From 1984 to 2025, over 41 years have rolled by. On seven grand national review ceremonies, rows of Shaanxi Automobile military vehicles advanced in steel‑clad formation across the parade ground. As China’s only heavy‑truck manufacturer to take part in seven consecutive major national parades, Shaanxi Automobile’s heavy‑duty off‑road chassis carry missiles, artillery pieces and a full spectrum of national‑defence equipment, to be reviewed by the motherland and people under the eyes of the whole nation. These steel chariots rolling along the parade route represent not only formidable national‑grade hardware safeguarding the country, but also a weighty national‑level answer Shaanxi Automobile has delivered to the times.

Back in the 1960s, under China’s Third‑Front Construction strategy, Shaanxi Automobile was founded to resolve the practical challenge of “artillery without suitable vehicles” for the military, undertaking the historic mission of independently developing domestic heavy‑duty military off‑road vehicles. At that time, China lacked relevant heavy‑vehicle technologies, while foreign parties maintained strict technical barriers. There were few mature references and incomplete production infrastructure. The first‑generation builders of Shaanxi Automobile settled in mountainous regions and forged ahead amid difficulties. In 1970, the first Yan’an‑branded SX250 (SX2150) heavy‑duty military off‑road vehicle rolled off the assembly line. It put an end to China’s inability to domestically produce heavy‑duty military off‑road vehicles. Hailed by service members as the “hero chariot”, the SX250 was capable of traversing plateaus, gobi deserts and muddy mountain terrain. Its outstanding off‑road performance enabled mobile deployment for heavy artillery and missile hardware, filling a critical gap for national defence. After rounds of rigorous field trials on plateaus and in frigid zones, the SX250 entered military service, opening the glorious chapter of Shaanxi Automobile military vehicles serving national defence.

At the 35th National Day Parade of 1984, the first grand National Day review after China’s reform and opening‑up, 32 SX250 heavy‑duty off‑road vehicles formed two formations, towing heavy artillery across Tiananmen Square. This marked the debut of Shaanxi Automobile military vehicles at a national parade. The dark‑green bodies stood solid and imposing. Their massive wheels rolled along Chang’an Avenue. Home‑grown heavy‑duty trucks made their appearance as reviewed equipment, showcasing the strength of China’s domestic military manufacturing to the world. The original Yan’an SX250 fulfilled its reviewing mission and received official commendation, cementing Shaanxi Automobile’s status as a core domestic R&D and production base for military heavy‑duty trucks. From that moment onward, Shaanxi Automobile military vehicles forged an enduring bond with major national ceremonies. Successive generations of vehicles underwent technical upgrades to answer the call of grand reviews time and again.

As time advanced and military hardware evolved, Shaanxi Automobile steadily upgraded its vehicle technology. At the 50th National Day Parade in 1999, a milestone ceremony at the turn of the century, both SX2150 and SX2190 military models made their appearance. A total of 64 vehicles formed four equipment formations, accounting for one‑third of all military‑vehicle formations on site. They towed various missiles and artillery systems in stately procession. The second‑generation SX2190 series adopted domestically built turbo‑charged diesel engines, delivering major improvements in power output and adaptability to complex terrain. Capable of heavy‑equipment towing, transport, and conversion for logistical support and engineering operations, these multi‑purpose vehicles met diverse operational requirements of the modern military and became the mainstay heavy‑duty off‑road platform for armed forces from the 1990s into the new century.

During the 60th National Day Parade in 2009, multiple Shaanxi Automobile military vehicles appeared in logistical and equipment‑support formations. The brand‑new SX2300 8×8 heavy‑duty off‑road vehicle made its public debut. Its high‑load chassis and all‑weather capability supported modification requirements for new‑generation weapon systems, signalling a new height for domestically built heavy‑duty off‑road platforms. At the 70th‑anniversary Victory Commemoration Parade in 2015, SX2190N chassis carried China’s strategic missiles past the reviewing stand. Even under parade conditions, vehicle travel deviation was controlled within centimetres. Superb reliability and handling stability withstood the strictest parade‑site tests. To guarantee zero‑failure performance, Shaanxi Automobile technical support teams were stationed long‑term at the parade compound, inspecting chassis, pipelines and circuits on every single vehicle, identifying even the tiniest hidden risks. Adhering to strict standards of “zero breakdown and zero stalling”, they ensured national strategic hardware advanced smoothly for review.

At the 90th‑Anniversary Army Day Parade held on the Zhurihe training base in 2017, steel streams rolled across the gobi terrain. Forty‑four Shaanxi Automobile military vehicles took part in five formations across eleven ranks, covering information warfare, engineering, chemical‑defence and logistical resupply equipment. Shaanxi Automobile set up an on‑site parts depot stocked with more than 7,000 spare components of over 700 types to provide round‑the‑clock support. Harsh desert conditions with high temperatures and sandstorms put vehicle durability to the test. Shaanxi Automobile military vehicles completed the field‑based review with combat‑ready performance, proving they were built not merely for ceremonies, but for real‑world battlefield missions.

The 70th‑anniversary National Day Parade in 2019 marked another highlight for Shaanxi Automobile. New‑generation SX2306 third‑generation high‑mobility heavy‑duty off‑road vehicles appeared in large numbers. Seven equipment formations adopted Shaanxi Automobile chassis, totalling 69 reviewed vehicles. The DF‑41 intercontinental strategic missile system, carried on Shaanxi Automobile chassis, closed the parade and drew worldwide attention. Featuring armoured cabs, full‑wheel independent suspension and integrated information and tactical communication systems, third‑generation military vehicles balanced protection, mobility and flexible modification potential, reaching internationally advanced standards. Domestic heavy‑duty military off‑road vehicles had advanced from catching‑up to global parity. To adapt to special parade conditions including low‑speed formation driving and frequent start‑stop cycles, Shaanxi Automobile engineers optimised vehicle circuitry, throttle assemblies and starting systems, adding redundant anti‑failure designs to cover every foreseeable risk, ensuring precise, on‑schedule procession performance.

At the 80th‑anniversary Victory Commemoration Parade in 2025, Shaanxi Automobile embarked on its seventh grand‑review mission, with its largest‑ever fleet of reviewed vehicles. New‑generation chassis carried anti‑ship missiles, air‑defence weaponry and unmanned systems. Shaanxi Automobile vehicles marched steadily in multiple equipment formations. Spanning 41 years across seven parades, every appearance mirrored technical iteration and product upgrading. Progress moved from “whether we can build such hardware” to “how capable our hardware can be”. The evolution of Shaanxi Automobile military vehicles mirrors the modernisation of China’s national‑defence capabilities.

Brilliance on the parade ground stems from rigorous testing behind the scenes. Qualified review‑ready military vehicles must bear massive loads from missiles and artillery while maintaining stable long‑distance travel. They must keep perfect formation on Chang’an Avenue and reliably operate on plateaus, deserts and swamps for real‑world missions. Shaanxi Automobile military vehicles are built not only for parades, but for broad‑ranging combat readiness. They operate on border plateaus, in gobi wilderness, and in disaster‑relief scenarios. During earthquakes and floods, heavy‑duty off‑road vehicles travel along damaged roadways to deliver supplies and evacuate people, translating parade‑proven reliability into capabilities to protect civilians.

Its military‑industry heritage runs unbroken. Shaanxi Automobile applies strict military‑grade standards throughout design, component manufacturing, assembly and validation. Every generation of military chassis undergoes tens of thousands of kilometres of rigorous trials covering extreme cold, high heat, high altitude and brutal off‑road conditions. Every component goes through reliability screening. Each parade assignment acts as a national‑level assessment for vehicle performance, quality and support systems. Across seven reviews, Shaanxi Automobile achieved zero critical in‑service failures. This achievement rests on decades‑long dedication of successive generations of engineers and skilled craftsmen committed to military‑industry excellence.

Marching on the parade ground, forging the dream of a strong military. National heavy‑duty might, seven times in grand review. Rolling wheels of Shaanxi Automobile military vehicles witness the growing strength of the People’s Republic. From early efforts solving the “artillery‑without‑vehicle” dilemma, through three generations of independently‑developed heavy‑duty military vehicles, to seven honourable national reviews, Shaanxi Automobile fulfils its military‑industry mission through solid vehicle products. These steel chariots travel not only parade avenues, but the path of self‑reliance for China’s automotive industry and the steady advancement of national‑defence hardware. Looking ahead, Shaanxi Automobile will stay true to its original military‑industry aspiration, continuously refine heavy‑duty off‑road equipment via home‑grown technology, forge more national‑level heavy‑duty hardware, and keep writing new chapters for Chinese manufacturing.