Mechanized infantry brigade forges combined battalion

(Source: PLA Daily) 2010-10-09

　　On the eve of the National Day, a mechanized infantry brigade of the Jinan Military Area Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) organized its combined battalion to conduct a test-oriented offensive operation exercise on a training ground in south Henan Province. In the fierce confrontation with the well-equipped “Blue Army”, the combined battalion showed obvious advantage in comprehensive combat capability. According to Zhang Chuanguang, commander of the brigade, the combined battalion has become a new combat module integrating a multiple of combat elements and having the ability to independently implement a multiple of combat tasks.

　　The reporters saw on the training ground that the combined battalion involving more than 10 arms including armored, communication and air defense forces showed marked performance. It shoulders not only the tasks of reconnoitering targets for attack and controlling the battle process, but the tasks of calling firepower support and assessing attack result. Therefore, it is a trinity of combat unit, reconnaissance unit and directing unit.

　　The combined battalion not only boasts tacit co-operation between different arms of the battalion, but can call for support from the Army, Navy and Air Force at any time, realizing joint operation, collaboration, support and maneuver with other services and arms. Therefore, the combat effectiveness is raised by margins.

　　It’s introduced that 12 new fighting methods and training methods of the combined battalion were tested and a large amount of data were gathered during the exercise, offering basis for the in-depth exploration of combat and training of the PLA combined battalions.

　　By Wei Bing and Li Liang

Editor:Yang Ru