The NORINCO (China North Industries Corporation) 122 mm Type 89 (40-round) self-propelled rocket launcher was developed by No 674 factory, No 5137 factory and No 207 Research Institute and type classified for use by the People's Liberation Army in 1989.

The system uses a full tracked armoured chassis that is also used in a modified form for the NORINCO Type 83 152 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer, NORINCO Type 762 (2-round) mineclearing surface-to-surface rocket system and the NORINCO Type 1989 120 mm self-propelled tank destroyer. Details of each of these systems are given in a separate entry.

Production of all of these systems was completed some time ago. Although all of these systems were offered on the export market, as far as it is known none of these were ever sold overseas.

The 122 mm Type 89 (40-round) system has been designed to accompany mechanised forces and, unlike many other self-propelled multiple rocket systems, has a fully armoured chassis. This provides the occupants with protection from small arms fire and shell splinters.

The engine compartment is front right with the driver on the left-hand side. He is provided with a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the rear, a heated day periscope WG501 and a TYG-1 night driving periscope.

The other four crew members are seated in the fully enclosed armoured compartment at the back with bulletproof observation windows on either side and an entry door at the rear.

It has torsion bar suspension and each side has six dual rubber-tyred road wheels, a drive sprocket at the front, an idler at the rear and three track-return rollers. The first and last roadwheel stations either side have a hydraulic shock-absorber.

The vehicle commander has a Type WG501 heated periscope while the gunner has a Type 59 tank periscope, Type 84 panoramic telescope and a Type 66-1 direct fire sight.

The 122 mm (40-round) launcher is mounted on a turntable over the rear of the vehicle. It is almost identical to the 122 mm Russian BM-21 (40-round) system introduced in the early 1960s. The launcher can be traversed and elevated under full electric power and manual controls are provided for emergency use. The rockets can be fired singly or in a salvo with all 40 being launched in 20 seconds.

Mounted over the forward part of the vehicle is a reload pack with a further 40 122 mm rockets which can be reloaded into the launcher automatically. This reload feature is similar to that used on the Czech 122 mm RM-70 (40-round) multiple rocket system which made its first appearance in 1972.