Military Developments in PLA
The Chinese Navy continued its ship procurement program. It acquired a modern, Sovremenny class destroyer built at Russia’s St Petersburg ship yard for $ 1.5 billion.
This is seen primarily to enhance China’s potential against Taiwan and presence in the Pacific. The destroyer equipped with SS-N-22 Sunburn supersonic anti ship missile is said to be devoid of any counter measures available with Taiwan as well as American forces. The ship also has the capability of striking with its Ka-28 helicopter armed with anti submarine torpedoes. Russo Chinese arms transfers have had a long history. Russia has already sold two ships of a similar class to China in the late 1990’s. In addition it has also sold six Kilo class diesel electric submarines and six giant Hovercrafts useful for amphibious landings to China recently. (For a detailed report see Security Trends October 2006).
Chinese Airborne Capability
A report by Robert Fisher, Jr on the International Defense Exhibition Land Forces 2006 highlighted the growing Sino Russian cooperation in the field of airborne warfare. Fisher reporting on the second International Defense Exhibition Land Force (IDELF) from 2 to 6 August 2006, indicated that this featured the Vozdushno Desantniy Voisk (VDV), or Russian Airborne Force in a major way. China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is reported to have adopted the Russian model of mechanized airborne forces to perform offensive deep strike operations. The Chinese have purchased Russian equipment to build this capability but are also designing and manufacturing airborne mechanized fighting vehicle on the lines of the Russian BMD. PLA officers are also training in the Russian airborne training school, V.F. Margelov Higher Airborne Command School in Ryazan.
There are some differences which have been noticed in the para jumping techniques of the Chinese and the Russians. The Chinese surprisingly do not jump with their weapons which are in canisters. Thus till they retrieve their weapons, the troops will be vulnerable to enemy action. The Chinese have also shown interest in the heavy lift Mi 26 helicopter which will provide them with high level of mobility on the battlefield. The acquisition of airborne and helicopter assets will provide the Chinese unprecedented power projection capability in the coming decades with the area of influence extending into the Persian Gulf and the Middle East.
Helicopter Acquisition Program
China has stated requirement of 2763 civil helicopters of all types from 2006 to 2026, which is an average of about 140 helicopters every year or almost one in two days. The Chinese are also attempting to be a key player in the helicopter industry by 2020 as the China Aviation Industrial Corporation (CAIC) attempts to take forward its programme of indigenous production to meet its burgeoning demand for helicopters. China is stated to be a large producer of helicopters with over 20 models ranging from 1.5 tons to 13 tons.
China’s Military Maneuvers
A major exercise, “Queshan - 2006” was conducted by a motorized division of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Zhengzhou, Henan province of Central China during the month. The exercise involved mobilization and move of the formation by rail and road at the end of which it undertook a motorized advance to the battle area. The division is said to have demonstrated its capabilities to fight under electromagnetic conditions.
The Xinhua has also provided an account of the exercise debriefing stating rather candidly that a number of short comings were noticed in these maneuvers. Particular reference was made of the low accuracy of the missiles which was reported at 60 percent and the use of cell phones instead of military radios. The divisional commander was also criticized for postponing the attack thrice thereby exposing the troops in the forward areas for 50 minutes. On a request for fire support it was also stated that the precise timing and location was not indicated.
This surprising admission of frailties in an operational exercise appears to be Chinese attempt at dispelling apprehensions of such maneuvers and is certainly not a glasnost in the PLA. Of consequence is the poor performance of the missiles and lack of readiness to function in the “electro magnetic” environment.
Anti Terrorism Exercises
The Chinese held major anti terrorism exercises in the Inner Mongolia region involving over 2700 troops and policemen. Inner Mongolia is one of China’s largest provinces in the north bordering Russia as well as Mongolia. These exercises conducted over three days had simulated a number of likely terrorist threats such as stealing of high technology equipment from a major industrial city, bomb attacks and kidnapping of hostages in Baotou, Inner Mongolia’s major township. The People’s Liberation Army is also reported to have been involved in these exercises.
China has recently carried out anti terrorism exercises with a number of its neighbors including Kazakhstan and Tajikistan as reported on from time to time. The location of the exercises however in Inner Mongolia which is considered as a province with potential threat of dissension, second in priority after Xingjian is considered significant. The head of the Chinese anti terrorism department under Public Security is reported to have said that the exercises indicate new progress in anti terrorism in Inner Mongolia.
The use of tanks and armored personnel carriers during the exercise is relevant, as anti terrorism measures do not warrant such high caliber weapon systems. This may either reflect Chinese thinking on counter terrorism operations which denotes dealing it with a heavy hand or a reminder to the Inner Mongolian populace of the likely reaction in case of an uprising.
(Reports extracted from Xinhua)
Naval Communication Network. China has established a Blue water communication network for the navy based on the use of Satellite communications, 1600 remote units and large number of ships at sea will be covered by this project which is designed particularly for ships in the Paracel and Spratlys Island The entire network will be digitized providing the PLA navy communications with all its ships across the globe. The network will also be used for gaining access to the political web site of the PLA and conduct distance education for the soldiers in Paracel and Spratlys.
The Chinese Navy continued its ship procurement program. It acquired a modern, Sovremenny class destroyer built at Russia’s St Petersburg ship yard for $ 1.5 billion.
This is seen primarily to enhance China’s potential against Taiwan and presence in the Pacific. The destroyer equipped with SS-N-22 Sunburn supersonic anti ship missile is said to be devoid of any counter measures available with Taiwan as well as American forces. The ship also has the capability of striking with its Ka-28 helicopter armed with anti submarine torpedoes. Russo Chinese arms transfers have had a long history. Russia has already sold two ships of a similar class to China in the late 1990’s. In addition it has also sold six Kilo class diesel electric submarines and six giant Hovercrafts useful for amphibious landings to China recently. (For a detailed report see Security Trends October 2006).
Chinese Airborne Capability
A report by Robert Fisher, Jr on the International Defense Exhibition Land Forces 2006 highlighted the growing Sino Russian cooperation in the field of airborne warfare. Fisher reporting on the second International Defense Exhibition Land Force (IDELF) from 2 to 6 August 2006, indicated that this featured the Vozdushno Desantniy Voisk (VDV), or Russian Airborne Force in a major way. China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is reported to have adopted the Russian model of mechanized airborne forces to perform offensive deep strike operations. The Chinese have purchased Russian equipment to build this capability but are also designing and manufacturing airborne mechanized fighting vehicle on the lines of the Russian BMD. PLA officers are also training in the Russian airborne training school, V.F. Margelov Higher Airborne Command School in Ryazan.
There are some differences which have been noticed in the para jumping techniques of the Chinese and the Russians. The Chinese surprisingly do not jump with their weapons which are in canisters. Thus till they retrieve their weapons, the troops will be vulnerable to enemy action. The Chinese have also shown interest in the heavy lift Mi 26 helicopter which will provide them with high level of mobility on the battlefield. The acquisition of airborne and helicopter assets will provide the Chinese unprecedented power projection capability in the coming decades with the area of influence extending into the Persian Gulf and the Middle East.
Helicopter Acquisition Program
China has stated requirement of 2763 civil helicopters of all types from 2006 to 2026, which is an average of about 140 helicopters every year or almost one in two days. The Chinese are also attempting to be a key player in the helicopter industry by 2020 as the China Aviation Industrial Corporation (CAIC) attempts to take forward its programme of indigenous production to meet its burgeoning demand for helicopters. China is stated to be a large producer of helicopters with over 20 models ranging from 1.5 tons to 13 tons.
China’s Military Maneuvers
A major exercise, “Queshan - 2006” was conducted by a motorized division of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Zhengzhou, Henan province of Central China during the month. The exercise involved mobilization and move of the formation by rail and road at the end of which it undertook a motorized advance to the battle area. The division is said to have demonstrated its capabilities to fight under electromagnetic conditions.
The Xinhua has also provided an account of the exercise debriefing stating rather candidly that a number of short comings were noticed in these maneuvers. Particular reference was made of the low accuracy of the missiles which was reported at 60 percent and the use of cell phones instead of military radios. The divisional commander was also criticized for postponing the attack thrice thereby exposing the troops in the forward areas for 50 minutes. On a request for fire support it was also stated that the precise timing and location was not indicated.
This surprising admission of frailties in an operational exercise appears to be Chinese attempt at dispelling apprehensions of such maneuvers and is certainly not a glasnost in the PLA. Of consequence is the poor performance of the missiles and lack of readiness to function in the “electro magnetic” environment.
Anti Terrorism Exercises
The Chinese held major anti terrorism exercises in the Inner Mongolia region involving over 2700 troops and policemen. Inner Mongolia is one of China’s largest provinces in the north bordering Russia as well as Mongolia. These exercises conducted over three days had simulated a number of likely terrorist threats such as stealing of high technology equipment from a major industrial city, bomb attacks and kidnapping of hostages in Baotou, Inner Mongolia’s major township. The People’s Liberation Army is also reported to have been involved in these exercises.
China has recently carried out anti terrorism exercises with a number of its neighbors including Kazakhstan and Tajikistan as reported on from time to time. The location of the exercises however in Inner Mongolia which is considered as a province with potential threat of dissension, second in priority after Xingjian is considered significant. The head of the Chinese anti terrorism department under Public Security is reported to have said that the exercises indicate new progress in anti terrorism in Inner Mongolia.
The use of tanks and armored personnel carriers during the exercise is relevant, as anti terrorism measures do not warrant such high caliber weapon systems. This may either reflect Chinese thinking on counter terrorism operations which denotes dealing it with a heavy hand or a reminder to the Inner Mongolian populace of the likely reaction in case of an uprising.
(Reports extracted from Xinhua)
Naval Communication Network. China has established a Blue water communication network for the navy based on the use of Satellite communications, 1600 remote units and large number of ships at sea will be covered by this project which is designed particularly for ships in the Paracel and Spratlys Island The entire network will be digitized providing the PLA navy communications with all its ships across the globe. The network will also be used for gaining access to the political web site of the PLA and conduct distance education for the soldiers in Paracel and Spratlys.
