Drone Application Of The Day: PLA Smoke Generating Drones

Thanks to inflation,  smoked salmon is now going as high as $60 USD per lb at Amazon (link) Given how cheap the PLA is, naturally they preferred to smoke their own salmon rather paying retail pricing for those yummy yummy.   Hey, they have a bunch of drones sitting around doing nothing, might just as well, to put them to work and make some smoke! 

PLA Equipment Of The Day: Type 134 Pit Blaster

The Type 134 is mainly used by the demolition company of the engineer battalion of the combined-arms brigade.

In PLA combat deployment, individual soldiers and fire teams are responsible for their own foxholes, whilst engineers are in charge of high-volume fortifications and trenches such as bunkers for huge command posts and anti-tank trenches. In the past.  The shaped charge of this Pit Blaster provides the "Munroe effect," allowing troops to have foxhole protection quickly.

 

Video of the Type 134 at work

https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1Zv411675H/

 

 

Snow bird to Hainan again!

The PLAN's winter "snowbird" to Hainan island, sometimes known as "Chinese Hawaii," continues with two of her aircraft carriers enjoying maitai with small umbrellas on top.   It's definitely a wonderful time.

Hainan Jin Jiaomu Port is where CV16 and CV17 are currently vacationing. 

Friday, January 01, 2021

"Snow bird" to Hainan island seems to be very popular for the folks up the cold-north.

DDG 105 "Dalian",  second of the 055 Renhai class spotted at Hainan together with a host of entourage.   

Military exercises conducted in waters around Hainan Island

Source
    China Military Online
Editor
    Wang Xinjuan

Time
    2020-12-30 10:11:48
http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/view/2020-12/30/content_9960578.htm


BEIJING, Dec. 30 -- According to the notice released by China's Sanya Maritime Safety Administration on December 28, military exercises will be conducted in waters around Hainan Island from December 29, 2020 to January 7, 2021.

HN0129 SOUTH CHINA SEA MILITARY EXERCISES IN AREA BOUNDED BY THE LINES JOINING 17-29.0N 110-02.0E, 17-43.5N 110-18.5E, 17-37.5N 110-24.5E AND 17-23.0N 110-08.0E FROM 290000UTC DEC 20 TO 070800UTC JAN 21. ENTERING PROHIBITED. HAINAN MSA CHINA.

HN0128 SOUTH CHINA SEA MILITARY EXERCISES IN AREA BOUNDED BY THE LINES JOINING 17-33.0N 109-30.0E, 17-33.0N 109-51.0E, 17-58.0N 109-51.0E AND 17-58.0N 109-30.0E FROM 290000UTC DEC 20 TO 070800UTC JAN 21. ENTERING PROHIBITED. HAINAN MSA CHINA.

HN0127 SOUTH CHINA SEA MILITARY EXERCISES IN AREA BOUNDED BY THE LINES JOINING 17-54.0N 108-59.0E, 17-54.0N 109-09.0E, 18-04.0N 109-09.0E AND 18-04.0N 108-59.0E FROM 290000UTC DEC 20 TO 070800UTC JAN 21. ENTERING PROHIBITED. HAINAN MSA CHINA.

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

In the meanwhile, the 1st Type075 LPD is enjoying her "snowbird" vacation in the southern tropic of Hainan island

 

Friday, November 29, 2013

Question of the day: where is Liaoning? It is at Hainan.

China's aircraft carrier docks in Sanya

ABOARD LIAONING AIRCRAFT CARRIER, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, carried out its first docking manoeuver at Sanya City's a naval harbor in south China's Hainan Province on Friday morning.

The aircraft carrier will carry out relevant experiments and trainings here.

On Tuesday, the Liaoning left its home port of Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province for the South China Sea, passing through the Taiwan Strait on Thursday.

This is the first time the Liaoning has conducted a cross-sea training voyage since it was commissioned into the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy last year.

It was escorted by two missile destroyers, the Shenyang and Shijiazhuang, and two missile frigates, the Yantai and Weifang.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Vacation in Sanya

When the PLAN submarine base in Sanya Hainan was revealed to the public two years ago, it caused a stir within the PLA watching community (here).

Simultaneously, Sanya is developing into one of the nicest vacation spots in the world.  Why swim with dolphins when you can swim with Han class nuclear submarines?

The decommissioned LSM 978 (here)

Hi Res Photo Of The Day: H/PJ-38 130mm main gun

Note the muzzle velocity radar installed on the H/PJ-38 130mm main gun found on Type 052D Type DDG 165 Zhanjiang  of the Southern Theater Command Navy

Tuesday, June 07, 2016

Type 052D destroyer, DDG 174 Hefei, a look inside.

The PLAN, and to a greater extent the PLA in general, is cheap (I have said this before, but I shall say it again and again) therefore the Spartan-look of their most advanced DDG is not unexpected.  That said, the crew comfort level is still a far cry from those good ole Luda days.

 H/PJ-38 130mm dual purpose gun, the most powerful artillery currently in service with the PLAN

The Cold-Launch VLS system and the H/PJ-12 CIWS

Note the Active Phased Array radar mounted on the superstructure

1x3 torpedo tubes on either side off the hull

 One of the four 18-tube decoy rocket launchers

ZTQ-15 Light Tank covered by Cope Cages / Slat Armor, an artist impression

CG by "大包CG"

Cope Cages / Slat Armor Of The Day: ZTQ-15 Light Tank

ZTQ-15 Light Tank sporting Cage Armor for the 1st time at a combat exercise at 5300 meters above sea level.  Yes, the PLA has finally waking up to the new realities of contemporary drone warfare.

Saturday, November 24, 2018

Non-news of the day: The first PLA operator of Norinco's ZTQ-15 105mm light tank is

the 123rd Combined Arms Brigade (合成第123旅), 75th Group Army, Southern Theater Command.

The 123rd is one of PLA's elite units guarding China's southern flank and considered to be one of Army's major amphibious units.   With that in mind, it is not unreasonable to assume that the 123rd is part of an contingency plan for an island 110 miles east of Fujian province.   Having this new light tank could come in handy, not just for amphibious landing east Fujian but several other scenarios around Southern China as well.


123rd Combined Arms Brigade was expended from the 369th Mechanized Infantry Regiment, 123rd Heavy Amphibious Mechanized Infantry Division, 41st Group Army, Guangzhou Military Region during the last round of PLA or-org an year and half ago.

 ZTQ-15 of the 123th

Saturday, October 07, 2017

Photo of the day: ZTQ-15 light tank unmasked.

While PLA's own ZTQ-15 might not be 100% identical to the export VT-5 (note the driver position), they sure share the same 105mm tank gun, RWS and 35mm AGL+12,7mm HMG for self-defense.  

35mm AGL+12,7mm HMG

Norinco export VT-5 Light Tank

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

LN36 - 123rd Heavy Armor Combined Arms Brigade, Southern Theater Command

 Showing off its ZTQ15 105mm Light Tank in a drill.

Source (here)