October 1, 1999, at the 50th anniversary of founding of New China's military parade, there are a steel matrix were particularly noticeable. It consists of 18 units composed of armored infantry fighting vehicles. Zhezhi steel division, as a self-developed China's first generation infantry fighting vehicles, born in a strategic position is not visible inland city, Hunan Xiangtan.

The rumbling, but after the car, the driver sitting in one is not a fighter. He is from a military facility in Xiangtan technician, named Chen Yaowu.

In September 1979, Xiangtan a military plant, the three steps Kong, Wu Buyi post, the atmosphere tense. A train along the railway line, slowly entered the factory, carriage, it is a very Yanyanshishi with a giant tarpaulin cover. CHEN Yao-wu, 29-year-old, is a mapping section of the technicians, that day early in the morning, he received a notice requiring rushed to the Survey and Mapping Office, to accept a new task. Mapping into the room, CHEN Yao-wu was immediately overawed in front of something, which is a do not know where did you get the bullet-riddled car, was the internationally most advanced infantry fighting vehicles.

At the time, for a large contingent of infantry fighting, but the fire remains weak with the People's Liberation Army, the only good performance of the infantry fighting vehicles and equipment can be an advantage in modern warfare.

From that day later, CHEN Yao-wu, and colleagues on a daily soak in mapping room, chariot right to conduct a comprehensive autopsy, each piece of steel, each a part of the thickness and size of mapping into the map. Two months later, when the blueprint room into bundles of tan sketch drawings, when a truck full of even installed. China is a blueprint for the first generation infantry fighting vehicles, but also the minds of researchers, gradually clear.

In just 15 months time, more than 10,000 parts and components production, processing, assembling complete. In December 1980, China's own infantry fighting vehicles manufactured in the first prototype was born. After numerous trial and error later, the end of 1982, infantry fighting vehicles to complete the final prototype trial. However, as a new generation of products, a number of technical standards for infantry fighting vehicles approved in various departments responsible for difficult to reach a consensus stereotypes work from 1983, the lack of progress.

And indeed it is during this period, the plant's structure has undergone significant changes. This change comes from the plant to begin production in 1985 of a civilian products - tower crane in just six months time, this product has achieved impressive sales. Once she even became a "need to find the relationship between playing a note," tight products can be bought. As opposed to military products "Infantry Fighting Vehicle," a difficult, civil products because of its short production cycle, selling a wide range, more in line with the principles of the efficiency of enterprises. At this point, the factory has some serious directional differences.

Critical moment, in 1986, infantry fighting vehicles and vehicle group formally adopted by relevant departments of the national recognition of stereotypes.

In November 1988, the international defense exhibition held in Beijing, infantry combat vehicles, forming the focal point for the exhibition. High-level visits from the Central Military Commission, and outside the military and hundreds of experts representing watched the demonstration vehicles. November 24, 1988 published a "Liberation Army Daily," the front pages of newspapers are published in the new China's first generation infantry fighting vehicle photos, add in a paragraph of text under the photo attached, saying "It will bring China's Army the fighting strength like a tiger that Tim wings. "

Subsequently, the various military branches across the country, have such developed and manufactured by the Chinese themselves infantry fighting vehicles, troops and equipment into the sequence, infantry fighting vehicles and their communities, formally achieved "column filled", the most important mission.

Decade, sword, and countless people from the black-haired man in Xiangtan military ground into a white-haired man. When the first-generation infantry fighting vehicles, Xiangtan Iron Horse Central Military Commission selected to participate in the 50th anniversary of National Day military parade ceremony, all of the people hugged each other and cry with excitement.

October 1, 1999, in the infantry fighting vehicles received the mission to develop a full 20 years later, Xiangtan, composed of a military man the battle song of the most high-pitched singing in Beijing.