The PLA Navy's 49th Escort Task Force recently conducted counterterrorism and anti-piracy drills, receiving the usual round of media coverage.
The PLAN's anti-piracy mission began in 2008 amid considerable fanfare and has since attracted extensive attention from civilian observers, military analysts, and think tanks. Andrew Erickson of the U.S. Naval War College's China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI) is one of the leading scholars on the subject, as are many of his colleagues at CMSI.
What receives far less attention is how the PLA Marine Corps, particularly its special operations unit, the "Jiaolong" Brigade, has benefited from these sustained overseas deployments. Not all of their experience has come from scripted training events. Some of it has been gained through real-world operational deployments, making this an area that deserves further study.
Looking back through photos of the Jiaolong Brigade over the years, there appears to have been a noticeable evolution in both equipment and operational practices. Some of these changes likely reflect lessons learned from deployments to the Gulf of Aden, while others may have come from working alongside or observing foreign navies conducting similar missions.
From a small-unit perspective, one of the more interesting questions is how the PLA Marines have translated their Gulf of Aden experience into broader tactical and organizational improvements. Have boarding procedures changed? Has equipment selection evolved? Have they adopted different approaches to training, communications, or force protection based on operational lessons learned?
There may already be a study on this topic, but if so, it has largely escaped my attention. It would certainly be an interesting read.
Looking back at 2020
https://china-defense.blogspot.com/2020/08/photos-of-day-china-mairne-spops-in.html
Special operations soldiers assigned to a reconnaissance battalion with
the Marine Corps under the PLA Navy conduct diving operations underwater
with rifles during a recent special operations training exercise.
(eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Yan Jialuo, Pu Yuxiang and Xia Lei)
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
VBSS body armor adopted.
All those adjustments show that the decision to participate in the anti-piracy duties is paying dividends in unexpected ways for the PLAN.
Friday, June 10, 2011
PLAMC testing new VBSS body armor vest for boarding team
The CD VBSS is more comfortable and offers quick-release that the standard issued Type 06 body armor lacks. The quick-release is a life saver if a boarding team member fall into the water. All he needed it is just pull the quick-release to remove the vest (which will be loaded down with hard plates, ammo, pistol, comm & other gears) and swim to the surface.
The vest uses Kevlar material and has large SAPI size hard plate pocket in the front and back. --- Timothy Yan
Thursday, January 28, 2010
China to lead SHADE's anti-piracy patrols off Somalia
In November 2009, China expressed interest in playing a “lead role” in the fight against Somali pirates. (here) They requested to co-chair SHADE (Shared Awareness and Deconfliction) jointly with the EU and US-led Combined Maritime Force, headquartered in Bahrain.
After receiving support from the EU delegation, China is now approved to lead SHADE's anti-piracy patrols off Somalia. This effort will also require Chinese warships to patrol a sector of the special transit corridor through the most dangerous part of the Gulf of Aden and it also means China will need to send more than the three ships currently deployed off the Horn of Africa. Naturally, there are political complications for such a development and they can be summarized as follows.
First, there are those who view any Chinese military development, especially in the Indian Ocean, with suspicion. By operating under an international framework China’s effort can be seen as a positive step in alleviating suspicion.
Second, others see China’s military growth as “natural.” Writing in the current edition of the Atlantic monthly, Robert Kaplan argues that “as a great continental nation’s economy grows, it begins to trade more with the outside world and develops interests it did not have previously” (here) and that the Chinese build up mirrors what the United States once did. In that light, China is following a natural growth path. This group is less concerned about a PLAN “misadventure” in the region as long as its posture is not overly aggressive.
Lastly, there is also a group of critics who charge that China has enjoyed a free-ride provided by the United States Navy in protecting international waters (here). With 2.4 Trillion dollars in the Bank, China should constitute a greater share of the MOOTW burden. Unlike the previous two groups, this group would welcome greater Chinese participation in protecting the "liberal trade" system that the world enjoys.
Political considerations aside, in order for the PLAN to support an expanded naval deployment, it would require a greater fleet reserve at home. As a general rule, to maintain a task force of three ships on-station, the PLAN would need to keep a total of 9 ships on reserve: three on training, three on crew rotation and maintenance, and three on-station. That requirement could provide the justification the PLAN seeks for naval build up at home and abroad (expect to see more Type 054A frigates on order). Second, the PLAN would need to increase their C2 assets in order to communicate with other members of SHADE. The current fleet PLAN is not equipped with the extensive communication gear that can deal with a 40-nation strong Maritime Force. A PLAN overseas naval base in Djibouti seems to be an ideal location to host such a C2 asset. (here)
All in all, China’s mission to fight pirates is becoming "historical" indeed.
China to lead anti-piracy patrols
After receiving support from the EU delegation, China is now approved to lead SHADE's anti-piracy patrols off Somalia. This effort will also require Chinese warships to patrol a sector of the special transit corridor through the most dangerous part of the Gulf of Aden and it also means China will need to send more than the three ships currently deployed off the Horn of Africa. Naturally, there are political complications for such a development and they can be summarized as follows.
First, there are those who view any Chinese military development, especially in the Indian Ocean, with suspicion. By operating under an international framework China’s effort can be seen as a positive step in alleviating suspicion.
Second, others see China’s military growth as “natural.” Writing in the current edition of the Atlantic monthly, Robert Kaplan argues that “as a great continental nation’s economy grows, it begins to trade more with the outside world and develops interests it did not have previously” (here) and that the Chinese build up mirrors what the United States once did. In that light, China is following a natural growth path. This group is less concerned about a PLAN “misadventure” in the region as long as its posture is not overly aggressive.
Lastly, there is also a group of critics who charge that China has enjoyed a free-ride provided by the United States Navy in protecting international waters (here). With 2.4 Trillion dollars in the Bank, China should constitute a greater share of the MOOTW burden. Unlike the previous two groups, this group would welcome greater Chinese participation in protecting the "liberal trade" system that the world enjoys.
Political considerations aside, in order for the PLAN to support an expanded naval deployment, it would require a greater fleet reserve at home. As a general rule, to maintain a task force of three ships on-station, the PLAN would need to keep a total of 9 ships on reserve: three on training, three on crew rotation and maintenance, and three on-station. That requirement could provide the justification the PLAN seeks for naval build up at home and abroad (expect to see more Type 054A frigates on order). Second, the PLAN would need to increase their C2 assets in order to communicate with other members of SHADE. The current fleet PLAN is not equipped with the extensive communication gear that can deal with a 40-nation strong Maritime Force. A PLAN overseas naval base in Djibouti seems to be an ideal location to host such a C2 asset. (here)
All in all, China’s mission to fight pirates is becoming "historical" indeed.
China to lead anti-piracy patrols
PLA Navy officials agree to expanded role co-ordinating international efforts off Somalia
Greg Torode Chief Asia correspondent in Singapore
Jan 28, 2010
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2c913216495213d5df646910cba0a0a0/?vgnextoid=12aa9d9df9076210VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=teaser&ss=China&s=News
China has won approval to lead the co-ordination of international anti-piracy patrols off Somalia - an unprecedented expansion of its historic deployment of warships to the Indian Ocean.
The effort will also see China send its warships to permanently patrol a sector of the special transit corridor through the most dangerous part of the Gulf of Aden. The pledge means that China needs to send more than the three ships it keeps deployed off the Horn of Africa to protect vital trade routes linking Asia to Europe.
PLA Navy officials reached agreement last week over its expanded role with major international navies at a meeting of the so-called Shade grouping in Bahrain, officials at the meeting said.
Shade, or Shared Awareness and Deconfliction, has been jointly headed by European Union forces and the US-led Combined Maritime Forces.
More than two years old, Shade meets monthly to maximise co-ordination and communication among the 40-odd navies now protecting shipping off the Horn of Africa.
While some nations operate as part of international flotillas under the banner of Nato, the EU or the CMF, some operate independently, including China, India, Russia, Malaysia and Iran.
Currently only Nato, EU and CMF ships patrol inside the corridor.
By committing to provide an "enduring" presence in the corridor, China will be eligible to lead as part of a new rotating chairmanship, which will switch every three to four months. It is expected to take charge by the middle of the year.
The move is expected to force India and Russia to seek a greater role, as they try to match a growing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean.
Captain Chris Chambers, director of operations for the CMF, confirmed China's new role yesterday at a shipping conference in Singapore.
"There has been major progress in communication and co-operation with navies that once didn't really speak to each other," Chambers, a US naval officer, said. "China will get a chance to chair the Shade ... it is a very positive development.
"It will open the door for other independent nations to come in."
Other officials at last week's Bahrain meeting said the PLA was reporting back to Beijing for political approval before a formal announcement could be made.
Both Western and Asian naval officials are backing the move, knowing they are struggling to deal with a worsening piracy situation off Somalia, a failed state where pirates operate with no fear of law enforcement or other government intervention.
While the Gulf of Aden situation has eased under naval pressure, pirates are now attacking ships off Somalia's east coast, travelling more than 1,000 nautical miles into the Indian Ocean to seize ships, putting a wider range of shipping at risk. "It is getting desperate and there is no solution in sight," one foreign naval official said. "Anything China can do to offer more practical help will be taken up at this point. This deal is a straight win-win."
While helping to tackle a worsening international crisis, fighting piracy allows China to quietly develop an Indian Ocean presence - something military analysts believe could be highly strategic to its ambitions to create a navy with wide global reach.
Typically, hijacked ships are taken to pirate lairs on Somalia's east coast. The ship and crew are kept under armed guard but are generally unharmed until the owners can arrange a ransom, which now range between US$2 million and US$7 million.
China began pushing for a broader role after the hijacking in October of mainland bulk carrier the De Xin Hai. The ship, steaming to India with a load of South African coal when it was captured northeast of the Seychelles islands, was released late last month after the payment of US$3.5 million in cash.
The De Xin Hai was the first mainland ship to be captured since Beijing's historic deployment of warships to the area in December 2008.
That deployment marked the first time the Chinese navy had ventured into potential conflict beyond its home waters in centuries.
The PLA warships never attempted to attack or intercept the pirates, with PLA officials later insisting they were too far away at the time.
The warships - two destroyers and an armed supply ship - run regular escorts from convoys of ships registered in Hong Kong, Taiwan and on the mainland. Ships of other nations can join the Chinese convoys.
When not involved with convoys, the Chinese vessels have also assisted other international efforts. China's convoys sail near the transit corridor, keep in contact with it but have not been part of it. Now it has agreed to keep a single ship in the corridor for a month at a time, China will be assigned a 60 nautical mile stretch of ocean to permanently patrol.
Chinese officials have repeatedly suggested that individual countries should be given set areas of ocean to take responsibility for - a concept already in operation inside the corridor.
Commander of Chinese naval escort taskforce visits No. 465 EU naval escort fleet
(Source: MOD) 2009-11-24
Wang Zhiguo (L), commander of the Chinese naval 3rd escort fleet, talks with officials of the European Union (EU) navy 465 formation during his visit to the Dutch frigate "Eversten" at the invitation of the European Union (EU) navy 465 formation in the Gulf of Aden, Nov. 22, 2009. (Xinhua/Guo Gang)
Wang Zhiguo (L), commander of the Chinese naval 3rd escort fleet, talks with officials of the European Union (EU) navy 465 formation during his visit to the Dutch frigate "Eversten" at the invitation of the European Union (EU) navy 465 formation in the Gulf of Aden, Nov. 22, 2009. (Xinhua/Guo Gang)
On the morning of November 22, local time, Rear Admiral Wang Zhiguo, commanding officer of the Chinese naval escort taskforce and deputy commander of the East China Sea Fleet of the Navy of the Chinese PLA and his 6-member party were invited to visit the "Eversten” guided missile frigate of the Dutch Navy and flagship of the No. 465 European Union (EU) naval escort fleet. Commodore Pieter Bindt, commanding officer of the No. 465 EU naval escort fleet, warmly received the Chinese guests.
During the talks, Commodore Bindt mainly introduced the escort organization mode and coordination mechanism of the EU naval escort fleet.
Commodore Bindt noted that the International Cooperation and Coordination Conference for the Escort in the Gulf of Aden held in Beijing on November 6-7 was a testimony of the Chinese side’s stand of actively participating in regional escort and deepening international cooperation and the EU maritime troops appreciated the active attitude adopted by the Chinese side.
Wang Zhiguo said in the talks that in the face of the current tough situation in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off the Somali coast, the common efforts of the multi-national escort navies were required to ensure the security of the merchant ships.
Wang also said that the Chinese naval escort taskforce will continue to maintain and strengthen the exchanges and cooperation with the naval escort forces of relevant countries and international organizations and do a good job in escort.
After the talks, accompanied by Commodore Bindt, Wang Zhiguo and his party visited the "Eversten” frigate and watched the anti-pirate drill of the light and heavy weapon shooting staged by the officers and men of the No. 465 fleet.
According to the agreement reached by the Chinese and Dutch navies, China and Holland dispatched two young officers respectively to the warship of the other side to conduct a two-day-long on-board study and exchange.
By Zhu Da, Xu Yeqing
http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/news-channels/china-military-news/2009-11/24/content_4084696.htm
Commander of Chinese naval escort taskforce visits U.S. guided-missile cruiser “Chosin”
(Source: China Military Online) 2009-11-23
Rear Admiral Scott Sanders, commander of the No.151 taskforce of the U.S. Navy, is presenting the emblem of the guided-missile cruiser “Chosin” to Rear Admiral Wang Zhiguo, commander of the Chinese naval escort taskforce.
On the morning of November 19, at the invitation of Rear Admiral Scott Sanders, commander of the No. 151 taskforce of the U.S. Navy, which was performing escort task in the waters of the Gulf of Aden, Rear Admiral Wang Zhiguo, commander of the third Chinese naval escort taskforce and deputy commander of the East China Sea Fleet of the Navy of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, flied to the guided-missile cruiser “Chosin” of the U.S. Navy for a visit together with his 5-member party and conducted exchanges. This was a return visit to Rear Admiral Sanders and his party’s visit paid to the “Zhoushan” warship of the Chinese naval escort taskforce on November 11.
Editor:Yang Ru
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Update on the cargo ship De Xin Hai hijacked by the Somali pirates
I posted the following back in Oct 10, 2009 (here) and looks like they have agreed to the four million USD ransom demand. The crew will be home by Chinese New Year and that is worth celebrating.
China says ship crew rescued from Somali pirates
BEIJING
Sun Dec 27, 2009 10:15pm EST
Millions of Chinese are now glued to their flat panels wondering how the high seas drama is going to play out. How will China apply its military might in a MOOTW (Military Operation Other Than War)? Will they resort to diplomacy, water cannons, or C803’s? Inquiring minds want to know!
China says ship crew rescued from Somali pirates
BEIJING
Sun Dec 27, 2009 10:15pm EST
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5BR0BO20091228
BEIJING (Reuters) - The crew of a Chinese ship hijacked by Somali pirates in mid-October was safely rescued, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday, making no mention of a reported ransom payment.
The De Xin Hai, owned by a unit of China Ocean Shipping or COSCO, was carrying coal and 25 Chinese crew from South Africa to India when seized by pirates east of the Horn of Africa, some 700 nautical miles east of Somalia, on October 19.
Jiang Yu, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said the crew was rescued early on Monday morning Beijing time, the official Xinhua news agency said.
"The ship has been under the protection of Chinese warships. We will carry out medical checks for the crew, send them to safe waters and bring them back to China as quickly as possible," Jiang said.
The announcement brought to a subdued end a hijacking that had highlighted China's growing presence on global shipping lanes, and brought warnings that Beijing could use military force against the pirates based in Somalia.
The foreign ministry statement gave no details of how the crew was recovered. One of the pirates told Reuters on Sunday a helicopter had dropped a $4 million ransom payment onto the deck of the ship, opening the way to their release.
China sent three warships to Somali waters late last year with great fanfare after a ship carrying oil to China was attacked by pirates. But Chinese warships, like those from other countries, provide protection mainly in the narrow and dangerous Gulf of Aden, not the much larger Indian Ocean.
(Reporting by Huang Yan; Editing by Chris Buckley and Ron Popeski)
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
China vows to save crew held by Somali pirates
Millions of Chinese are now glued to their flat panels wondering how the high seas drama is going to play out. How will China apply its military might in a MOOTW (Military Operation Other Than War)? Will they resort to diplomacy, water cannons, or C803’s? Inquiring minds want to know!
.......Maybe China needs to be nice and negotiate, others counter that force is the only deterrence against those pirates, At any rate, how do you say "Collateral Damage" in Chinese?
As a side note, PLAN's special operation unit in the Gulf of Aden conducted a shooting practice only four days ago.
.......Maybe China needs to be nice and negotiate, others counter that force is the only deterrence against those pirates, At any rate, how do you say "Collateral Damage" in Chinese?
As a side note, PLAN's special operation unit in the Gulf of Aden conducted a shooting practice only four days ago.
China vows to save crew held by Somali pirates. But how?
Chinese officials hint that violent action may be taken to rescue the 25 Chinese crew members aboard a cargo ship seized by Somali pirates on Monday.
By Peter Ford | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
from the October 20, 2009 edition
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/1020/p06s07-wosc.html
Beijing - Chinese officials are being tight-lipped when it comes to explaining what exactly they mean when they say Beijing will make an "all out effort" to rescue a Chinese cargo ship seized by Somali pirates on Monday.
But if it means they will take military action to rescue the crew, it would be the furthest projection of force from China for its navy in modern history.
Three Chinese military vessels are part of the international anti-piracy taskforce, but they are currently patrolling the Gulf of Aden, almost 1,000 miles from the spot where pirates seized the coal-carrying De Xin Hai and her 25 Chinese crew members.
If Beijing decides on a military rescue operation, "The Chinese could go in hard" says David Johnson, manager of Eos, a private British company specializing in maritime security. "They are renowned for aggressive tactics when they come across pirates. They open up on pirate vessels."
He theorized that the Chinese ships in the Gulf of Aden will try to intercept the hijacked cargo ship before it reaches the Somali coast and the pirate enclave around the town of Eyl.
Pirates threaten to execute Chinese crew
The pirates warned Beijing Tuesday not to try a rescue. "We tell China not to endanger the lives of their people with any rescue operation," an associate of the hostage takers who called himself Hassan told Reuters news agency by phone Tuesday. "If they try that we will execute the whole crew," he added.
The Chinese have a squad of marine special forces soldiers on maritime patrol in the Indian Ocean and they have gone through simulated hostage rescue drills. Shortly before the Chinese ships joined the anti-piracy task force last December, Chinese TV aired footage of the drills.
Chinese commandos in training video
In the video, after a failed attempt at negotiating with the "pirates," balaclava clad helicopter and small boat-borne troops storm a vessel and subdue its captors.
Should such tactics be used, the Chinese may seek to take a page out of the American Navy's book. Earlier this year sharpshooters from the US Navy SEALS killed three pirates and rescued the hostage captain of the Alabama, an oil tanker.
The De Xin Hai is the first Chinese-flagged vessel to have been captured by pirates since Beijing's ships joined the piracy patrols. The Chinese crew of another ship successfully fought off pirates with home made Molotov cocktails.
Pirate skiffs have to carry a lot of fuel to give them sufficient range for their operations, Mr. Johnson points out, which makes them vulnerable to fire-bombing.
"Paint thinner in light-bulbs with a cloth stuck in the neck is the preferred weapon, apparently," says Johnson, whose company trains crews and former servicemen how to resist pirate attacks. "It's all pretty crude."
Naval special operation unit conducts live-shell shooting practice
(Source: Xinhua) 2009-10-16
A member of the SOU of the PLA Navy is in live-shell shooting practice on the “Zhoushan” warship on October 14. The members of the SOU on “Zhoushan” warship conducted live-shell shooting practice with such light weapons as automatic rifle, pistol and snipe rifle on the same day. (Photo by Guo Gang)
On the afternoon of October 14, 2009, 20 members of the special operation unit (SOU) of the Navy of the Chinese PLA conducted light weapon live-shell shooting practice on the “Zhoushan” warship, which is implementing escort mission in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somali coast.
According to Ma Yuqing, the on-spot commander and leader of the SOU, the aim for conducting live-shell shooting practice is to examine the training level of the SOU members, improve their shooting skill under maritime condition and maintain good battle readiness state, so as to better accomplish the escort mission.
By Guo Gang
Editor:Fan Aifeng
Do you feel lucky?
