Professional publication of the day: PLA Air Force's Four "Key Training Brands"

PLA Air Force's Four "Key Training Brands"
http://www.airuniversity.af.mil/CASI/Display/Article/1536348/pla-air-forces-four-key-training-brands/

By Jana Allen and Ken Allen, CASI / Published May 31, 2018

The PLAAF’s desire to advance its strategic transformation through qualitative changes is evidenced by its development of what it calls the “four key training brands” (四大品牌). These include: the Golden Helmet (金头盔) military competition; the Golden Dart (金飞镖) military competition; the Blue Shield (蓝 盾) exercise, which includes the Golden Shield (金盾) competition; and the Red Sword (红剑) exercise. This report provides an overview of these annual training events, which are described by the PLAAF as its “four main actual-combat oriented training series.”


Article here: 

Photos of the day: 5th and 6th Type 071 LDP fitting out in Shanghai

5th Type071 has been named 980 Longhushan

Photos of the day: Dalian shipyard June 2018

Photo credit goes to Longshi

Visible here are 4xType052D DDG and 2x055DDG (NATO Renhai-class cruisers).  When all of them are commissioned, the PLAN will have 17xType052D and 6xType055 in service.  Both classes are being constructed two yards, Shanghai and Dalian

Sunday, August 28, 2016

Photos of the day: Dalian shipyard 2006 vs 2016

Note the second-hand, Ukrainian Riga class floating casino in the background.  Not sure what will they do with that rusty bucket.  I am telling you, Chong Lot Travel Agency's US$20 million investment is a complete waste -- as of 2016, not a single slot machine is found there generating gambling income.

 2006, DDG115 Shenyang under construction

Aug 2016

2x Type 051C (DDG115 and DDG116)

Here it is -- PLAAF's tip of the spear "Ménage à trois" for air defense penetration

Joking aside,  folks should see this new "high end package" of J-20, J-10C plus J-16 formulating from miles away.  It should come as no surprise to anyone, in fact it is an expected and natural consequence of the recent development.

China's fighter jets hold 'perfect combination' training

Source
    Global Times
Editor
    Li Jiayao

Time
    2018-06-03

China's People's Liberation Army Air Force recently conducted combat training involving three types of its most advanced fighter jets, carrying air-to-air missiles, which a Chinese expert called a perfect combination.

China's most advanced stealth fighter jet, J-20, conducted joint training with multi-role strike fighter J-16 and multi-role fighter jet J-10C, engaging in air defense penetration drills, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Thursday.

The fighter jets used domestically developed mid-range air-to-air missile PL-15 and short-range air-to-air missile PL-10 in the training, Beijing-based news website Sina reported on Saturday.

"The three fighter jets… and the two missiles are perfect combinations," Song Zhongping, a military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Sunday.

The J-20 is capable of destroying a hostile air defense system. The J-10C can then take air supremacy, while the J-16 can strike enemy ground forces, Song said, adding that using the PL-15 and PL-10 together can cover both long-range and short-range aerial combat.

"The combination will serve as an important aerial deterrent against external forces," Song added.

 wo fighter jets attached to an aviation brigade of the air force under the PLA Southern Theater Command soar over the sky for a combat sortie during a flight training exercise in late May, 2018. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Tang Jun)

J-20 with J-10 to its left

Sunday, November 12, 2017

Offical photo of the day: J-11B with next generation of Chinese AAM (PL-10 ASRAAM and PL-15 LRAAM)

Since the 2016 Zhuhai airshow, photos of J-10 and J20 armed with PL-10 ASRAAM and PL-15 LRAA are now a common sight.   PL-10 is China's answer to the US AIM-9X Sidewinder, both with high off-bore sight capability, thrust-vectoring control (TVC) and able to "lock on" via helmet-mounted sights (HMS).  Paring with the PL-10 is the PL-15 LRAAM with a range of 200km, tasked for beyond visual range engagements, similar to US' AIM120-D of the same class.

Judging by this photo released by China's official Xinhua news agency yesterday, the PLAAF has retrofitted their older J-11B heavy fighters with this latest pair of advanced AAM.   They are not just for PLAAF top-of-the-line anymore.

J-11B with PL-10 and PL-15 AAM

J-10C with PL-10 and PL-15

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Photos of the day: J-20 mounting a pair of PL-10 Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles

PAP Forestry Command Heli Detachment - 1st Battalion

This battalion has a fleet of 9 "confirmed" Z-8 / AC313 under its command

PAP Forestry Command Heli Detachment, 2nd Battalion

Since part of the PAP is now officially under the CMC,  I suppose all its existing military assets can now be conscripted into supporting the PLA in a crisis, including 2nd Battalion's 16 improved Z-8 or AC313.

The PAP commands a sizable helicopter fleet, an assets that has been overlooked by many.

JH16-1, China's new 9×19mm parabellum submachine gun

In a May23rd (link here), Guangdong SWAT drill, they fielded the new JH16-1 9×19mm Parabellum submachine gun which was revealed last year.

JH16-1 by Hubei Jianghua Machinery Co or Factory 9616 before it was transferred as a civilian company in 2002, fires9×19mm Parabellum but can be adapted to different calibers for export.

Weighting in 2.8 kg and with a rate of fire around 800/minute to effective firing range of 200 meters.  JH16-1 is heavier and slower than the traditional Type79 SWAP submachine gun (1.75kg and 1000 rounds per minutes) but they in the same category over all.   Type79 fires 7.62×25 mm Tokarev.

 9×19mm Parabellum

 JH16-1 and Type 79 together

Pics from the May23rd drill

Other pics from the same SWAT drill

Cold War Artifacts of the day: The 7 Chinese artificial hills of the NorthEastern Frontier

Long before the Chinese started constructing artificial islands, they built 7 artificial hills/fortresses in NE China, hoping to slow down an impending Soviet armor thrust into Beijing.  The Soviet cold war goal was to capture Beijing, install a puppet government and divide China into half;  knowing full well the Soviet Far East did not have the manpower to conquer entire China while facing a much more powerful NATO in due course.

From 1969 to 1978, the buildup of Soviet troops along the Chinese-Soviet boarder accounted for 80 percent of the total increase in Soviet military manpower.  In 1973, Soviet ground troops long the Soviet-Chinese frontier were increased from 23 divisions in 1968 to 45 divisions -- including 8 tank divisions.    (Page 34, from Adversaries to Partners?: Chinese and Russian Military Cooperation after the Cold War,  By Ming-Yen Tsai) 

Here are pictures of fortress number 4 located in Ejin Banner of Innter Mongolia:  Totaling 80 acres in size, 340 meters in diameter and a radius of 160 meters. Elevation of 51 meters and the fortification is surrounded by a gully of six meters deep.  Construction started in March 6, 1963 and completed by the end of 1969.  Total garrison was 4748 troops.  The purpose of those artificial artificial hills/fortresses was to slow down the Soviet blitzkrieg as they were not expected more against such a mighty foe.

Another one from Zhengding County, Hebei Province.