Unit Update: PLAN 6th Marine Brigade Dec 24th

Finally a confirmation that the PLAN 6th Marine Brigade is now equipped with Type15/ZTQ-15 light tank.  Previously, the 6th was equipped with ZTD05 assault gun for 105mm direct fire support.

 

 6355 and 6359 = 6th Marine Brigade, 3rd Battalion, 

 Older photo of ZTD05 from the 2nd battalion, 6th Marine Brigade  (note the numbers 6247, 6244) 

 

Friday, October 17, 2025

Unit Update: PLAN 6th Marine Brigade

The following PR photos showcase an artillery unit from the 6th Marine Brigade (6*06) undergoing training at the PLA Army’s Zhurihe Combined Arms Training Base, Asia’s largest such base (link) The following images confirm that the PLA Marines have access to organic, large-caliber fire support in the form of the 155mm PCL-181 howitzer.

The PCL-181 is a wheeled artillery system, and its selection over heavier tracked alternatives like the PLZ-05 likely reflects a strategic preference for enhanced mobility and reduced logistical burden for the PLAN Marine. Its lighter weight and road-friendly design make it well-suited for rapid deployment and maneuverability, those are key advantages for the 6th Marine Brigade.

 

Tuesday, January 09, 2018

The 5th PLAN Marine Briagde is here

It just completed its first field deployment drill in minus ten degrees near its home port of Qingdao (here).   The 1st and 2nd PLAN Marine Brigades are home-ported in Zhanjiang, South Sea Fleet.  Since the 5th Marine Briagde is in Qingdao, it is likely under the North Sea Fleet.

Saturday, December 23, 2017

PLAN Marine Orbat Update, Dec 23rd 2017

If the great "Chinese Internet" is to be believed, a total of 5 new PLAN Marine combat brigades will be commissioned to support PLA's “New Historic Missions”.  They are to supplement the existing 1st and 2nd Marine Brigades.   The new outfits are:  3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and Marine SpOps Brigade.

The Fourth PLAN Marine Brigade

Monday, March 06, 2017

"We will have a bigger Navy and Marine Corps" Admiral Liu Xiaojiang

Speaking at the current National People’s Congress session on Sunday,  Admiral Liu Xiaojiang. the former Political Commissar of the PLAN stressed that the PLAN will play an increasingly important role in national defense - for the readers of this blog - with additional Army transfers to the PLAN Marine's Order of battle (中国海军上将证实：海军人员编制舰艇规模将扩大)  .

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Long expected, the third PLAN Marine Brigade is now here.

The commission of the third PLAN Marine Brigade should come as no surprise since "with great power comes great Marines".  The current two-Marine Brigade ORBAT simply does not have the manpower to fulfill all those new "historical missions" the PLA high command has planned for them.  The question is really about which PLA ground unit will be transferred to the navy and how soon.

The first PLAN Marine Brigade commissioned on May 1980.  164th Motorized Infantry Division, 41st Army Group Army transferred to the Chinese Marine Corps as the 164th Marine Brigade on July 1998.  This new Marine Brigade is another army transfer, this time from the 77th "Yimeng/沂蒙" Motorized Infantry Brigade, 26th Group Army, Jinan MR/ Northern Theater Command.

The 77th is a proud PLA outfit, commissioned by the CMC on December 1945 and participated in some of the major campaigns during the Chinese Civil War (The Battle of Luannan, the Battle of Laiwu, the Battle of Menglianggu, the Battle of Kaifeng, the Battle of Huaihai, the Battle of the Yangtze River, and the Battle of Shanghai).  It also took part in the Second, Fourth, and Fifth campaigns of the "War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea".

Yimeng Brigade's unit sleeve insignia can be seen from the picture above  

Saturday, January 14, 2017

ZTL09 8x8 Wheeled Light Tank to the PLAN Marine??

ZTL09 8x8 Wheeled Light Tanks sporting the now-famous "Blue Smurf" camo were spotted in Sanya City, near the HQ of the PLAN Marine.  Rumor has it that they are now getting those wheeled new toys to increase their mobility for MOOTW and non-amphibious operations.  Time will tell.