Nanjing Motor Corporation NJ2046 is a Chinese copy of the Italian IVECO 40.10WM 4X4 off-road military truck. The vehicle share the same chassis and engine with the NJ2045 1.5 tonne 4X4 utility vehicle, but features a higher ground clearance and enhanced body structure for better off-road travelling performance. The development of NJ2046 began in 1999 and the vehicle was design certified in 2000. A small number of the vehicle entered PLA service in 2001/02 for troop carrier, border patrol, medical evacuation, and weapon carrier roles.
One of the most important features of the NJ2046 is its capability to be transported and airdropped by a medium size transport aircraft such as Shaanxi Y-8. The first airdrop test tool place in April 2002, when a NJ2046 carried on a pallet was dropped from an altitude of 800m using multiple parachutes and landed safely. Since then the vehicle has been spotted fielded by the PLA airborne force and special operations forces units. During the IDEX-2003, NORINCO revealed its HJ-9A anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system featuring a NJ2046 4X4 carrier.
The NJ2046 is powered by a Nanjing-built Iveco SOFIM 2.8 litre, liquid-cooled, straight 4-cylinder, direct injection, turbo-charged diesel engine, developing 87kW at 3,600 rpm. The vehicle has a 6-speed (5 forward, 1 reverse) manual gear box. The vehicle is fitted with a 24V power supply and a pre-heating device for easier start in extreme low temperatures. The vehicle has a 70 litre main tank and a 20 litre back-up tank.
The basic variant NJ2046 can be fitted with either 10-man (3+3+2X2) or 11-men (3+4X2) seating plan. The vehicle is available in hard-top or soft-top (canvas) configurations.
