According to PLAdaily, PLA Marine and its brotherly landing ships and helicopters units are developing new amphibious warfare tactics, which suggests they are having fun with the New LPD.

Looking at some of the recent photos, it makes sense for the 7th PLAN Independent Helicopter Regiment to be used in this role as it is located in Sanya Hainan and has a long history of ferrying Marines in many missions. It is also getting new birds too (note Z-8 number 9507)

Here is the link to the PLA daily article

http://pic.chinamil.com.cn/news/2008-07/03/content_1346203.htm

Another fine write up by Dennis J. Blasko.

China Brief
http://www.jamestown.org/china_brief/article.php?articleid=2374285

Volume 8, Issue 14 (July 3, 2008)

The Pentagon-PLA Disconnect: China’s Self Assessments of Its Military Capabilities

By Dennis J. Blasko

Sun Tzu’s admonition “Know the enemy and know yourself” is a fundamental tenet of Chinese military strategy [1]. The books On Military Campaigns and The Science of Military Strategy include it as the first of 10 principles of war [2]. Moreover, Military Strategy reverses the sequence and puts “knowing ourselves” first [3]. Many articles from the official Chinese press illustrate the fact that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has an active program of self-evaluation and is well aware of its strengths and weaknesses, especially in relation to the United States’ armed forces.

Despite 2,500 years of tradition in “knowing yourself,” every year since 2005 the U.S. Defense Department has warned, “China’s leaders may overestimate the proficiency of their forces by assuming that new systems are fully operational, adeptly operated, adequately supplied and maintained, and well integrated with existing or other new capabilities” [4]. This assertion is listed among “misperceptions [that] could lead to miscalculation or crisis.”

While acknowledging today’s PLA is vastly improved over its larger, less-technologically-advanced self of a decade ago, some PLA officers have expressed frustration over this conclusion (as well as others) in the Pentagon reports [5]. Many foreign perceptions of the PLA do not comport with officers’ personal experience, what is written in official Chinese sources, and what is taught in professional military schools. Since 2006, the official Chinese media has published repeatedly a general assessment of Chinese military capabilities—sometimes called the “two incompatibles” or “two cannot suits”—that identifies surprising limitations for the force.

Smaller and Better, but Still Strapped for Cash

Since 1997 the active-duty PLA has been reduced by 700,000 personnel to about 2.3 million [6]. Unlike other militaries, PLA active-duty rosters include an unknown number of uniformed civilians [7]. Comparable American civilians working for the Pentagon would add over 650,000 personnel to the 1.36 million active U.S. military personnel, making it nearly the same size as the active PLA force [8]. But, as the PLA has become smaller, it has developed greater capabilities which cost more to sustain.

The announced Chinese defense budget has more than quadrupled since 1998 [9]. These increases have resulted in large pay and benefit increases; new uniforms, better food and living quarters; an array of new, mostly Chinese-made equipment, especially computers and communications gear; and increased tempo and realism of training exercises. Nonetheless, attracting and retaining qualified personnel is a problem, new equipment expensive to purchase, operate, and maintain, and China, too, faces increased prices for oil and other commodities. As a result, the PLA sees itself with minimal financial resources and consistently urges efficiency and thrift.

In 2006, the Army paper stated, “China is a large developing country. Money is needed in many aspects. The contradiction between the needs of military modernization construction and the short supply of funds will exist for the long run” (Jiefangjun Bao, August 8, 2006). A year later, the director of the PLA’s Finance Department emphasized the requirement to use “limited financial resources to ensure military modernization … the armed forces must find ways to improve their financial and economic management … ” (Jiefangjun Bao, February 2, 2006).

Missions and General Assessment

The PLA has set the goal of “winning informationized wars by the mid-21st century” with milestones at 2010 and 2020 [10]. The military and security intelligentsia is now debating future requirements under the rubric of the “historic missions for the new stage in the new century.” New missions will “gradually” extend the reach of the PLA and emphasize “non-traditional security” operations such as antiterrorism, disaster relief, economic security, public health and information security, etc.

The PLA also has a multilayered deterrence mission, which includes China’s nuclear posture as well as deterring attacks on the mainland and preventing Taiwan from further movement toward independence. The Chinese armed forces are obsessed with defending China from long-range precision air strikes and repairing civilian infrastructure damaged during such attacks. Concurrently, security forces are preparing for a range of potential terrorist actions, including nuclear, chemical, and biological attacks.

PLA doctrine shares the concept of “peace through strength” prevalent in America during the Cold War. It understands that credible deterrence requires a capable military and the willingness to use it. But, according to The Science of Military Strategy, “Warfighting is generally used only when deterrence fails and there is no alternative,” and preferably, “strategic deterrence is also a means for attaining the political objective” [11].

Since 2006 official Chinese publications have stated on more than 20 occasions, “The level of our modernization is incompatible with the demands of winning a local war under informatization conditions and our military capability is incompatible with the demands of carrying out the army’s historic missions” [12]. This general assessment has been applied specifically to personnel development, training, logistics, and technology levels. For example, the director of the General Logistics Department wrote the PLA must address the issue of “an insufficient logistics modernization level [to win] informatized local wars and insufficient support capability for the requirement of fulfilling the historical missions” (Jiefangjun Bao, January 12, 2006). On June 19, 2008, PLA Daily reported:

All participants [at a Symposium on Military Management Innovation] held the view that the combat effectiveness of the troops today is nagged by “two cannot suits,” i.e., its modernization level cannot suit the demand of winning the IT-based local wars, and its military capability cannot suit the requirements for fulfilling its historical mission in the new century and the new period (PLA Daily, June 19).

The General Assessment and PLA Doctrine

These judgments, often called “contradictions,” are attributed to Hu Jintao and are clearly at odds with the Pentagon’s warning. They are, however, consistent with the long-term goal “winning informationized wars by the mid-21st century.” While most foreigners focus on new equipment, PLA officers understand their doctrine requires the integration of all forces, old and new, military and civilian, into joint operations that incorporate firepower, mobility, information operations, and special operations. In recent years, training for “integrated joint operations” has increased, but this year PLA headquarters placed primary emphasis on basic training, small unit training, and command and staff training (Jiefangjun Bao, January 21).

“Trump Card” weapons are one of many elements that must be integrated into complex campaigns. PLA war planners operate under the assumption that the PLA will be the weaker side in most scenarios so it will “use inferior weapons to defeat a superior enemy” (Jiefangjun Bao, April 3, 2006). People’s War, with its emphasis on deception, use of stratagem, fighting the enemy close in, political mobilization, and civilian support, is still “a fundamental strategy" [13].

Sun Tzu also taught, “All warfare is based on deception” [14]. Could these assessments be a strategic deception campaign? With the exception of the English-language “two cannot suits” example, nearly all of the roughly 20 references to this formula have appeared in Chinese [15]. Most are buried within longer articles that first praise the PLA for progress made, but then follow with the bad news. The intent of the message is to encourage the troops to greater action, “If we are complacent with the status quo and ignore reform, the only consequence that can come about as a result is that we will be left even further behind with respect to the great worldwide trend of new military changes by the strong militaries of the world” (Jiefangjun Bao, January 1).

Thus, while the use of this term is part of an internal propaganda campaign, the vast majority of instances are not intended for foreign consumption—though the Chinese could correctly assume that foreigners do read their newspapers (many of which are available on the internet). If the Chinese intend to deceive the Pentagon with these words, the Pentagon has not been swayed.

Specific Evaluations

After all routine major training exercises, unit leaders assess achievements and identify shortfalls. For example, commanders and staff officers were recently described as falling “far short in meeting the demands of joint operations” (PLA Daily, June 27), and a group army commander called for steps “to resolve the problem of training lagging behind operational requirements in practice … ” (Jiefangjun Bao, May 27).

The Sichuan earthquake relief operations have revealed much about PLA joint operational capabilities. Though no weapons are involved, this deployment is being conducted according to PLA joint operations doctrine, providing a real-world test bed for the PLA. Within two weeks of the disaster, some 133,000 active-duty PLA and People’s Armed Police personnel and 45,000 reservists and militia were deployed (PLA Daily, May 30). Most traveled by road or rail, but in the first days of the operation the Air Force conducted what Xinhua called “its largest airlift yet” of some 11,420 troops (Xinhua News Agency, May 14). About 100 military helicopters (nearly one quarter of the Army Aviation inventory) were dispatched from all over the country. Civilian assets augmented these fleets.

While a “heroic” effort, the PLA Daily noted “the PLA’s long-distance rapid insertion capability [is] in a state of relative weakness” (Jiefangjun Bao, May 20). People’s Daily commented, “With this earthquake, we mustered as many helicopters as possible, but overall they were still too few, and their capabilities not yet improved” (Renmin Wang, May 22, 2006). The PLA will gain important experience from these efforts, but, just as important, the deployment offers an opportunity to evaluate its performance.

The view of the PLA as stated publicly by the Pentagon is quite different than the PLA’s internal evaluations published in multiple open sources. While the assessments described above should not result in complacency by the United States and China’s neighbors, the professional PLA leadership probably knows itself much better than some Americans think—just as Sun Tzu urged.

Notes

1. Sun Tzu., The Art of War, London: Oxford University Press, 1963, p. 84. Translated by Samuel B. Griffith. Emphasis added by author.
2. Wang Houqing and Zhang Xingye (eds), On Military Campaigns, Beijing: National Defense University Press, May 2000, p.86. Translated by Language Doctors.
3. Peng Guangqian and Yao Youzhi (eds), The Science of Military Strategy, Beijing: Military Science Publishing House, 2005, p. 230. This text actually lists this statement among the 10 “strategic principles for people’s war.”
4. Office of the Secretary of Defense, Annual Report to Congress, The Military Power of the People’s Republic of China 2005, p. 26; Military Power of the People’s Republic of China 2006, p. 25; Military Power of the People’s Republic of China 2007, p. 15; Military Power of the People’s Republic of China 2008, p. 22. Emphasis added by author.
5. Based on author’s conversations with PLA officers in June 2006, November 2006, and April 2008.
6. Chapter IV, The People's Liberation Army, China's National Defense in 2006. Every other year since 1998, China has issued a White Paper on National Defense. All White Papers can be found at http://english.gov.cn/official/2005-08/17/content_24165.htm.
7. Chapter III, National Defense Construction, China's National Defense, July 1998.
8. U.S. personnel figures are available at http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/MMIDHOME.HTM. These numbers do not include contractors.
9. The growth of China’s announced defense budget can be traced in the series of its White Papers. See also Table 4, in Dennis J. Blasko, Chas W. Freeman, Jr., Stanley A. Horowitz, Evan S. Medeiros, and James C. Mulvenon, “Defense-Related Spending in China: A Preliminary Analysis and Comparison with American Equivalents,” United States - China Policy Foundation, May 2007, p. 19, found at http://www.uscpf.org/v2/pdf/defensereport.pdf. A key conclusion of that study is there is not “enough information to make a reasonable estimate of the total amount of Chinese ‘defense-related spending.’”
10. Chapter II, National Defense Policy, China's National Defense in 2006. Emphasis added by author.
11. The Science of Military Strategy, p. 224. Achieving “the political objective” through deterrence is consistent with Sun Tzu’s teaching, “To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.” The Art of War, p. 77.
12. For a few examples, see Qiushi Article by General Political Department on Scientific Development Concept CPP20060802710009 Beijing Qiushi (Internet Version-WWW) in Chinese, August 1, 2006, No 15; JFJB Commentator on Training National Defense Students CPP20071214710011 Beijing Jiefangjun Bao (Internet Version-WWW) in Chinese, December 14, 2007, p 1; and PRC Army Paper Calls for New Situation in National Defense, Army Building CPP20080101701001 Beijing Jiefangjun Bao (Internet Version-WWW) in Chinese January 1, 2008. All translated by OSC. Emphasis added by author.
13. The Science of Military Strategy, p. 117.
14. The Art of War, p. 66.
15. The Chinese term, liangge buxiang shiying, has been translated in many ways. In addition to the renderings stated above, the term has also been translated as “two non-adaptations” or “two unsuitable points.” These variations in translations could cause confusion among those who only read the English.




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One of those "WTF" were they thinking.

Beijing SWAT team is trying to show off but end up making a complete fool out of themselves in the process.



Just look at this guy.

This type of 'software' training has been overlooked by many military experts, they seems to assume everything imported and new tactics will work 100% of the time without training. Those are not your-good-ole-politic-trainings, but real PME as they are training commanders, not political commissars. This is one more evident to support the argument that PLA is being transformed into a more professional military.

We shall see.





Guangzhou MAC accelerates cultivation of joint operational commanders

english.chinamil.com.cn 2008-06-30

　　In mid-June, a batch of excellent commanders from the Guangzhou Military Area Command (MAC) graduated from a cross-training course run by the Air Force Command College were assigned to new posts. In recent years, the Guangzhou Military Area Command has accelerated the training of joint operational commanders and a batch of high-quality commanders of a new type have swiftly come into prominence.

　　In the past three years, the Guangzhou Military Area Command arranged 22 leaders of division-level or above working in the organs and field troops commanders at regiment level or above to swap their positions, and 74 division-and-regiment-level officers to function in acting capacity at each other's posts, and 1,900-odd military and political officers in grassroots units to exchange their posts. At present, members of corps/division leading groups and brigade/regiment commanding officers in Guangzhou Military Area Command, nearly 50% of them have the experiences of holding positions or acting positions in corps headquarters or above, among the department and division leaders in the military area command and group armies, those with experiences of assuming positions in field regiment or above take up a considerable proportion. At the same time, a batch of officers with technological background have taken up commanding posts, indicating that commanders, which have both commanding skill and technological expertise, have come to the fore.

　　It is learned that the Guangzhou Military Area Command held 100-odd joint military training in the form of cross-specialty drills, army-navy coordination drills and land-air confrontation drills, and actively carried out integrated training of intelligence reconnaissance, command and control and fire strike, and joint training in combat grouping, so as to provide a new platform for commanders to build up their capabilities of working out overall combat plans, estimating combat situations and handling situation in emergencies.

　　In recent years, 85.4% of troops commanders from the Guangzhou Military Area Command, who participated in the commander's training course, the training course for commanders at division/regiment level, and the course for postgraduates in the National Defense University, have been promoted to higher positions. In addition, the command has placed excellent young officers with higher academic degrees, good joint operation and command capability, and strong pioneering spirit onto important posts to temper them. Meanwhile, excellent officers chosen as grooming targets will be boldly employed at various posts so as to ensure uninterrupted cultivation of officers.

　　By Li Jianhua and Li Huamin

　　(June 30, PLA Daily) Editor: Chen Jie

　　

China's UN peacekeepers exceed 10,000 with latest Sudan deployment

english.chinamil.com.cn 2008-07-01

　　BEIJING, June 30 (Xinhua) -- With a third group of Chinese peacekeepers sent to Sudan to replace their predecessors, China has sent more than 10,000 peacekeepers to participate in 18 UN peace-keeping missions.

　　At the request of the United Nations and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, China decided to participate in a hybrid force of the United Nations and the African Union.

　　China promised to send a 315-member engineering unit to Darfur. So far, the first group of 143 engineers has been dispatched to Darfur, where it is at work.

　　"The remaining members of the engineering units to be sent to Darfur are now ready for departure and will be fully deployed by mid-July," the Monday edition of the PLA (People's Liberation Army) Daily quoted Wei Yanwei, vice director of the Peace-Keeping Affairs Office of the Ministry of National Defense, as saying.

　　China joined the UN Special Committee on Peace-Keeping Operations in 1988 and sent five military observers to the UN Truce Organization in 1990. In 1992, 400 engineering troops were sent for peacekeeping work in Cambodia. And, to date, more than 10,000 Chinese peacekeepers have taken part in missions in such countries as Congo, Libya, Lebanon and Sudan.

　　"China, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, shoulders an important responsibility in missions related to global peace and security, and China's active participation in UN peace-keeping activities reflects its stance to support the world body and its decisions," said Wei.

　　"Besides fulfilling peace-keeping tasks assigned by the United Nations, Chinese peacekeepers help local people to improve their living standards," Wei added.

　　The peacekeepers have built or repaired more than 200 bridges and 7,500 kilometers of roads and treated nearly 50,000 patients, official statistics show.

　　"Chinese peacekeepers not only fulfill their obligations for peacekeeping missions, but also convey Chinese people's friendship and love of peace to the local people in destination countries," he said.

Oh, the mighty Imperial Japanese Navy is in China again, this time as a bargain hunter.

The luck guy survived,

This is what happens when you are not careful near the Sino-Vietnam boarder…………. looks like the last mine sweep missed at least one.




龙州工地挖掘机压响地雷 施工司机被炸飞出驾驶室

2008-6-22 14:58:53

6月21日下午，一男子驾驶挖掘机在龙州县水口镇一工地施工时，不幸压着地雷，双腿被炸伤。目前，伤者正在龙州县人民医院治疗，所幸生命无虞。

一目击男子在电话中告诉记者，当天下午3时许，他正在家里煮饭，突然听到一声巨响，立即循声跑去查看。只见附近的一个工地上，警方人员刚刚赶到，一辆挖掘机受损比较严重，其中一条履带已被炸飞，驾驶室玻璃被震碎，机手被炸飞出驾驶室，双腿被炸伤。不久，救护车赶到现场，将伤者接走。

据该目击者介绍，该工地位于水口镇的一条河岸边，以前是用来作房产开发的，现在改作一个边贸互市点。当时，机手正驾驶挖掘机进行土地平整作业，不幸压着多年前就埋在地下的地雷而被炸伤。好在爆炸时周边没有其他作业人员，且爆炸点距房子较远，没有造成更大的损失。

一名目击者说，这个地雷是当年大扫雷的“漏网之鱼”，大扫雷以后，还是第一次听到有这样的事情。

记者拨打水口派出所的值班电话得知，当天下午该镇确有一男子被炸伤双腿，已被送往龙州县人民医院治疗。

当晚8时，记者从龙州县人民医院骨伤科获悉，伤者党某今年20岁，双腿被炸伤，其中右下肢粉碎性骨折，他从急诊科转来骨科时神志清醒，没有生命危险。晚8时，党某正在手术室接受手术。（刘飞锋）

Welcome to China

2 Chinese air force training jets crash
6 hours ago

BEIJING (AP) — A state news agency says two Chinese air force jets crashed in a city suburb in Inner Mongolia after a midair collision.

Xinhua News Agency says the J-8 fighters collided during a training mission over the suburb of the regional capital Hohhot on Wednesday. It says both pilots ejected and parachuted to safety, suffering only minor injuries.

Xinhua says both planes crashed in inhabited areas, but gave no word on casualties. It says the planes were attached to the northern Shenyang Military District.

Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Better late than never.

Folks:

J.L Shuford, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy President, Naval War College, wrote a fine introduction about US Naval War college’s China Maritime Studies Institute in the current issue of Naval War College Review (Spring 2008 Volume 61, Number 2)

"Navy leadership understood this well and saw the requirement for objective research on China’s rise that would be insulated from the various policy agendas driving the debates about China in Washington. With this concern in mind, the China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI) was established in October 2006 at the College.The objective was not to create another China institute—of which many fine examples exist in academia—but rather to create a China maritime studies institute.The intention was to give this new institute the focus required to succeed and thereby fill an emerging gap."

For those who wish to know more about this young but very important organization, manned with some of the finest minds in the business and produced an impressive array of works recently, go check the full introduction at the following link
http://www.nwc.navy.mil/press/review/documents/NWCRSP08.pdf



While you are there, go check out "No Oil for the Lamps of China?" on page 79 also


No Oil for the Lamps of China?

Gabriel B. Collins and William S. Murray
Chinese naval and strategic planners fear, and their Western counterparts seem to believe, that a maritime blockade could interrupt or significantly impede China’s energy supplies in a limited war. But probably it could not, and thinking it could is dangerous for everyone.

Destroyer docks on friendship mission

Source: Xinhua | 2008-6-25 |


A JAPANESE Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer arrived in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province yesterday to start a five-day visit to China.

The destroyer, Sazanami, carrying 240 Japanese officers, is the first Japanese warship to visit China since World War II. The voyage is a return visit as the Chinese missile destroyer Shenzhen docked in Japan last year.

A welcoming ceremony was held for the Sazanami's arrival in Zhanjiang, along with a transfer ceremony of quake aid from the Japanese Defense Ministry and Self Defense Forces, which was carried on the destroyer.

The materials, including food, blankets, hygiene masks, disinfectants and other items, will be unloaded today and then travel to the quake zone by train.

"The visit is a sign of the friendly ties between the Chinese people and the Japanese people," said Lieutenant General Su Shiliang, commander of China's South Sea Fleet.

Su expressed gratitude to Japan for providing aid and assistance after the May 12 earthquake and for relief materials shipped to the quake zone.

The Sazanami's visit will promote exchanges between the two defense departments, help build mutual trust, and enhance the development of the China-Japan strategic, mutually beneficial relationship, Su said.

Major-General Shinichi Tokumaru of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force said he believed that the visit would help consolidate the friendly ties between the two countries.






Japan Naval Ship Arrives in China Amid Warmer Ties (Update1)

By Dune Lawrence and Toko Sekiguchi

June 24 (Bloomberg) -- A Japanese destroyer arrived in the southern Chinese port of Zhanjiang today to deliver earthquake-relief supplies, the first visit to China by a naval ship from Japan since World War II.

The ``Sazanami'' arrived in the Guangdong province port city for a planned five-day docking, Akio Takahashi of Japan's Defense Ministry said today. The 240-crew ship will host Chinese military officers and the Japanese sailors will play soccer and basketball games with their counterparts. The visit follows a Chinese navy missile destroyer's to Japan last year.

The military exchange comes amid improving ties between Asia's two largest economies after both agreed to try to set aside diplomatic controversies over Japan's occupation of parts of China in the 1930s and 1940s.

``This is a breakthrough that we've been looking for for a long time,'' said Phil Deans, a professor at Temple University in Tokyo specializing in Japan-China relations. ``These naval exchanges are really a way of trying to reassure the governments of both sides and reassure the people that they don't need to be worried about each other.''

Hu Jintao became the first Chinese president to visit Japan in a decade in May and last week the two countries reached an accord on joint gas exploration in the East China Sea, ending a four-year dispute. The deal is a breakthrough for Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who has worked to improve relations that soured under former Premier Junichiro Koizumi.

Fukuda's Promise

Relations between China and Japan have warmed since 2006, when Fukuda's predecessor, Shinzo Abe, replaced Koizumi. Koizumi inflamed long-standing Chinese anger over Japan's conduct before and during World War II with trips to Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine, where war criminals are among those memorialized.

Japan's military is a sensitive issue around Asia, where millions died at the hands of the Japanese Imperial Army. Fukuda promised before becoming prime minister that he would not visit the war memorial, Yasukuni.

China's government has also worked to make the Chinese public's perception of Japan more positive. A Japanese rescue team was among the first foreign offers of rescue workers accepted by China after the May 12 earthquake in Sichuan province that killed more than 69,000 people.

The Sazanami is delivering supplies including 300 blankets and 2,600 items of emergency food.

Still, Japan has signaled unease with China's surging military spending. Japan's parliament authorized the use of outer space for defense purposes last month, supporting increased spending on rockets and satellites after China shot down a weather satellite in a military test last year.

Japan's defense ministry criticized that missile test, saying it threatened ``satellites around the world, whether they are civilian or military,'' according to its annual East Asian Strategic Review, published in March.

Hu promised during his May 6-10 visit to Japan his nation won't spark an arms race with its neighbors or pose a military threat to ``any country.''

First photos of C-802 in service with the Indonesian Navy

Indonesia and China have embarked on a joint production of various war machines in a bid to help the Southeast Asian country replace its aging warfare equipment and ease dependency on imports.

Indonesian Ambassador to China Maj. Gen. (ret) Sudrajat said Monday the long-term cooperation would cover production of military vehicles, tanks and missiles.

"What we have now is a project to produce missiles," Sudrajat told reporters.

"In this project, the Chinese defense industry will cooperate with BPPT to produce missile launchers and they will work together with PT Pindad to produce the missile's ammunition,"

Sudrajat was speaking after reporting to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on the progress of Indonesia-China relations at the presidential office.

BPPT is the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology and Pindad is the Army's arms maker.

The joint production followed last year's signing of a defense cooperation agreement between the two countries on military training and arms production.

Indonesian Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono held talks with Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan last month in Jakarta to discuss details of the agreement.

Sudradjat said under the joint production agreement, military equipment ordered from China would be produced at plants belonging to Pindad in Bandung or state shipbuilder PT PAL in Surabaya.

"In their procurement process, the Indonesian Army, Navy and Air Force have struck a deal with Chinese authorities to make some parts of the equipment in Indonesia and by Indonesian companies," Sudrajat said.

The president ordered the Indonesian Military to ground its aging equipment following a series of fatal accidents involving its war machines in the last few months.

Budget constraints have been blamed for the slow modernization of defense equipment in the country.

The 2008 state budget raised defense spending to Rp 36.4 trillion ($3.8 billion), but most of the money will be spent on military personnel's welfare.

The government said it was also reluctant to embark on credit export facilities offered by some Western countries for fear of criticism around further accumulation of fresh foreign debts.

Chairman of the House of Representatives' Commission I on security, defense and foreign affairs Theo Sambuaga hailed the start of joint Indonesia-China production of military equipment.

He said the move was a solution to Indonesia's budgetary limitation to replace aging warfare equipment.

"Gradually, we should replace our aging defense equipment," Theo said.

"As we have budget constraints, we should be able to buy them from local companies and only embark on foreign purchases if we really can't produce them.

"That's why joint production is the best option to empower our defense industry," he said.

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta


http://www.indonesia.go.id/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7521&Itemid=701

Here is a list of the 39 civilian helicopters that took part in the earthquake rescue

Compiled by songfg

参加抗震救灾的民用直升机机号大全（39架）

B-7007 欧直EC135 中信海洋直升机股份有限公司

B-7008 欧直EC155 中信海洋直升机股份有限公司

B-7119 欧直EC155 中信海洋直升机股份有限公司

B-7101 直九 中信海洋直升机股份有限公司

B-7102 直九 中信海洋直升机股份有限公司

B-7103 直九 中信海洋直升机股份有限公司

B-7106 直九 中信海洋直升机股份有限公司(交通部东海第二救助飞行队)

B-7958 超美洲豹AS332L2 中信海洋直升机股份有限公司

B-7959 超美洲豹AS332L2 中信海洋直升机股份有限公司

B-7960 超美洲豹AS332L2 中信海洋直升机股份有限公司

B-7961 超美洲豹AS332L2 中信海洋直升机股份有限公司

B-7962 超美洲豹AS332L2 中信海洋直升机股份有限公司

B-7315 S76C+ 东方通用航空公司

B-7319 S76C+ 东方通用航空公司

B-7856 米171 东方通用航空公司

B-7857 米171 东方通用航空公司

B-7858 米171 东方通用航空公司

B-7859 米171 东方通用航空公司

B-7109 直九 中国飞龙专业航空公司

B-7110 直九 中国飞龙专业航空公司

B-7427 小松鼠B2 中国飞龙专业航空公司

B-7802 米26 中国飞龙专业航空公司

B-7303 S76A 南方航空公司珠海直升机公司(交通部南海第一救助飞行队)

B-7304 S76A 南方航空公司珠海直升机公司

B-7305 S76C+ 南方航空公司珠海直升机公司

B-7307 S76C+ 南方航空公司珠海直升机公司

B-7115 直九 国家海洋局海监会

B-7206 S300C 湖北荆州同诚通用航空有限公司

B-7219 S300C 湖北荆州同诚通用航空有限公司

B-7210 S300C 上海和利通用航空有限公司

B-7212 S300C 上海和利通用航空有限公司

B-7744 贝尔206 中国民航飞行学院

B-7773 阿古斯特A119 江苏华宇通用航空有限公司

B-7801 米171 江苏华宇通用航空有限公司

B-7828 米8 新疆开元通用航空公司

B-7830 米8 新疆开元通用航空公司

1架S300C 北京泛亚通用航空公司

B-7125 超美洲豹EC225 交通部南海第一救助飞行队

B-7126 超美洲豹EC225 交通部东海第一救助飞行队

Funeral of Helicopter 92734, 2nd Army Aviation (LH) Regiment, Chengdu Military Region.

China proposes disaster relief cooperation plan at 10+3 workshop

english.chinamil.com.cn 2008-06-12

　　SHIJIAZHUANG, June 12 (Xinhua) -- China has proposed a tentative plan of standard operating procedure (SOP) for cooperation on disaster relief by armed forces of the ASEAN plus China, Japan, the Republic of Korea ("10+3") at a workshop held in a north China city Thursday.

　　The proposal drew great interest from the participants of other countries, while differences on the understanding of some issues still existed, according to the Field Army Commanding Academy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Shijiazhuang, sponsor of the workshop, which opened on Tuesday.

　　Chen Shengwu, a colonel with the academy, said the making of the SOP was of great significance to strengthening the 10+3 disaster relief cooperation in the way of giving full play to the role of the armed forces in regional disaster relief.

　　He said the SOP of international disaster relief by armed forces should be based on the SOP of the mission unit. This means the unit that carries out or is ready to carry out the tasks of international disaster relief.

　　He said the SOP of mission units of 10+3 armed forces in international disaster relief should serve for the relief of massive natural disasters of various kinds.

　　The SOP should set principles guiding the action of mission units. Assistance missions must observe humanitarianism, show respect of the host nation's sovereignty and have no string attached with.

　　Mission units deployed in the disaster-hit areas should be submitted to the command of the disaster-hit country, and accept its coordination.

　　Mission units personnel should wear uniforms of their own countries with identification that stands out, and not carry weapons. They should respect the local religion, custom and convention, and abide by the 10+3 regulations on disaster relief cooperation.

　　The mission units should also strengthen contacts and coordination with the United Nations humanitarian organizations and other international assistance organizations, said Chen.

　　He said each of the 10+3 countries should establish special liaison departments in charge of providing statistics of the ability and assets of mission unit of each country. The 10+3 countries should frequently exchange information on the capacity building and assets of each other's mission unit and report to the coordinating body.

　　According to Chen, China attaches great importance to the making of international disaster relief SOP. As a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), China has jointly drafted out a set of principles guiding ARF disaster relief with Indonesia and joined in the amendment of the ARF Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief SOP (HADR SOP).

　　China also paid close attention to the making of the ASEAN Standby Arrangements and Standard Operating Procedures (SASOP) and made efforts to promote the making of 10+3 SOP.

　　According to Cui Yafeng, deputy head of the Shijiazhuang Academy who chaired the workshop, the foreign participants showed great interest on the proposal by the Chinese side. They also put forward some constructive ideas.

　　He said differences, however, existed on the concept of mission units and some other aspects, so it was yet to reach consensus.

　　The three-day workshop, held at a time when China and Myanmar were suffering from the massive quake and cyclone disasters respectively, had somehow promoted the 10+3 nations to speed up the pace of enhancing disaster relief cooperation.

　　Qian Lihua, director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese Defense Ministry, told reporters the number and ranking of officers attending this year's workshop both exceeded that of last year. He believed the workshop would help promote the role of 10+3 armed forces in domestic and regional disaster relief.

　　Qian expressed his appreciation of foreign countries' assistance and donations to China for the quake disaster. The workshop also discussed on the coordinating mechanism for 10+3 disaster relief by armed forces, gathering constructive proposals by all sides.

　　The participants also watched a field drill Wednesday by the Bethune Military Medical College in Shijiazhuang, a 70-year old college created by Dr. Norman Bethune. The devoted Canadian doctor worked in China during the second World War. The college also joined in the disaster relief in Sichuan Province.

New Transportation Regiments, 15th Airborne Corp

The long rumored two transportation regiments organic to the 15th Airborne Corp had been confirmed by the Earthquake. The sizes of those two regiments are still small and they still have to use both PLAAF 34th and 13th Transport Divisions in a foreseeable future. However, this is an important development in PLA’s offensive capabilities.

Y-8 regiment, 15th Airborne Corp (size unknown) serial number 66**

Helicopter Regiment, 15^th Airborne Corp, 4 Z-8 and 4 Mi-171 confirmed, serial number 61**

Latest photos of Test ships 891and 892

Japanese warship to visit China

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-06/02/content_6729296.htm

(cri)
Updated: 2008-06-02 15:30

A Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force warship will visit China later this month as part of the mutual visits by the two navies. The missile destroyer, Takanami, will be the first Japanese warship making appearance in a Chinese harbor since the end of the World War II, said a report from the domestic newspaper, Global Times.

The paper, mainly dedicated to covering international affairs, reported the visit has nothing to do with the current relief operation in China's quake-hit Sichuan province.

The Chinese navy destroyer, Shenzhen, paid a four-day visit to Tokyo in November 2007 as part of the activities marking the 35th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral ties.

It's also the first visit by a Chinese warship to Japan since 1891.

China and Japan reached an agreement on the mutual visits of the two navies in October 2000, which was later put on hold due to the Yasukuni Shrine visits by then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

The two sides agreed to carry out the plan at a defense minister conference on August 30, 2007.

China-defense.com proudly recommends a new book “China’s Energy Strategy: The Impact on Beijing’s Maritime Policies” Edited by Garbiel B. Collins, Andrew S. Erickson, Lyle J. Goldstein, and William S. Murray. Joint publication of the China Maritime Studies Institute and the Naval Institute press.

It is safe to say that China’s energy policy is no longer a topic for the (highly paid) oil executives or (under paid) academics and military professionals; it has an impact every time you stop by your friendly neighborhood gas stations and fuel up that huge SUV of yours. Now, news about energy, climate changes and China's impact on the world filled news airwaves, some of those news are well produced, others are nothing but sensationalism to boost sales or one’s political agendas. However, there are complex issues such national military and energy strategies that short newspaper articles simply cannot cover and require a more in-depth reading. If you are looking for something that are in-depth and authored by authorities in the field, then this book is for you.

To quote Adm. Thomas B. Fargo, UNS (ret), former Commander, U.S. Pacific Command

“Comprehensive, diverse and essential for national security professionals…. A subject we must understand clearly for our Asia-Pacific future”

Type052 DDG spec, Photo taken inside of DDG 113

some update on the Sino-Russian military relations.

http://www.kommersant.com/p895011/The_first_visit_of_President_Medvedev_to_China/


Representatives of the President’s Administration and the Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) hope that the talks about direct supplies of Russia ’s Sukhoi Su-33 and Su-35 jets will be fostered. An official with the corresponding department confirmed that negotiations with China regarding Su-35 have been conducted for a long time. For all that, only one aircraft contract may be signed during the current visit – that on supplying four Kamov Ka-32 helicopters, which will be followed by two Kamov Ka-226 machines. Besides, according to a source with Rosoboronexport , China will start assembling Mil Mi-171 helicopters using Russian machine sets in 2008. The opening of Kamov and Mil service centers in China is also negotiated. At the same time, representatives of Rosoboronexport’s press-service said to Kommersant, “Director General of the FSUE Rosoboronexport Anatoly Isaykin will go to China , but you shouldn’t expect
signing concrete contracts.”




“They want to produce everything themselves – by either purchasing licenses or duplicating technology.”


May 23, 2008



Strategic Simulation

Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to China is likely to be challenging



Today starts Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to China , which is meant to prove Moscow ’s assertion that the People’s Republic of China is Russia ’s crucial geopolitical ally, and that they can challenge the West together. But Dmitry Medvedev will have to discuss problems in Beijing mainly. These include a drastic decrease in military and technical cooperation, the vague prospects of the energy alliance of Russia and China , and the Chinese government’s reluctance to back Moscow in its struggle against NATO expansion.

Friendship permit



China has been deliberately chosen as the second country of Russian President’s first foreign policy tour (the first destination was Kazakhstan ). Apart from the 4.2 km of mutual border, Moscow and Beijing have preached the same political principles in recent years. The key ones are aversion to the unipolar world headed by the USA , fight against color revolutions, and the beloved provision of Moscow and Beijing that local peculiarities are to be taken into account when developing democracy. During Mr Putin’s presidency Russia and China did much to defend this stance: They jointly supported Uzbekistan ’s President Islom Karimov after the revolution attempt in Andijon, objected to the imposing of tough sanctions against Iran , and defended Sudan and Myanmar in the UN Security Council.



It’s likely that Dmitry Medvedev intends to continue pursuing the same line on China . For example, it has become a kind of tradition to adopt joint declarations during summits of Russia and China . According to the President’s Aid Sergey Prihodko, another declaration is to be signed after the talks between Dmitry Medvedev and Hu Jintao, President of the People’s Republic of China . A high-ranking official with Russia ’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that the draft has been almost coordinated, but there are still important details to be thrashed out during the negotiations.



The joint declarations of Moscow and Beijing usually feature issues of current importance. According to the information of Kommersant, this time Moscow is going to include the following problems in the document: the U.S. deployment of anti-missile defense systems, NATO’s approaching the border of Russia , and Kosovo. Officials with the Chinese Foreign Ministry told Kommersant that Moscow and Beijing have practically the same positions on several issues. For example, the Chinese government is concerned with Washington ’s AMD plans: Some of the elements can be deployed closely to Chinese borders – in Japan , or even Taiwan .



Nevertheless Moscow and Beijing have a different approach towards some other matters, for example the expansion of the UN Security Council. Both countries approve of the expansion, but Russia insists on the “limited extension” formula, whereas China promotes a broad expansion of the UNSC admitting LDCs. It’s no surprise – many potential members are loyal to Beijing . For Russia , the admission of a number of new members to the UNSC will only mean the elimination of its influence.



As to NATO’s expansion and the alliance’s plans concerning Georgia and Ukraine , the situation is the same. According to the information of Kommersant, the Russian party is going to include a strong condemnation of military and political alliances’ unjustified expansion in the final document, which will show NATO that a mighty partner supports Russia . But Beijing is not going to engage in a conflict with the alliance – it has sought to lift the embargo on military supplies from the EU to China , which was put 1989, so, Beijing needs to have friendly relations with NATO. This said, China is likely to suggest a milder wording.





A Farewell to Arms



Problems between Moscow and Beijing go beyond sheer diplomacy. Sergey Prihodko said that the Russian delegation is going to thrash out aircraft and naval technical equipment issues. Also, the intellectual property matter will be addressed. According to Mr Prihodko, the latter “is especially acute, because the agreement on legal regulation of this sphere has been violated.”



There are a lot of problems in military and technical cooperation between Russia and China . Konstantin Makienko, Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies Expert, points out that the major problem lies in the drastic reduction in Chinese military orders. Besides, the Russia-China Committee for Military and Technical Cooperation hasn’t convened since 2006. China refers to the failed contract over its purchasing of 38 Ilyushin Il-76MD and Il 78MK strategic airlifters, as well as defects in the supplied naval equipment. “Actually if we had fixed everything, they would have made up another pretext,” an official with the corresponding government department told Kommersant. “They want to produce everything themselves – by either purchasing licenses or duplicating technology.” Because of this position talks on several aircraft supplies contracts have been stalled.



“As to military aircraft, we supply the Chinese party with spares only. Beijing has suspended purchasing finished machines from Russia ,” Alexey Fedorov, President of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation, explained to Kommersant (Mr Fedorov accompanies Dmitry Medvedev during the current visit). “Political decisions may be taken in the course of the forthcoming negotiations. They will allow for concluding contracts on supplies of finished planes.”



Representatives of the President’s Administration and the Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) hope that the talks about direct supplies of Russia ’s Sukhoi Su-33 and Su-35 jets will be fostered. An official with the corresponding department confirmed that negotiations with China regarding Su-35 have been conducted for a long time. For all that, only one aircraft contract may be signed during the current visit – that on supplying four Kamov Ka-32 helicopters, which will be followed by two Kamov Ka-226 machines. Besides, according to a source with Rosoboronexport , China will start assembling Mil Mi-171 helicopters using Russian machine sets in 2008. The opening of Kamov and Mil service centers in China is also negotiated. At the same time, representatives of Rosoboronexport’s press-service said to Kommersant, “Director General of the FSUE Rosoboronexport Anatoly Isaykin will go to China , but you shouldn’t expect
signing concrete contracts.”



According to the information of Kommersant, Dmitry Medvedev is planning to persuade Hu Jintao to hold another session of the Committee for Military and Technical Cooperation this fall. In his turn, Hu Jintao is expected to bring up the issue of purchasing surface-to-air missile systems whose characteristics exceed those of the S-300PMU-2 Favorit – the S-400 Triumf. Russian diplomats don’t rule it out that Dmitry Medvedev will approve of it, basing on the FSMTC estimation. The President will suggest that experts hold corresponding consultations, but only after the Committee for Military and Technical Cooperation finally convenes.





Energy contradictions



With this said, energy issues remain the most challenging ones. In the course of Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing in March 2006 Russia and China agreed to set up an unprecedented energy alliance: Russian and Chinese state corporations drafted big contracts on Russian energy carriers supplies to China . Then the construction of the Eastern Siberia–Pacific ocean pipeline followed, which will soon have a branching to China from Skovorodino. But in recent years the realization of many of these projects has bogged down in disputes between Russia ’s Rosneft and China ’s CNPC over the price.



“Rosneft calculated that it loses $40 on each ton supplied to China , rather than the West,” Mikhail Krutikhin, RusEnergy analyst says. “Sergey Bogdanchikov (Rosneft CEO – Kommersant) has already appealed to the government urging that it decide whether the price is negotiated or the contract is broken, with the Russian party paying a forfeit.” In this case talks about signing a contract on supplying 50 mln tons of oil from 2010 to 2015, which are held by Rosneft and the CNPC, will be jeopardized. The arguments of the Chinese counterparts boil down to the fact that the CNPC helped Rosneft buy the assets of YUKOS, so, the Russian company now owes the Chinese one.



As a result, constructing the Chinese branching of the Eastern Siberia–Pacific ocean pipeline has been jeopardized as well. Mikhail Barkov, Transneft Vice-President, doesn’t rule it out that Dmitry Medvedev and Hu Jintao will discuss the matter personally, but he adds that no representative of the company has gone to Beijing with the President. “We have accomplished project works on the Skovorodino–China’s border section,” Mikhail Barkov told Kommersant. “But it is the government that will decide on the future of the branching.” Mikhail Krutikhin presumes that the Russian government will have to take a decision in no time. “If the pipeline goes further to the Pacific ocean coast, the project will have to be altered urgently: the carrying capacity will need to be boosted, and terminal and oil ports projects will have to be changed,” Mr Krutikhin argues. It’s quite probable that Dmitry Medvedev will have to address these contradictive
issues, with Rosneft CEO Sergey Bogdanchikov accompanying him.



There is barely any hope to negotiate gas contracts. According to Gazprom representative Sergey Kupriyanov none of those on the board of the gas giant has set off for China with the President.



To conclude with, the current visit to China will be a real trial for Dmitry Medvedev. His reputation in the eyes of his Chinese partners will much depend on his ability to succeed in addressing the challenges. By the way, Moscow has already secured itself against a failure. According to the information of Kommersant, Vladimir Putin is going to pay a visit to China this fall. And if Dmitry Medvedev’s visit doesn’t turn out that fruitful, Russia ’s Prime Minister will have to address the issues on the Chinese front.



Alexander Gabuev, Alexandra Gritskova, Konstantin Lantratov

SPM-2 GAZ-233036

According to Chinese press, People's Armed Police is to import 100 copies of the GAZ-233036 4x4 armored security car. It is odd, considered China is exporting a similar type of vehicle to many third world nations. There is no western report on this sales so far.


首批“虎”式装甲汽车将于下月以整车的形式交付中方，而其余的将按照双方合同约定，由中方利用俄方提供的部件在本国进行组装。

　　SPM-2 GAZ-233036型“虎”式警用特种装甲汽车由俄罗斯军事工业公司下属的阿尔扎马斯机器制造厂生产，既可用于在反恐行动中运送特警，也可执行国土防御任务和协助边防部队执勤。

　　“虎”式装甲汽车的车体由厚度为5毫米、经过热处理的防弹装甲板制成，可有效抵御轻武器和爆炸装置的攻击。其车体两侧开有射击孔，可用于进行对外观测和射击，另外，车顶部也设置了两个舱盖。车舱内可容纳9人，根据不同的需要，还可安装无线电台和遥控爆炸装置阻断设备。

　　该车装备一台功率为205马力的涡轮增压柴油发动机、机械式六级传动箱和轮胎压力自动调节系统。虽然自重达6吨，但其最高速度仍然超过了125千米/小时。(北斗）

Division of Shenyang MAC uses Kriegspiel to test new fighting methods

english.chinamil.com.cn 2008-05-07

　　

　　A division of the Shenyang Military Area Command (MAC) held a Kriegspiel of infantry battalion in attack on May 4. In the course of carrying out trial training in compliance with new Outline of Military Training and Evaluation, this division has developed a Kriegspiel system for command training at division-, regiment- and battalion-levels or at multi-levels, and a Kriegspiel training approach with computer-aided judgment has come into shape in this division.

　　Division Commander Gao Guanghui who was giving guidance to Kriegspiel told the reporters: "With scientific calculation, Kriegspiel has turned the qualitative analysis in sand-table exercise into quantitative analysis. Thus it is more prudent and more scientific. For example, each piece is marked with important information, such as designation, fighting power, and mobile capability, etc.

　　After each round of battle, the controllers of the two belligerent sides had to fill in combat, casualty, and ammunition and POL consumption, etc into a judgment form. Gao also said, "In the past, the difficulty of confrontational training lay in the judgment of the losses of two belligerent sides after battles. For Kriegspiel, you can simulate casualties and equipment losses in the battlefield completely, making the judgment more specific and precise."

　　Two hours later, the "red" and "blue" sides completed the exercises of three different operational plans. The results showed that under same conditions, the first operational plan could achieve the tactical goal with the shortest time. Gao Guanghui said, "Kriegspiel is an ideal training tool to enhance the strategic sense of commanders, and it also offers a new platform for testing new fighting methods."

　　By Shi Binxin and An Puzhong

　　(May 7, PLA Daily) Editor: Dong Zhaihui

FYI, CDF is back.

CMC issues outline for PLA commanding officer evaluation

english.chinamil.com.cn 2008-04-30

　　With the approval of Chairman Hu Jintao of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the Central Military Commission recently issued the Outline for the Examination and Evaluation of Commanding Officers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

　　The General Political Department of the PLA issued the Implementation Measures of Examination and Evaluation of Commanding Officers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the Standards of Examination and Evaluation of Commanding Officers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army(for trial implementation) to coincide with the issue of the outline.

　　The stipulation of the three documents is an important measure taken by the PLA to deepen the implementation of the essence of the 17th National Congress of the CPC, carry out the scientific outlook on development and improve the quality of commanding officers, marking that a system of evaluation of commanding officer which gives substance to the scientific outlook on development has taken initial shape and the evaluation of commanding officers has embarked on a scientific, systematic and standardized road.

　　By Shi Xiaofeng and Sai Zongbao

　　(Apr 30, PLA Daily) Editor: Ouyang Dongmei

Our fourm is down and we are working on it. Thank you for your understanding

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KZ-800 Airborne ELINT system on display

11th Defense Services Asia Exhibition And Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,

PLL05 120mm Gun-Mortar enters service with 380th regiment, 127th light mech infantry div.

Thanks Dylan for the news

MOSCOW. Jan 29 (Interfax-AVN) - The Zaporizhzhya-based Motor Sich engine company has started supplies of a supercharged version of AI-222-25F engine to China, company's chairman Vyacheslav Boguslayev told Interfax-AVN.

"About 20 such engines have been delivered to the Chinese clients so far. The first L-15 combat training aircraft are already flying," he said, noting that the AI-222-25F unsupercharged engine, with the thrust of 2,500 kg, propels Russian Yak-130 combat training, mass production of which have started at plants in Nizhny Novgforod and Irkutsk.

"Whereas in the Yak-130 project it is the Moscow Salyut production enterprise that plays the part of the contractor and Motor Sich is the subcontractor, it is vice versa as far as the contract with China is concerned," he added.

The twin-seated L-15 combat trainer is designed to provide advanced training of J-10, J-11, Su-27 and Su-30 pilots, and was developed in a joint efforts of Hongdu Aviation Industry Group, which is a division of Chinese AVIC II, and Russia's Sukhoi design bureau.

Specialists forecast that the sales of L-15 may reach 200 aircraft. The price of one such aircraft is about $15 million. L-15s are intended to be deployed at training airfields of the Chinese Air Force, as well as to be in service of maneuver units and flight schools where they will be used for training purposes.

Two supercharged AI-222-25F engines are expected to be used as the power plant for the L-15, developing 4,000 kg of thrust each. The engines were developed by the Zaporizhzhya-based Ivchenko-Progress design bureau and are mass produced by Motor Sich in cooperation with Salyut.

The 1st Foreign User of the QBZ-95 rifle

The first confirmed foreign user of the QBZ-95 series of assault rifles. Technically that's a NBZ-03A, a Type 97A with a different casing and made by Jian She Group for export. Not sure those are freebie or actually paid for it. Most likely foreign aid from the Chinese government because I don't think the Cambodians can afford anything remotely modern.

A Cambodian soldier armed with a Chinese-made QBZ-95 rifle prepares to search a missing plane at Kampot province, some 130 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Tuesday, June 26, 2007. A PMT Air plane, Russian-made An-24, that disappeared in southern Cambodia likely crashed during a storm, and there is little hope of finding survivors among the 22 people who were on board, Prime Minister Hun Sen said Tuesday.

Wolf Pack, PLAN style

Witnessing submarine flotilla training

english.chinamil.com.cn 2007-05-18

　　One day in mid May, reporters witnessed a confrontation training involving multiple submarines staged by a submarine flotilla of the East China Sea Fleet. According to the chief of staff of the flotilla, with its successful leap from the primarily single submarine training to the multi-submarine joint training under complex conditions, the flotilla has noticeably hoisted its striking performance.

　　Recent years saw this submarine flotilla growing full-fledged in the course of stretching its reaches from south to north and from the offshore to the open seas.

　　In the evolution from the single-submarine training to the multi-submarine joint training under complex conditions, its sense of mission and sense of responsibility in boosting energetically the transformation of military training are epitomized. With its resolve to drop the traditional "guerillaist" method of single-submarine training, the flotilla spares no effort to seize the initiative in acquiring the long-distance joint maneuver capability. To this end, it has advanced from technical training to tactical training, from element-by-element and separate training to integrated training involving the whole system, from training under uncomplicated battlefield environment to confrontational training under complex battlefield circumstances, which resulted in the all-round rise of its abilities in command and control, rapid response, joint strike and integrated training.

　　By Huo Weiguo, Wang Luxun and Sun Yang

　　(May 18, PLA Daily)

Time for some rumors..........

RusData Dialine - Russian Press Digest
October 23, 2006 Monday

Russia lands on a Chinese aircraft carrier

Konstantin Lantratov; Alexandra Gritskova

Kommersant, No 198/P, p.17

Beijing may buy Russian-made Su-33 jetfighters


Russia's state exporter of weapons, Rosoboronexport is completing
negotiations to ship to China up to 50 Su-33 jet fighters for a total
worth of $2.5 billion. If the deal is ever clinched, it will be the
second biggest contract for export of Russia's armaments.

Till late this year, China will buy in Russia two Su-33 jet fighters
on trial for the aircraft carrier that is currently constructed. The
deal value is around $100 million, sources close to negotiations
said. Bound by the very tough confidential agreements on military
cooperation, Rosoboronexport doesn't comment on the talks.

But the sources say the contract will be sealed in December in
Beijing. The aircraft will be constructed by Komsomolsk-on-Amur
Production Association and tested by China at the ground range and at
Varyag aircraft carrier that was acquired in Ukraine in 1999 and
which construction is being completed now. Russia uses Su-33 only at
Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier.

China intends to come up with its own aircraft carrier by 2010,
equipping it with foreign jets. But it will probably attempt to
design its own variant of Su-33 by using Russia's technology.

The agreed option provides for delivery of 12 more Su-33 jets. The
consignment may widen to 48, stepping up the budget to $2.5 billion.
Should it happen, it would be the second biggest military and
technological contract of Russia, trailing in size only the
$3-billion agreement for Su-30MKI license assembly in India.

"Theoretically, China can make aircraft. They have mastered license
assembly of J-11, the actual Su-27SK. The question is how much it
will cost and how efficient it will be in operation," said Konstantin
Makienko, an expert of Strategy and Technology Center.


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http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml

PLA’s Latest Experiment With Mobility and Fire Power:
A Look at the Special (Experimental) Light Mechanized Infantry Regiment,
31st Group Army, Chengdu Military Region

by Andrew Chan and Steven Miles

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CDF Admin

Chinese Police is testing a new 9mm Revolver

The so call Type 06 revolver actually looks like a knockoff of Smith & Wessen small frame revolver. It's 9mm rimmed ammo looks like the .38 short Colt. The new revolver will be issues to Chinese cops in traffic, foot partol, public affair and admin duties. Currently those cops are unarmed. So, I guess something is better the nothing ... Timothy Yan

Picture of the day w/ smart-ass remarks

It's not a good idea to blocks the ejection port with his face, especially with a rifle that ejects violently like a Kalishnikov. --- Timothy Yan