As you have mentioned foreign militaries doctrines on their airborne troops, do you have any knowledge for China's doctrine?
From what I can see from the outside, it seems that they using a lot of firepower capabilities.
All these mortars and artilleries, point to a fighting force which would pursue objectives, fight off enemies and hold positions (?).
If possible can you give some high-level examples on what the Chinese airborne objectives would be (based on their doctrine ofc)
In the English-speaking world, the only thing we got is this:
"According to You Ji’s “The Armed forces of China”, the PLAAF Airborne Corps has been elevated to the status of a strategic force. It is a
departure from the PLA traditional airborne force concept. Doctrinal modernization change
allows the PLAAF Airborne Corps to act as a principal force employed for independent campaign missions in future wars. It is now accepted that the airborne troops should be used for
pre-emptive attack on the enemy’s key military targets in the rear area in order to paralyze or disrupt its preparation for an offensive. This kind of large-scale mission cannot be conducted without having a total control in the air" (
)
Keep in mind, this excerpt is from a book published in 1999, so this is definitely outdated. However, according to the same source:
"The PLA Airborne Corps’ main purpose is to carry out
both airborne and air-assault operations. These operations are designed to support main-force operational efforts, seize and hold key targets and areas in the
enemy’s depth such as airfields and bridges, block an enemy’s retreat, block reinforcement by enemy reserve forces, and conduct raids on key targets in the enemy’s depth"
I believe the above is the author's view, and he is a retired Indian air marshal. Nonetheless, I do concur with his view. The PLA Airborne is too faraway from robust logistical chains to keep up any mechanized push. One can argue that they can get supplied by air. However, in World War 2, German forces, who were surrounded by Soviet Forces in the eve of the Battle of Stalingrad, were supplied by air but the weather sucked. Plus the resources they got wasn't enough for them to hold their position. In the same war, in the Battle of the Bulge, US Airborne forces weren't purely saved by air drops; they were saved by Patton's 3rd Army, who broke through the German encirclement. With modern day air defenses continuously improving, the air defense gap can be closed. So, the best they can do is seize important objectives, which would hinder the enemy's flow of logistical supplies and troops to the front, and, if necessary, rapidly reinforce the front lines.
As for an example, in the real world, let's say, the PLA airborne are trying to capture Myitkyina Airport in Myanmar (which is an extremely far-fetched example but I don't want a political debate happening in this thread). Assuming air defenses are all suppressed and the reinforcements are delayed due to an aerial campaign, the Airborne can land near the airport and seize and hold the major highways that connect to it. By the time the reinforcements are ready, the Airborne have already achieved their objective and are waiting for the main force to arrive. Due to their relatively strong artillery, anti-tank weaponry, and superb training, they can disrupt enemy attempts to recapture the airport and pick off any remaining forces that managed to reorganize into a fighting force. Meanwhile, since the enemy's air defense is suppressed and the air is in the control of the PLAAF, they can also call in air strikes to destroy any enemy opposition.
Also, we are going off topic since this thread is purely about Chinese infantry fighting vehicles only. So, I'm going to have to end it right here. Sorry about that, but we can discuss this in the PLA News, Pics, and Discussion thread if you want to continue this discussion.
