PLA Coast Defense Forces

After going through the SinoDefence website, I have yet to find anything on weapons ground forces are equipped with for seaward defense of the coastline, except for the mention that certain missiles, such as the HY-1 and the J-8 series had land-based launchers for that purpose. Now, it seems fairly obvious to me that some of the PLA field artillery would be used as rapidly installable batteries or as roving batteries for coast defense, as was formerly US practice with 75mm, 90mm, and 155mm pieces. However, I'm curious as to what the PLA uses in fixed or semi-fixed coaast defenses to defend their coastlines, if they do so at all. Considering that traditionally they have employed Soviet Doctrine, I find it possible that they do indeed, or formerly did, use fixed coast defenses. If so, I'm curious as to what pieces are used and their specifications, for example, would they use 7.1" guns, 12" guns or howitzers, and smaller major and medium caliber batteries (such as the 130mm coast defense gun), and maybe even heavy mortars or other major caliber pieces above 155mm? Are they fixed, semi-fixed, rail, or towed (in one or multiple pieces)?

As for mobile batteries for the purpose, provided that is their practice, I personally find it likely that they would use 155mm, 152mm, and 130mm field guns and maybe howitzers as well, and possibly even the 122mm pieces, for coast defense. The use of the 57mm and 100mm AA pieces is highly likely in my opinion as well, since they can be loadd and fired rapidly and be used against surface and ground targets (making them optimal against small craft), while also being able to provide some AA defence. I wouldn't be agt all surprised if lighter batteries were used for the purpose for close-in small craft and to repell landings. Does anyone know what the actual PLA doctrine, practice, and equipment is in this regard? It could also be possible that MRLS are used as well in this role, although about that I have my doubts.

The main ground weapons of China's coastal defence are C301 missile and dual 130mm gun.


This is the dual 130mm gun, an improved version of the USSR counterpart

The coastal defence force is very complicated. As far as I heard, their main job is to defence the coast from enemy landing. Some of them belong to navy, some belong to army. The independent units can be division (only few, may be just one now), brigade, regement, fort, patrol squadron(on the rivers in north east) and transportation squadron. Regement is the most common one. Some army divisions (mostly reserve) have coastal defence battalions. Some independent units (mostly brigades) are commanded by military region (beijing, shenyang, nanjing, guangzhou), most (mostly regements) are commanded by military districts (each province has one military district). Some other (mostly regements) are commanded by army corps. I heard the 31th army corps commands a lot of coastal defence units that the sum of those units is bigger than the size of that corps itself. Some city level military district is an entire coastal defence unit at division or brigade level, some belong to military region, some belong to fleet (north, east, south). Some units also belong to armed police force.

These units generally do not have armoured vehicles but are equippted with more radar and communication systems. They also have their own naval bases and small transportation or engineering crafts as well as patrol boats. Some in army color, some in navy color. They do not have aircrafts.

They used to have more and better towed artilaries, trucks and other auxiliary systems than normal army units. In 50s-80s, the coastal defence units were considered as elite units and their information was considered high level secret. Now it's different story. Their new bases and batteries are mostly constructed by civilian companies, they host a lot of military-civilian interactive events, etc.

I suspected that they had dedicated coast defense equipment beyond the anti-ship missiles. I wonder what other armaments they utilize, especially considering the Soviet influence. For example, the Soviets, and after their fall, the Russians, used turreted 12" guns in twin turrets, 12" guns in barbette mountings, 12" self-propelled owitzers in prepared positions, 7.1" gun turrets, 7.1" guns in barbette carriages, mobile 7.1" pieces, and I think there were also a couple of calibers in limited use between 7.1" and 12". Of course, they also used the fixed 130mm coast defense guns in different types of mountings and such. Some of these are still active, but most of the mounts, especially the heavy ones, wee mothballed due to budget cuts. It'd be interesting to see if the PLA uses similar weaponry. I wonder why nothing in this regard is realy on the SinoDefence website, as you would expect something like that to be there. It's greatest importance, in my opinion, is that such weapons would be used to repel assaults by larger nations with expeditionary forces, like the United States, in the case of a war.

It's greatest importance, in my opinion, is that such weapons would be used to repel assaults by larger nations with expeditionary forces, like the United States, in the case of a war.

Click to expand...

If things really got to the point where the US is doing an amphibious landing, the response would be a DF-31A on Manhattan, not cannon fire. Sorry, this is just reality.

That would not prevent a landing from coming ashore, and it would there is also the possibility of preemptive strikes, or interception should the ABM system become reality, and such. The use of nukes would likely infuriate Americans into a frenzy.

bigstick61 said:

I suspected that they had dedicated coast defense equipment beyond the anti-ship missiles. I wonder what other armaments they utilize, especially considering the Soviet influence. For example, the Soviets, and after their fall, the Russians, used turreted 12" guns in twin turrets, 12" guns in barbette mountings, 12" self-propelled owitzers in prepared positions, 7.1" gun turrets, 7.1" guns in barbette carriages, mobile 7.1" pieces, and I think there were also a couple of calibers in limited use between 7.1" and 12". Of course, they also used the fixed 130mm coast defense guns in different types of mountings and such. Some of these are still active, but most of the mounts, especially the heavy ones, wee mothballed due to budget cuts. It'd be interesting to see if the PLA uses similar weaponry. I wonder why nothing in this regard is realy on the SinoDefence website, as you would expect something like that to be there. It's greatest importance, in my opinion, is that such weapons would be used to repel assaults by larger nations with expeditionary forces, like the United States, in the case of a war.

Click to expand...

No, the only dedicated coastal defence gun is the dual 130mm. USSR and other countries have bigger coastal guns because they had old big warships, while china had none. Then china went for land based anti ship missiles.

So that's it then? Also, some of the Russian weapons are military guns, as opposed to naval weapons, which is why I thought maybe some had been sold to China, or at least the designs. I didn't expect China to have any major-caliber naval weapons, although for them to develop such weapons could prove useful to them if they desire an expeditionary force. Anyhow, that's alot of coastline to cover with just missiles, considering unit cost and limited numbers.

The dual 130mm gun was developed from USSR navy version. The coastal defence force use type 59-1 130mm field gun as well. And some coastal defence units are actually army units so they have other army weapons. The coast line is mainly covered by ships, radar and planes, and backed up by a huge army. That's how China defend herself from a major landing.

So say that US forces were to achieve air superiority and control the seas in the area where the landings are to take place, the only heavy weapons the PLA could employ to oppose a landing are field pieces and weapons organic to infantry units, along with missiles?

That's right.