Photos have appeared online showing a new combination rifle from China. Like the XM-29 OICW, it combines an assault rifle (chambered in China’s standard 5.8mm round) with a semi-automatic 20mm airburst grenade launcher. The below weapon appears to have be built upon a Type-03 rifle.

Another photo shows a different rifle with the rifle and grenade launcher in reverse positions:

Given China’s fondness for producing and equipping their troops with both bullpup and conventional rifles, I suspect one or both of these rifles are prototypes.

A Russian article about the system says (Translated using Google)…

At the heart of China’s kit is a new combined assault rifle, ZH-05. It represents-automatic grenade launcher similar to the XM-29 OICW. In developing the ZH-05 provides for the conjugation of the complex with the infantryman combat systems, in particular the presence of a data channel video information with an eye on the helmet-mounted display, a soldier or a commander.

Weight of the rifle is about 5 kg, slightly less than 6.1 kg Daewoo K11 and 6.8 kg of the American XM-29. ZH-2005 allows firing with two kinds of different caliber ammunition intended for use in primary and secondary weapons systems. In the primary weapon ammo is shot with a 20-mm air fragmentation grenade explosion. In the ammunition support weapons systems include standard cartridges 5.8 mm.

The measured range-finder range to the target displayed on sight and entered automatically into the fire control system to calculate corrections for the shooting conditions and determine the number of revolutions grenades on the trajectory. Programming grenades carried in the arms, at the stage of loading, and provides an introduction to the original data and amendments issued by the ballistic computer, to solve the problem of combining non-contact point with the contour of a grenade explosion goal.

Also in the equipment includes: protective clothing with the elements of moisture and plamezaschity and NBC protection, as well as personal body armor (the basis of this subsystem is to vest and unloading of the new modification, which is hinged on personal body armor, the so-called “e-vest” – system optoelectronics and other electronic equipment as part of a personal computer, communications, interface, human-machine, satellite navigation receiver, etc.; knapsack with a capacity for drinking water as well as spare magazines for assault rifles and hand grenades).

“Manpack electronic platform, which is the foundation,” heart “of the kit includes including those optoelectronic and radio equipment, are included in the e-vest.” Hardware platform is built on the digital interface and has an open architecture to include, as appropriate, and new or additional samples of electronic equipment.

Judging by the photos and reports from China, this complex “digital equipment” field trials will be accepted for service in late 2011 or early 2012.