CCTV capture of the day: China's Strategic Support Force, not your everyday internet keyboard warrior anymore

From this CCTV report,  new members of the Strategic Support Force have to endure the crucible of "hell week" just like the next guy.  It's a 7 day/6 night of extreme training a bit longer than their US counterparts and takes place  middle of no where as well.

The Strategic Support Force commissioned in December 31, 2015 (see article below) as part of that round of re-org.

Source (here)

 The guy in the back is sporting a Type03 rifle, interesting.

http://english.chinamil.com.cn/news-channels/pla-daily-commentary/2016-01/06/content_6846500.htm

Expert: PLA Strategic Support Force a key force to win wars
Source: China Military OnlineEditor: Yao Jianing
2016-01-06 16:440

BEIJING, January 6 (ChinaMil) -- The inaugural ceremony for the PLA Army’s leading organ, the PLA Rocket Force and the PLA Strategic Support Force was held in Beijing on December 31, 2015. The newly-established PLA Strategic Support Force seems quite mysterious. What on earth does this military force look like?

For this question, military expert Yin Zhuo said that the major mission of the PLA Strategic Support Force is to give support to the combat operations so that the PLA can gain regional advantages in the astronautic war, space war, network war and electromagnetic space war and ensure smooth operations.

Specifically, the tasks of the PLA Strategic Support Force include object observation and reconnaissance, feedback of object information; daily navigation, management over the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System and space reconnaissance means, as well as defending electromagnetic space and cyberspace. “All these are the new fields that determine whether the PLA can win in the future battlefield.”

During a war, the reconnaissance force for the electronic space can help the PLA understand the enemy's trend, help the troops plan the combat operations, and ensure victory on the battlefield. In peacetime, the security of electromagnetic space and cyberspace becomes increasingly important as China's information degree increases.

Yin Zhuo pointed out that as satellite navigation facilities are applied for civil purposes, high-speed railways, ships, planes and automobiles will all be equipped with vehicular or airborne positioning facilities. Such facilities will play an important role in China's society construction.

In addition, many hackers have carried out illegal activities against China on the Internet, such as cyber attacks against China's important governmental facilities, military facilities and important civil facilities, which requires us to equip ourselves with defensive power.

The PLA Strategic Support Force will also play an important role in safeguarding the national financial security and everyday life of the people.

"The PLA Strategic Support Force is an important force in joint operations." Yin Zhuo said that nowadays every combat operation involves offense and defense in the electronic space. The PLA Strategic Support Force will play an important role in reconnaissance, warning, communication, commanding, control, navigation, and construction of digital ocean and digital earth, etc., and will provide strong support for the joint operations of various services and arms in order to realize the goal of winning a local war under IT-based conditions.

Yin Zhuo pointed out that the PLA Strategic Support Force is not a single combat force. It will be included into the operations of the army, navy, air force and rocket force, etc., so as to conduct integrated joint operations.

The PLA Strategic Support Force will exist throughout the whole process of military operations, penetrate into each combat mission, and become a key force to win the war.

The author is Qiu Yue, reporter from the People’s Daily Online.