Range matters

Once again, PLAAF's H-6K fleet is venturing to the South China Sea to conduct another "routine" patrol with the newly imported Su-35 as escort.   J-16's ferry range is reported to be 3,900 KM vs Su-35's 4,500 KM.

Bombers, jets hone skills over South China Sea, western Pacific
http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/view/2018-03/26/content_7983206.htm

The People's Liberation Army Air Force recently conducted combat exercises over the western Pacific Ocean and South China Sea, according to its spokesman, Senior Colonel Shen Jinke.

Shen said on Sunday that a group of aircraft including H-6K bombers and Su-30 fighter jets flew over the Miyako Strait earlier last week and then carried out combat training over the western Pacific to verify their long-range operational capabilities.

At the same time, another group of H-6Ks, Su-35 fighter jets and other aircraft conducted a joint combat patrol over the South China Sea, practicing aerial maneuvers and strike tactics at sea, he said in a statement published by the Air Force.
The PLA Air Force has become adept at organizing sophisticated joint operations and is able to safeguard the country's sovereignty, national security and interests, Shen said.

This is the second time the PLA Air Force has sent its Su-35s－built by Russia's Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association and introduced to China in late 2016－to take part in exercises over the South China Sea. The first was in early February.

Photos released by the Air Force showed air-launched cruise missiles under the wings of the H-6K bombers participating in the exercises.

The H-6K is the PLA's most advanced bomber and is capable of carrying supersonic cruise missiles to make precision strikes against land targets or ships. Foreign military observers said that the plane has a flight range of about 3,500 kilometers, while its cruise missile has a minimum range of 1,500 km, which means the bomber is able to hit targets at least 5,000 km from its takeoff point.

A news release published by Japan's Joint Staff on Friday said that in addition to bombers and fighter jets the Chinese Air Force had dispatched a Tupolev Tu-154 signal intelligence jet and a Y-8 electronic warfare aircraft to participate in the western Pacific training exercise.

The Air Force began performing long-range, ocean-bound drills in March 2015 and has organized dozens of such operations since then.

Fu Qianshao, an expert from the PLA Air Force, said that ocean-bound exercises verify not only the Air Force's long-distance combat capability, but also its logistics support and electronic warfare abilities.

According to the Air Force, China is developing a new-generation strategic bomber that will be much stronger than the H-6K. Analysts believe the new aircraft will have a range of at least 10,000 km, enough to perform intercontinental missions.

WTF of the day: PLA's new airborne uniform

This new PLA airborne uniform better be an April Fool's joke, or else I will be very upset

PLAN Ship of the day: FFG542 Tongling, the last of the Type 053H2G class

Out of the original four JiangWei I class frigates, only the Tongling remains with the PLAN. The first three were transferred to the China Coast Guard in 2015.    Now with her equipment removed, it seems that she will be joining her three sisters shortly.    

JiangWei Is on patrol as Coast Guard cutters 

74th LH Brigade, 74h Group Army, to replace its Z-8 helicopters with Z-20

The PLA Army Aviation has not been happy with their Changhe Z-8A mainly due to its low performance, heavy maintenance overhead and worst of all, prone to stall at mid-air (here). After only 6 years of service  the 76th LH Brigade is ready to rip-and-replace it with Z-20.

The Z-8A variant is in limited service with the PLA, no one will miss them when they are gone.  The improved B, K, S and J variants seem to enjoy a greater success with the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.

Photo of the day: PLAN Marine's wheeled PLL09 122mm 8x8 Self-Propelled Howitzer

Sunday, February 18, 2018

PLAN Marine training with ZBL09 wheeled IFV

One of the newly commissioned PLAN Marine units is seen here training with ZBL09 wheeled IFV..   Perhaps they are just waiting for their AAAV to arrive, or they are not intended to "storm the beach" like their 1st and 2nd Marine Brigade counterparts but rather fan-out rapidly after a beachhead is secured.    But one thing is certain -- they are willing to trade armor protection for speed.

As a side note, the PLAN Marine stationed in Djibouti here is also sporting the same wheel based ZBL09

ZTL09 Wheeled light tank is also spotted

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.

Adding a new meaning to the slogan "Army Of One"

Civilian-oriented troops withdrawn from armed police force, enhancing CPC management

Source: Global Times
Editor: Huang Panyue

Time: 2018-03-22


In a move to enhance the Communist Party of China's management of the country's armed forces, Beijing on Wednesday announced the complete withdrawal of civilian-oriented, firefighting and frontier defense troops from the People's Armed Police Force.

The withdrawal of armed police force units engaged in civilian affairs would disentangle the previous complicated chain of command, Chinese military analysts said.

Troops that were formerly part of the armed police and managed by institutes of the State Council have now officially withdrawn from this system in a bid to fully implement the Party's absolute leadership over the People's Liberation Army, and other national armed forces, according to an article published by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA)'s official WeChat public account on Wednesday.

Such reforms are being carried out alongside ongoing reforms of the Party, State institutions and the military, Li Daguang, a professor at the National Defense University in Beijing told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The reform follows command of China's armed police being transferred in December to the CPC Central Committee and the Central Military Commission (CMC) from the State Council.

The armed police force units are now withdrawn from armed police registration and placed under the management of local administrations including public security and emergency response regulators, the article read.

Maritime police forces, that used to be under the leadership of State Oceanic Administration, now start to serve their duties as armed police forces.

Armed police forces that previously answered to civil-related duties including gold, forestry and hydropower troops have been transferred to State institutions accordingly while no longer in army service.

Responsible forces with the country's customs are now part of the armed police.

Such reform could significantly correct misnaming errors and stressed the absolute leadership of the Party over its armed forces including the armed police, Li noted.

Firefighters, nolonger part of the PAP

Monday, January 22, 2018

PR photos of the day: PAP, China's other ground force.

It would be unwise to ignore such an important element in any China related war scenario, especally they are now part of the CMC just like their Army counterpart.

From SCMP (here)

China brings People’s Armed Police under control of top military chiefs.  Paramilitary force will answer to body headed by President Xi Jinping

China will bring its paramilitary police force, the People’s Armed Police, under the direct control of the Central Military Commission, which controls the country’s armed forces, state media reported on Wednesday.

The 1.5 million-strong paramilitary police force previously came under a dual command structure of the CMC and the State Council, or cabinet, via the Ministry of Public Security. It serves as a backup for the military in times of war, and domestically has a role in putting down protests and counterterrorism – particularly in areas such as the restive far western Xinjiang region – as well as border defence and firefighting.