China Defense Blog
This is the blog of China defense, where professional analysts and serious defense enthusiasts share findings on a rising military power.
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Modern PLA Land Unit Of The Day. Light Cavalry
After reviewing the modern Chinese heavy shield infantry and Phalanx / Mandarin Duck formations, next up is the mysterious PLA Light Cavalry. The PLA Light Cavalry, like other Light Cavalries such as the legendary Mongolian equivalent, is trained as swift scouts and battlefield raiders. As a result, they traded heavy armor for speed and mobility, allowing them to perform critical missions such as performing reconnaissance, quick raids against the enemy's rear, and protecting the flanks of the main army. At least in principle. In actuality, as evidenced by the photographs below, they are not properly armed for modern combat of 2024. While it is understandable that they are not protected with plate armor, they are also not wearing mail shirts for little protection against arrows or melee warfare.
As several famous PLA professional analysts have properly pointed out, the PLA has not performed a massive cavalry charge since the mid Qing dynasty, 200 years ago, thus it is understandable that they will not know how to handle modern combat. They are untested. Additionally, they appear to be equipped just with a saber and a composited bow, with neither shield or lance to be found. Furthermore, crucial two-way communication technology such as Ram Horn is not available at the squadron level; as some well-known PLA professional analysts have pointed out, corruption at the top levels is to blame for not equipping Ram Horn to each troop.
Friday, October 04, 2024
More Photos For Your Modern Infantry ToE Nerds Out There
Good to see that the Mandarin Duck formation is alive and well. With that being said, a plate armor upgrade would be a great next step upgrade.
Wednesday, October 02, 2024
The PLA still has a much to learn about modern warfare, particularly infantry tactics and related Table of Equipment in 2024
What's wrong this this PLA Phalanx? For starter, their spears are too short, lacking standards. What? no shield? Yikes, only four rank deep.
I am telling you, they would not stand a chance against Little Alex’s Macedonian phalanx of 323 BC. No not a chance.
Man,
oh man, the PLA Hastati border guard is carrying a cheap, Chinese
knockoff gladius that isn't even sharp to start. Their scuta also
appears to be of low quality.
Group photo of this 13-member Contubernium
PR Photos Of The Day: Charge of the Light Brigade
Well, they have since "corrected their mistake" by grouping them into independent companies under a single battalion under the 76th Group Army for better coordinated effects on highland border patrol as well as a back up to the PAP.
(source here)
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
II
“Forward, the Light Brigade!”
Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
Someone had blundered.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
III
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.
IV
Flashed all their sabres bare,
Flashed as they turned in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wondered.
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right through the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reeled from the sabre stroke
Shattered and sundered.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.
V
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell.
They that had fought so well
Came through the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.
VI
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!
QQ: How many people does it take to part a 100,000-Ton PLAN carrier?
Friday, October 11, 2024
PLAAF Unit Of The Day: 37th Regiment, 13th Transport Aviation Division, Central Theater Command Air Force HQ
Home to 28 Y-20 Heavy Transport of the PLAAF as of Oct 11th.
https://china-defense.blogspot.com/2020/04/plaafs-airlft-to-wuhan.html
Saturday, April 04, 2020
PLAAF's airlift to Wuhan
The 2,600 military medical personnel are drawn from the PLA Army, Navy, Air Force, Rocket Force, Strategic Support Force, Joint Logistic Support Force and Armed Police Force. According to the above two hospitals’ treatment capacity and construction progress, the military medical personnel will be deployed in batches. The first group of 1,400 personnel has arrived in Wuhan on February 13 and scheduled to carry out medical treatment as soon as possible.
Most of them were airlifted via a fleet of 11 transports "Y-20 (4th Division 12th Regiment), IL-76 (13th Division) and Y-9 (4th Division 10th Regiment) (link)"
At the same time, PLA's Joint Logistic Support Force also procured 10,000 protective suits for military medical personnel each day, and over two million face masks have been imported from around the world. (link)
3xY-20, 5xIL-76 and 3xY-9