Dongfeng military vehicles drive in formation at the 70th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War in 2015. [Photo/WeChat account: whkfq]
Dongfeng military vehicles, produced in the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WEDZ), made a remarkable appearance at the military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War on Sept 3 in Beijing.
Wang Jianqing, a chief engineer at Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Co, was among those invited to witness the parade. Reflecting on the event, he said, "From the viewing platform, I kept wondering when our Dongfeng military vehicles would pass through Tian'anmen Square." This was his second time attending the parade in person.
The evolution of Dongfeng military vehicles has been noteworthy. The first-generation vehicle, the EQ240, has seen numerous upgrades and remains one of China's most classic and reliable 6x6 off-road models.
The second-generation vehicle, the EQ2102, introduced a high-power diesel engine, enhancing performance and expanding the vehicle range, making it the most widely deployed model in the Chinese military at the time.
The third-generation vehicle, the Dongfeng EQ2050, known as the "Dongfeng M-Hero", began mass deployment in 2007 and is celebrated as a "land aircraft carrier". This high-mobility off-road vehicle surpasses the US military's Humvee in 12 out of 15 tactical performance indicators.
Dongfeng military vehicles have also been pivotal in military exercises, space missions, earthquake relief, peacekeeping, and counter-terrorism operations. In 2015, when China's first peacekeeping infantry battalion was deployed overseas, the Dongfeng M-Hero was used as part of the mission.
Earlier this year, on April 30, the Dongfeng M-Hero rescue vehicle embarked on its eighth manned space mission recovery task, positioning itself to welcome home space heroes.
