Press Release Of The Day: "double the pleasure double the fun"

"The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy Carried out its first dual aircraft carrier formation exercise"

So whatever happened to Deng Xiaoping's "Hide your capacities, bide your time?”

PLA Cope Cages / Slat Armor Photos Of They Day

 Type 86A IFV of the 74th Group Army spotted with anti FPV protection.

Type 04A IFV in MONT training 

PLA Insufficient Firepower Phobia (IFP) Photo Of The Day: 120mm Automortar mounted on a CS/VP4 Lynx ATV

This export version, adopted by the PLA, will bring 120mm firepower down to the company level. It will undoubtedly enhance light mobile units such as the PLA Airborne and helicopter assault companies, offering high mobility with greater firepower compared to the traditional 82mm mortar.

 Of course, greater firepower entails greater logistical needs. But that's a topic for another post.

 

 

Friday, August 30, 2024

Norinco Export Of The Day: SM-4A Rapid-Fire 120mm Mortar System on VN-1 platform ( ZBD-09 8x8 amphibious APC chassis)

The shorter barrel of the new SM-4A, which is based on the W99 (82mm) Chinese version of the Vasilek, is its main advantage over the earlier SM-4, 120mm, as it enables it to be fitted into the majority of APC/IFV that are now in service or offered for export.    As this blog has pointed out that Chinese land systems have recently experienced an export success of late, mostly around to their 105mm 6x6 wheeled gun for direct fire and supporting APC/IFV,  the SM-4A will enhance the in-direct fire support that many prospective export clients are seeking.

SM-4A in service with The Royal Thai Army

PLAN Photo Of The Day:

Nice three-some picture of Thailand's Type 071E and PLAN's own Type071LPD being replenished simultaneously by supply ship 903

China, Thailand Hold Joint Naval Drill, Promote Military Cooperation
Sep. 04, 2023
(Source: Global Times; issued Sept 03, 2023)

A Chinese navy submarine. The Thai navy chief said on Friday he had agreed to accept a Chinese diesel engine in lieu of the original German engine for the Yuan-class submarines it has on order, finally allowing the deal to go through. (PLA-N photo)

The navies of China and Thailand are holding a joint exercise closely following joint drills by the armies and air forces of the two countries, and experts said on Sunday that these consecutive interactions will promote military cooperation, with a latest example being the Thai navy chief's approval of the use of a Chinese engine in a China-Thailand submarine deal.

The China-Thailand Blue Strike-2023 joint naval training exercise is scheduled to be held from Sunday to September 10 in the upper Gulf of Thailand and a marine camp in Sattahip, the Bangkok Post reported on Saturday.

With the aim of enhancing the participating forces' training level and interoperability, boosting the two navies' pragmatic cooperation and elevating the capability in jointly dealing with regional security threats, the training exercise will feature subjects including sniping tactics, jungle survival, maritime search and rescue as well as cross-deck helicopter landings, said Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson, at a regular press conference on Thursday.

It marks the fifth edition of the Blue Strike bilateral naval exercises held since 2010.

Chinese forces participating in the exercise, including the Type 071 comprehensive landing ship Simingshan, the Type 054A guided missile frigate Anyang, the Type 903A comprehensive replenishment ship Chaohu, a Marine Corps unit and a vessel-borne helicopter unit, arrived at the Port of Sattahip in Thailand on Thursday, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) East Sea Fleet said in a press release that same day.

A Chinese Type 039 conventional attack submarine also arrived in Sattahip, according to Thai media reports.

According to the report from the Bangkok Post, shortly before the joint exercise, Thai navy chief Admiral Choengchai Chomchoengpaet said on Friday that he had approved the use of the Chinese-made CHD620 engine as a substitute for a German-made one for an S26T Yuan-class submarine being assembled in China.

The approval came after a long period of inspection, and it shows that the Thai Navy has recognized that the Chinese engine's performance is not inferior to its German counterpart, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Sunday.

The original German engine was substituted because of US pressure on Germany not to provide the engine, Song said.

With the participation of the Type 039 submarine in the joint exercise, the Thai Navy can better understand the Chinese submarine's capabilities and further promote its export, Song said, noting that the S26T is developed based on the Type 039.

Thailand is a user of many Chinese defense products, including a Type 071 comprehensive landing ship, VN16 amphibious armored vehicles, VN1 wheeled armored vehicles and VT4 main battle tanks

Just before the naval drill, armies of the two countries wrapped up the 18-day Strike-2023 joint training exercise in Thailand on Friday, the PLA Southern Theater Command said in a press release later that day.

The two countries' air forces also held the 21-day Falcon Strike-2023 joint air combat drill in Thailand in July.

Close, consecutive interactions between the Chinese and Thai militaries enhance mutual trust, deepen traditional friendship and boost joint operational capabilities, experts said.

At a time when the US is rallying the Philippines and stirring trouble in the South China Sea, Thailand, a special country that maintains close relations with both the US and China and also an ASEAN member, could act as a bridge that balances and eases the situation, analysts said.

Yet another PLAN semi-submersible vessel surfaced (pun intended)

The rate at which civilian semi-submersibles are being deployed into PLA amphibious operations, someone should really start to reevaluate PLA's sea lift capacity.

 

Monday, August 26, 2024

Yet another civilian dual-use semi-submersible vessel got STUFT-ed.

Back in Aug 17th 2024, there's three-photo article on the "PLA 71st Group Army takes off from a maritime platform during a flight training exercise" (link).  It does not a genius to figure it out why the PLA ground force,  whom the Army Aviation  (LH) organic to, is interested in using semi-submersible vessels to support "cross strait" operations.

 

Friday, August 21, 2020

https://china-defense.blogspot.com/2020/08/multi-type-army-helicopters-conduct.html

Multi-type Army helicopters conduct deck-landing training on civilian semi-submersible vessel

 another STUFT (Ships Taken Up From Trade) example

http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/view/2020-08/21/content_9887106.htm

BEIJING, Aug. 21 -- Recently, an army aviation brigade under the PLA 71st Group Army organized multi-type helicopters to conduct deck-landing training, fuel and ammunition replenishment and emergency repair on a civilian semi-submersible vessel, in a bid to test support capabilities.

According to the training scenario, after the multi-type helicopters flied to the target island, the transport helicopter selected a site for landing with the attack helicopter on alert overhead. Then the transport helicopter carried the mocked wounded soldiers to a civilian semi-submersible vessel for a replenishment-at-sea.

During the training, the multi-type helicopters landed precisely on the deck of civilian semi-submersible vessel and quickly received fuel and ammunition supplies.
There are three helipads in the middle area of the semi-submersible vessel’s deck.

Colonel Xu Yifeng, deputy commander of the army aviation brigade under the PLA 71st Group Army, said that this training has effectively improved the pilots’ deck-landing ability on the offshore platforms and also the maintenance personnel’s comprehensive support capacity, laying a solid foundation for the cross-sea operations of the PLA Army’s helicopters.

It is learnt that the civilian semi-submersible vessel participating in the training is manufactured by the Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. The middle area of the vessel’s deck is equipped with 3 helipads, which can carry and support multiple types of helicopters in active service to conduct cross-sea operations, such as the WZ-10, WZ-19, and Z-8 helicopters. China has so far dozens of dual-use semi-submersible vessels.

Chinese military expert Li Jie said on August 20 that the large semi-submersible ship can take advantage of its large deck and better stability to temporarily serve as a platform to carry helicopters, an offshore parking apron, and a replenishment and repair center when performing some tasks in offshore areas, especially those with air domination. If missions are performed around large islands or reefs, a large semi-submersible ship can also be deployed at each end of the islands or reefs as maritime relay platforms to further enhance the cross-sea combat capability of the helicopters and to increase the helicopters’ combat radius.
Maintenance crew members arm a WZ-19 helicopter with an AKD-9, an air-to-surface missile.

Li also believed that with the improvement of China's shipbuilding technology, the current large-tonnage civilian semi-submersible vessels with relatively advanced technology have great potential for military-civilian integration.

Disclaimer: This article is originally published on globaltimes.cn, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.

 

Monday, March 20, 2017

PLAN commission of the day: Zhen Hua 33 military-civilian dual-use semi-submersible vessel

QIDONG, JIANGSU, Mar. 15 (ChinaMil) -- China’s first 50,000-ton military-civilian dual-use semi-submersible vessel was brought into service in Qidong City, China's Jiangsu Province, on March 14.

The 50,000-ton ship has a total length of 227 meters, with a main deck area of 7,700 square meters. Its Semi-submersible draught is 27 meters. It has an average speed of 14 knots and a maximum cruise range of 18,000 nautical miles, and is perfect for navigation and operations in the open sea.

The semi-submersible vessel also has a large cargo platform area, equivalent to two standard football fields. In addition to its large steel structure and offshore drilling platform, the semi-submersible vessel also has other military functions, including carrying helicopters and fixing damaged war ships.

It is reported that the semi-submersible vessel can be used for berthing transition of a big ship over 10,000 tons, maritime military relay support for ship-borne helicopters, rush-repair and evacuation of damaged warships and so on.

Huang Hao, a deputy director of the PLA Wuxi Joint Logistic Support Center, said that the design and manufacture of this semi-submersible vessel took two years and three months.

It is the largest civilian ship that meets defense requirements. This multi-functional semi-submersible vessel is almost the same size as an aircraft carrier, Huang added.

PLAAF in Pakistan's "Indus Shield C" Exercise

 https://www.radio.gov.pk/24-10-2024/coas-witnesses-multinational-exercise-indus-shield-2024