: Integral rear section with single venturi nozzle
  • Propellant: Solid composite propellant grain

Color and Markings:

  • Body Color: Typically olive drab or military green; some variants gray or tan
  • Markings: Chinese characters indicating manufacturer, date, lot number, and variant
  • Stenciling Color: White, yellow, or black depending on factory
  • Warhead Band: May feature color band indicating variant (red for HE is common)
  • Export Versions: May include English text or recipient country markings

Distinctive Features:

  • Wrap-around fin assembly distinguishes from fixed-fin rocket designs
  • Prominent fuze well at nose with protective cap
  • Visible propellant nozzle at rear
  • Chinese characters on body (original production)
  • Relatively crude finish compared to Western equivalents

7. Fuzing Mechanisms

Standard Fuze Configuration:

Point-Detonating (PD) Impact Fuze:

  • Primary fuze type for HE variant
  • All-ways acting design (functions regardless of impact angle within limits)
  • Piezoelectric or striker-initiated

Arming Mechanism:

  1. Prior to launch: Multiple safety mechanisms prevent accidental detonation
  2. Upon launch: Setback forces release primary safety
  3. In flight: Spin or air resistance arms the fuze (minimum arming distance ~100m)
  4. On impact: Firing pin or piezoelectric element initiates detonator

Fuze Components:

  • Safety and Arming Device: Mechanical system preventing premature function
  • Firing Mechanism: Impact-sensitive striker or piezoelectric crystal
  • Detonator: Primary explosive (typically lead azide)
  • Booster: Secondary explosive (tetryl or RDX) amplifying detonation to main charge

Self-Destruct: Standard Type 63 rockets do not include self-destruct or self-neutralization features

Booster and Main Charge:

  • Booster: Typically tetryl or pressed RDX pellet
  • Main Fill: TNT, Composition B, or Chinese equivalent (approximately 1.3 kg)

8. History of Development and Use

Development Background: The Type 63 was developed to provide Chinese infantry with organic fire support that could keep pace with rapid tactical movements. Drawing on Soviet Katyusha concepts but designed for man-portability, the system was optimized for guerrilla warfare and infantry support in China’s military doctrine emphasizing “People’s War.”

Development Timeline:

  • Late 1950s: Design initiated based on analysis of Soviet rocket artillery
  • 1962: Prototype testing completed
  • 1963: Adopted as Type 63; mass production begins
  • 1960s-70s: Initial exports to Vietnam, Albania, and African liberation movements
  • 1980s-Present: Continuous production and global export

Combat Employment:

Vietnam War (1964-1975):

  • Extensively supplied to North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong
  • Highly effective for attacks on fixed positions and firebases
  • Difficult to counter due to mobility and rapid displacement

Rhodesian Bush War (1964-1979):

  • Used by ZANLA and ZIPRA guerrilla forces
  • Employed against Rhodesian security force installations

Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989):

  • Supplied to Mujahideen via Pakistan
  • Effective against Soviet firebases and convoys

Middle Eastern Conflicts:

  • Arab-Israeli Wars: Used by Egyptian and Syrian forces
  • Iran-Iraq War: Employed by both sides
  • Lebanese Civil War: Significant use by multiple factions
  • Current conflicts: Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya

African Conflicts:

  • Proliferated across the continent through Chinese military aid
  • Used in Angola, Mozambique, Somalia, Sudan, and numerous other conflicts

Current Status: The Type 63 remains in production and active service with Chinese forces and numerous export customers. It continues to be one of the most commonly encountered rocket systems in global conflicts.

9. Technical Specifications

SpecificationValue
Caliber107mm
Overall Length840mm (33.1 in)
Total Weight18.8 kg
Warhead Weight8.33 kg
Explosive FillTNT or Comp B equivalent
Explosive Weight1.3 kg
Maximum Range8,500 m
Minimum Range~500 m (practical)
Muzzle Velocity375 m/s (at burnout)
Motor Burn Time~1.1 seconds
Launcher (Type 63)12-tube towed system
Launcher Weight613 kg
Rate of Fire12 rounds in 7-9 seconds
Reload Time3 minutes (trained crew)
CEP at Max Range~300-500 m
Lethal Radius10-15 m
Effective Casualty Radius25-35 m

10. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is the Type 63 sometimes called a “Katyusha”? A: The term “Katyusha” properly refers to Soviet World War II-era BM-13 132mm rocket launchers. However, the name has become a generic term in many regions (particularly the Middle East) for any truck-mounted or multiple rocket system. While technically incorrect, media and even military personnel frequently apply “Katyusha” to 107mm rockets. The Type 63 is a distinct Chinese design, not a Soviet system.

Q: What makes the Type 63 system so suitable for guerrilla warfare? A: Several characteristics optimize it for irregular operations: the launcher can be broken down for transport by pack animals or small teams; individual rockets can be fired from improvised single-tube launchers; minimal training is required for basic operation; the system requires no external power or complex fire control; and rapid shoot-and-scoot tactics are facilitated by quick setup and displacement times.

Q: How does the Type 63 compare to the Soviet BM-21 Grad system? A: The BM-21 fires 122mm rockets with significantly greater range (20+ km vs 8.5 km) and heavier warheads (6.4 kg explosive vs 1.3 kg). However, the BM-21 requires a dedicated truck platform while the Type 63 is far more portable. The Type 63 is optimized for tactical mobility and guerrilla use; the BM-21 provides conventional artillery-scale fire support. Many armies employ both systems for different tactical requirements.

Q: What are the main UXO identification points for Type 63 rockets? A: Key identification features include: 107mm diameter measurement; Chinese character markings (original production) or local language for copies; six wrap-around stabilizing fins; conical nose with fuze well; overall length of approximately 840mm; and olive drab or green coloring. Condition assessment should note any damage, corrosion, or exposed explosive material.

Q: Can Type 63 rockets be fired individually or only in salvos? A: While the standard 12-tube launcher fires ripple salvos, individual rockets are frequently fired from single-tube improvised launchers. Insurgent and terrorist groups commonly construct expedient launchers from simple steel tubes, allowing individual rocket attacks. The rockets function identically regardless of launcher type, provided minimum velocity is achieved for fuze arming.

Q: Why do Type 63 rockets have such high dud rates in some conflicts? A: Multiple factors contribute to failure rates: age and storage conditions degrading propellant and fuze reliability; impacts into soft terrain (sand, mud) that fail to trigger fuzes; low-angle trajectories resulting in oblique impacts; manufacturing quality variations especially in non-Chinese copies; and fuze design limitations with grazing impacts. Dud rates can exceed 20% in some conditions.

Q: How has China improved the Type 63 system over its service life? A: Improvements include: extended-range variants with improved propellant; enhanced fragmentation warheads with pre-formed fragments; improved manufacturing consistency; vehicle-mounted variants (Type 81) for motorized operations; and integration with modern fire control systems for improved accuracy. The basic rocket design, however, remains largely unchanged due to its proven effectiveness.

Q: What countries have manufactured copies of the Type 63? A: Major producers beyond China include: North Korea (significant production for export), Iran (Haseb/Fajr series), Egypt (Sakr-18), Pakistan, and Sudan. Each copy varies in quality and may feature local modifications, but all are dimensionally compatible with the original Type 63 system. Total global production across all manufacturers likely exceeds several million rockets.