The PLA Photos You Dont See Everyday

While state-of-the-art images showcasing China's latest military advancements flood the internet—including those featured in this blog—there exists another side of the People’s Liberation Army, one far removed from cutting-edge technology and dramatic displays of power.

The following two photos capture Chinese border guards on patrol and engaged in marker repairs—scenes that highlight a less glamorous, more labor-intensive reality of military service. These young enlistees march across vast, lifeless stretches of land, their daily routines defined by quiet diligence rather than high-tech spectacle. Their work is repetitive, often overlooked, and lacks the allure of headline-making operations, yet it remains essential. "It is only only a job but an adventure" - NOT.

It may not be the kind of service that draws attention or inspires admiration, but these soldiers are the ones performing real, necessary tasks. At the very least, their works deserve acknowledgment.

Saturday, September 28, 2024

Life is tough at the frontier post

The Zhanniangshe Post of Tibet's Shigatse Military Subdistrict, located at the southern foot of the Himalayas, stands 4,655 meters above sea level. It is ringed by heavy clouds and fog all year.  The severe snowfall period lasts more than 7 months every year, and the oxygen concentration is less than one-third that of the plain. 

The post's living conditions have substantially improved over the last few years with a three-story comprehensive thermal insulation sentry structure that combines duty, training, and dwelling has been constructed.   Bathrooms, toilets, heating equipment, oxygen generating equipment, and other amenities are now available. ​​​

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

“Yunzhong Post" of Zhanniangshe, Shigatse Military Subdistrict, Tibet. 4655 meters above sea level

 

 

 

Sunday, January 03, 2021

forward observation post "5592", a certain Frontied Defense Regiment, Tibet MD

 

Y-20 AEW&C Aircraft (w/KJ-3000 Airborne Radar)

 Back in Dec 2023,  Chinese military circles started to discuss a new AEW&C Aircraft based on the Y-20 transport platform (link)  and (link).  Considering that China is experienced in integrating Russian IL-76 with its own phased array radar (PAR) by Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation since early 2000, upgrading both radar and the aircraft with Y-20 seems to be a straightforward next step.

Of course, a photo released in January 9, 2024 (see below) by AVIC, featuring youthful designers and a fairly large model of the new AEW&C, adding credibility to the ongoing discussion.

 

Photos fro Dec 27th 2024

 

 

and now this, May 28, 2025

Saturday, October 03, 2009

KJ-2000 AWAC's Radar, An Inside Look.

China's first early warning aircraft hints strategic leap in air defense

(Source: Xinhua) 2009-10-01

　 　BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The organizer of China's National Day parade showed the most important hardware progress the country's Air Force made in the past decade as the long-range Kongjing-2000 and two other smaller Kongjing-200 aircraft led air formations.

　　The Kongjing-2000 is China's first generation of military airborne early warning and control (AEWC) system developed with its own technology. The plane was deployed around 2004 after decades of trade embargo by Western countries and unsuccessful acquisition of Russia-made equivalent.

　　A practical AEWC platform has been long expected by the Chinese People's Liberation Army's Air Force since the 1960s when it realized the growing insufficiency of short-range fighters and limited ground radar bases to defend China's vast territory and more than 4.7-million square kilometers of waters under its jurisdiction.

　 　With an ability to process comprehensive information and long-range detection by its active phased array radar, Kongjing-2000 can track dozens of aerial targets and guide the PLA's fighters to intercept enemy aircraft far beyond their detection range.

　　"The early warning aircraft is a multiplier of air defense forces and its advantages will be particularly significant out of the land area, such as the South China Sea," said Prof. Wang Hanling, a maritime expert with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

　　Kongjing-200 with its balance beam-like radar on the back of itsYun-8 transporter airframe is a supplemental AEWC system for lower-altitude and shorter-range mid-air combat information supply.

　　"They (AEWC aircraft) are the basic requirement for the PLA's Air Force to have a systematic combat platform under information-based warfare," said Prof. Wang Mingliang with the Air Force Command College.

　　"To construct such a systematic platform is what the PLA's Air Force is doing and will reinforce in the future," Wang said.

　 　Wang said the PLA is stepping up the platform's construction as the world's leading air forces have connected air weaponry such asfighters, bombers, AEWC aircraft and electronic warfare devices with military information distribution network which rely on military resources in both the air and the space, such as satellites.

　　"The AEWC aircraft is actually a comprehensive mid-air platform that connects the ground radar and the aircraft which can see and hear farther than a single weapon alone," said Prof. Tan Kaijia.

　　"The development of Kongjing-2000 and Kongjing-200 has also encouraged Chinese scientists with huge pride, which proves that China can master AEWC technologies," Tan said.

　　The Air Force's vice commander Lt.-Gen. Zhao Zhongxin told Xinhua that AEWC aircraft played an essential role in providing navigation and telecommunications services during last year's earthquake relief work in Sichuan Province and Beijing Olympic Games.

　　The aircraft to perform the air show were selected from the PLA's Air Force, naval aviation and army aviation. Their pilots have conducted rehearsals of flying over Tian'anmen Square from the air bases in the outskirts of Beijing.

Editor:Chen Jie

Forever Type81 122 mm Multiple Rocket Launcher (MRL)

After nearly 40 years of service, the PLA still deploys the Type 81 122 mm  Multiple Rocket Launcher (aka the Chinese BM-21 Grad) in fairly numbers.  They are found organic to artillery battalion / combined arms brigade.   Over the years, the BM-21 Grad has provided itself reliable in various conflicts,  the PLA command likely draw the same conclusion of keep them around by monitoring their usage from afar.  

Of course, there are more modernized versions of the Type81 and China has been exporting them as well.  

Photos below published in May 12nd, 2025 (link), note the old school Shaanxi SX2150 6x6 5-ton heavy truck.  

Friday, October 25, 2024

PLA Army TOE Update Of the Day

 20-barreled 122mm self-propelled rocket launcher based on the 6X6 warrior high mobility chassis is now found at the artillery battalion/high mobility combined arms brigade, continuing the trend of trading in armor protection and fire power for mobility for those PLA high mobility combined arms brigades.  Duh.

PR Photos Of The Day: J-10C and Sunset