AH-1 155 mm Howitzer

The AH-1 is a Chinese 155 mm towed gun-howitzer associated with Norinco's PLL01/WA-021 artillery family and marketed as an export model with an auxiliary power unit. In the Tigray War, open-source documentation lists seven AH-1 howitzers among heavy weapons visually confirmed as operated by Tigray Defence Forces after large quantities of Ethiopian Army equipment fell into Tigrayan hands.

Tigray WarTigray forces

Conflict side: Tigray forces
Built by: Norinco
Built in: China

AH-1 155 mm Howitzer, 155 mm towed gun-howitzer, Artillery

Image source: The Tigray Defence Forces - Documenting Its Heavy Weaponry

Profile

Type: 155 mm towed gun-howitzer
Conflict side: Tigray forces
Origin: China
Service note: 1990s export/service family; documented in Tigray War use by 2021

towed artillery 155 mm captured strike

Service History

In service: Limited export and service use; visually documented with Tigray Defence Forces in 2021
Used by: Tigray Defence Forces, Ethiopian National Defense Force
Wars: Tigray War

Production History

Designer: Norinco
Designed: Derived from the 1980s PLL01/WA-021 155 mm gun-howitzer family
Built by: Norinco
Built in: China
Unit cost: Not publicly established
Produced: 2010s AH-1 export designation; PLL01/WA-021 family produced from the late 1980s into later export variants
Number built: Not publicly established; at least seven visually documented with Tigray Defence Forces by Oryx
Variants: PLL01, WA-021/WAC-21, AH-1 export model, AH-2 longer-barrel development

Specifications

Caliber: 155 mm
Barrel: 45-caliber ordnance on the AH-1 according to WeaponSystems.net
Crew: 9 for the WA-021/PLL01 family
Weight: About 9.5 tonnes for WA-021 without APU; AH-1 is described as an improved export model with APU
Range: Up to 39 km with base-bleed shells and 30 km with boat-tail shells for the WA-021/PLL01 family
Rate of fire: 4 to 5 rounds per minute maximum; about 2 rounds per minute normal
Mobility: Towed by 6x6 10-ton or 7-ton truck; AH-1 marketed with improved auxiliary power unit

Conflict Usage

Tigray War: Side: Tigray forcesRole: Captured heavy artillery fire supportstrike
Oryx documented seven 155 mm AH-1 howitzers among heavy weapons visually confirmed as operated by the Tigray Defence Forces, consistent with captured Ethiopian Army heavy artillery in the Tigray War.

AH-1 155 mm Howitzer Images

AH-1 155 mm Howitzer, 155 mm towed gun-howitzer, Artillery - view 1 — Source: The Tigray Defence Forces - Documenting Its Heavy Weaponry

AH-1 155 mm Howitzer, 155 mm towed gun-howitzer, Artillery - view 2 — Source: The Tigray Defence Forces - Documenting Its Heavy Weaponry

AH-1 155 mm Howitzer, 155 mm towed gun-howitzer, Artillery - view 3 — Source: The Tigray Defence Forces - Documenting Its Heavy Weaponry

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Sources

155mm PLL01Publisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports AH-1 background as an updated export designation in the PLL01/WA-021 family, Norinco producer context, 155 mm 45-caliber ordnance, crew, range, rate-of-fire, and mobility specifications. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 AH-1/AH-1A Chinese 155mm Towed HowitzerPublisher: U.S. Army TRADOC ODIN | Note: Supports background that the AH-1/AH-1A is a Chinese 155 mm towed artillery variant of the PLL-01 equipped with an auxiliary power unit. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 China North Industries Corporation Working PaperPublisher: International Peace Information Service and Omega Research Foundation | Note: Supports manufacturer and product-family context for Norinco artillery systems, including the PLL-01, AH-1, AH-2, and AH-4 155 mm howitzer family. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 The Tigray Defence Forces - Documenting Its Heavy WeaponryPublisher: Oryx | Note: Supports Tigray War direct use: Oryx says seven 155 mm AH-1 howitzers were used by or operated by Tigray Defence Forces, with linked imagery, and supports image provenance for the selected gallery images. | Accessed: 2026-06-21 Mobilised For War: Ethiopia's Russian 2S19 Msta SPGsPublisher: Oryx | Note: Supports Ethiopian Army background for Chinese 155 mm AH-1 towed howitzers in Ethiopia's artillery arsenal during the Tigray War period. | Accessed: 2026-06-21