The PZL-83 (Type 83) is a 152-mm self-propelled gun-howitzer that is similar in design and caliber to the Soviet 2S3 and the US M109. The PZL-83 is a purpose-built tracked design that features an all-welded, steel hull with the driver seated at the front left and the engine to the right. The turret is mounted in the rear, and the turret crew can enter and exit either through the turret or from the rear hull. Main armament consists of a 152-mm gun-howitzer based on the towed Type 66 and can carry the same ammunition. It can fire to a range of 17.2 km and a maximum rate of fire of 6-8 rounds per minute. In and out of action time is estimated at just one minute. Defensive armament includes a 12.7-mm Type 54 machine gun mounted on the roof but can also carry a 7.62-mm machine gun and an RPG for local defense. However, it does not have NBC protection nor is it amphibious. The PZL-83 entered service with the PLA in the 1980s and was typically incorporated as an SPG batallion with 18 units in each artillery regiment attached to tank divisions. It was never exported. and has since been replaced by the more modern PLZ-05, although some are likely to remain in storage.

The first prototype of the PLZ-83 or Type 83 was completed in 1981 and first seen in public in 1984. There are no known variants although the chassis has been used for other vehicles including the Type 89 (PHZ-89) multiple rocket launcher and Type 89 (PZT-89) tank destroyer, both of which are described separately, as well as a trench digger and 425-mm mineclearing rocket launcher.