Cold War Artifacts of the day: The 7 Chinese artificial hills of the NorthEastern Frontier

Long before the Chinese started constructing artificial islands, they built 7 artificial hills/fortresses in NE China, hoping to slow down an impending Soviet armor thrust into Beijing.  The Soviet cold war goal was to capture Beijing, install a puppet government and divide China into half;  knowing full well the Soviet Far East did not have the manpower to conquer entire China while facing a much more powerful NATO in due course.

From 1969 to 1978, the buildup of Soviet troops along the Chinese-Soviet boarder accounted for 80 percent of the total increase in Soviet military manpower.  In 1973, Soviet ground troops long the Soviet-Chinese frontier were increased from 23 divisions in 1968 to 45 divisions -- including 8 tank divisions.    (Page 34, from Adversaries to Partners?: Chinese and Russian Military Cooperation after the Cold War,  By Ming-Yen Tsai) 

Here are pictures of fortress number 4 located in Ejin Banner of Innter Mongolia:  Totaling 80 acres in size, 340 meters in diameter and a radius of 160 meters. Elevation of 51 meters and the fortification is surrounded by a gully of six meters deep.  Construction started in March 6, 1963 and completed by the end of 1969.  Total garrison was 4748 troops.  The purpose of those artificial artificial hills/fortresses was to slow down the Soviet blitzkrieg as they were not expected more against such a mighty foe.

Another one from Zhengding County, Hebei Province.  

Professional publication of the day: Brigadization of the PLA Air Force

By  Lawrence "Sid" Trevethan, a friend of this blog and China-defense forum. Order your copy here 

In 2016, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) began to implement its 11th large-scale reorganization, including a 300,000-man force reduction. One key component of the reorganization was the PLA Air Force’s (PLAAF) shift away from its traditional Division-Regiment system to a Base-Brigade structure for its fighter and ground attack aircraft. This transition originally began in 2011 but implementation was apparently delayed soon after it began and did not restart until 2017. This paper discusses the evolution of the PLAAF’s fighter and ground attack combat aircraft units and flight colleges to a brigade structure.

Photos of the day: Air assault drill in Xinjiang

Source of the PLA Daily article: http://www.81.cn/jmtt/2018-05/25/content_8041893.htm

Xinjiang, where China's One Belt One Road happens to fan out from that very region.

PR photos of the day: Golden Dart - 2018 air combat tactics competitive assessment

An H-6H bomber shoots off flares during the Golden Dart - 2018 air combat tactics competitive assessment. The PLA Air Force kicked off its annual competitive assessment codenamed Golden Dart - 2018 in northeastern China on April 18, 2018. Over 200 pilots from dozens of Air Force's combat units competed for the "Golden Dart" award, a top prize for the best skillful pilots in the fierce air penetration and assault operations against ground air defense troops. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Yang Pan)

Photos of the day: China's second aircraft carrier concludes first sea trials

Video of the day: H6K landing at a South China Sea Island

Video credit goes to DS北风

PLAAF 36th Bomber Division

Limited inside view of H6K bomber

Since H-6K's redesigned Cockpit Display Systems is classified without a single clear picture on the net, but judging from Prez Xi's last visit, it should have 6 color MFDs