PLA Chinese MRE

Seems like Chinese food quality control even for the military is way below substandard. This is pretty shocking for a military that has the aspiration to be world power.
That can't even feed the soldiers right.

Compare to the Japanse JSDF MRE:

Really makes you wonder.

This is really sad.

I have a friend who's father was in the Vietnam War. He says the Vietnamese won because all they had was a bag of uncooked rice they could carry easily and lasted them a long time. The American soldier carried all these cans of food that weighed them down and didn't last long. If you want to say you won the war because you have better food, then be happy.

Soldiers do not usually eat MREs every day. And especially the PLA are usually known for giving out fresh food with mobile kitchens.

MREs are really only for emergencies or special operations forces who do not have the access to the usualy battalion logistics that normal soldiers have.

Insignius said:

Soldiers do not usually eat MREs every day. And especially the PLA are usually known for giving out fresh food with mobile kitchens.

MREs are really only for emergencies or special operations forces who do not have the access to the usualy battalion logistics that normal soldiers have.

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And bad MREs only exacerbate such emergencies.

AssassinsMace said:

I have a friend who's father was in the Vietnam War. He says the Vietnamese won because all they had was a bag of uncooked rice they could carry easily and lasted them a long time. The American soldier carried all these cans of food that weighed them down and didn't last long. If you want to say you won the war because you have better food, then be happy.

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you do know that the Vietnam War was decided on more important factors than just food rations right?
That rice sack v canned food analogy is at best a laughable joke. especially seeing that canned food has the advantage of not needing to be cooked first.
Down to it, good tasting MRE does goes along way to boosting soldier morale. But what actually taste good to a soldier differs from country to country.
But the PLAN does have some better MRE on offer, like the fried rice+sauce combo which was reviewed by the same youtuber. All I can say is that the guy opened a bad one this time.

Viktor Jav said:

you do know that the Vietnam War was decided on more important factors than just food rations right?
That rice sack v canned food analogy is at best a laughable joke. especially seeing that canned food has the advantage of not needing to be cooked first.
Down to it, good tasting MRE does goes along way to boosting soldier morale. But what actually taste good to a soldier differs from country to country.
But the PLAN does have some better MRE on offer, like the fried rice+sauce combo which was reviewed by the same youtuber. All I can say is that the guy opened a bad one this time.

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I guess you didn't get how your food tastes doesn't matter if you win a war or not....

AssassinsMace said:

I have a friend who's father was in the Vietnam War. He says the Vietnamese won because all they had was a bag of uncooked rice they could carry easily and lasted them a long time. The American soldier carried all these cans of food that weighed them down and didn't last long. If you want to say you won the war because you have better food, then be happy.

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You are also putting a lot of spin in this @AssassinsMace.
Remember the Imperial Japanese military only had a bag of rice to march with in World War 2, well the US had more or less the same C-Rats that would evolve into the MCI.

The Rations didn’t loose the Vietnam war. Fact is it was almost won. The North had signed the Paris Peace Accords It was all but over. The US was out. South Vietnam was supposed to become the second South Korea.
What lost it was after the US Military withdraw, The US stood back and cut support to the South as the North broke the accord and advanced virtually unimpeded.
That’s what leads to the fall of Saigon.

Insignius said:

Soldiers do not usually eat MREs every day. And especially the PLA are usually known for giving out fresh food with mobile kitchens.

MREs are really only for emergencies or special operations forces who do not have the access to the usualy battalion logistics that normal soldiers have.

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That’s actually the norm.
MRE type rations and there predecessors are not designed for day to day eating.
Take the C ration of world war 2 for example, a number of units especially in South east Asia often depended on C-Rats for 80% of their daily food for periods of months. On return they reported dramatic weight loss. Over 20 to 30 pounds.
After that work on new rations targeted increasing calories.
Today’s ration packs target between 2,900 to 3,800 calories. If you ate like that everyday and lead a normal civilian life you would be packing on the pounds fast. Modern military ration systems are meant to be consumed by an individual engaged in high intensity activities.
This is part of the reason why you have tailored ration packs for humanitarian aide and training because these Military versions are “super charged” with calories.
As such normally on base or ship duties there are more fresh and conventional food options. From Mobile kitchens and cafeteria mess halls. A and B Rations in the US A being a simple boxed lunch set. B rations being foods that need refrigeration and preparation in a field kitchen or mess hall. These are more tailored for less strenuous activity.

Wells that's my friend's father's, who was a US Marine, opinion that the US couldn't fight the same war the Vietnamese were fighting because American soldiers cared about creature comforts that the Vietnamese didn't.

I've seen multiple videos from Chinese sources saying the main complaint of the Type 13 PLA MREs is that the rice is too soggy, similar to 粽子 (although I did hear that the latest variant has improved the texture of the rice significantly). Most have commented that the taste of the meals are actually pretty good. As a matter of fact, most of them actually preferred the PLA ones over the European, Korean or Japanese ones.

The main complaint about Western MREs from the Chinese testers is that they do not heat up to nearly as hot as the Chinese ones.

Also, the PLA ground forces have the worst MREs, then navy, with air force having the best quality. Type 13 is for the ground forces.

AssassinsMace said:

I guess you didn't get how your food tastes doesn't matter if you win a war or not....

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Right and I supposed having fouled meat that can cause indigestion in your meal is so gonna help in a fight?