Saturday, October 10, 2015

China to transfer technology of submarine construction to Pakistan


China to transfer technology of submarine construction to Pakistan

(Source: People's Daily Online)   2015-10-09

  China is to build four submarines in Pakistan port city Karachi, fulfilling a new defense deal between the two countries, Pakistan local media reported on Wednesday.

  The new defense deal includes eight submarines, which are going to be put into production at the same time in China and Pakistan. This makes the arms deal the biggest ever to China.

  Announcing the deal, Pakistani Minister for Defense Production Rana Tanveer Hussain said that the deal had been finalized and four submarines would be built in Karachi. "China will transfer the technology to Pakistan for submarine construction," the Minister told Dawn, the Pakistan media.

  The minister did not reveal which type of submarines China would transfer to Pakistan. Neither did he announce the exact date of the submarines being put into production.

  Pakistan had earlier explored the options of buying submarines from France and Germany, but the deals did not materialize.

Editor:Zhang Tao

They deserve nothing less!


Veterans to receive better income, pensions package

(Source: China Daily)   2015-10-09
   Expert says reform will pave way for 300,000 troop cut scheduled for completion in 2017

  China will continue to improve the living standard of military personnel and veterans by further raising their income and reforming the pension system for retirees, experts said.

  "The military increased our vocational allowance around July and the basic salary is expected to be raised before the end of this year," a human resources management researcher at a People's Liberation Army institute who wished to be named as Wang said on Thursday.

  "Once the basic salary is increased, those who will retire from the service will receive a higher pension because the pension level is partly decided by their salary in the military," he explained.

  The PLA is also considering the establishment of an independent body responsible for veteran affairs, he said. Many PLA researchers have been calling for such an organization for a long time, he added.

  "In the past, the veterans' interests and rights were somewhat ignored by some local governments but then the central government came to realize that problem and began to take action to resolve veterans' difficulties," Wang said. Improvement to retirees' treatment will also help facilitate the troop cut recently announced by President Xi Jinping, he said.

  The State Council and the Central Military Commission said on Wednesday that they have approved a plan to improve the veteran pension system. The plan, jointly made by several central government departments and military authorities, stipulates that veterans will be retroactively eligible for a basic pension allowance and occupational pension allowance from Oct 1, 2014, both of which will be subsidized by the central government.

  An unidentified official with the PLA General Logistics Department told PLA Daily that the improved veteran pension system will be conducive to ensuring veterans' livelihoods, improving military job competitiveness, motivating military personnel and encouraging more young people to join the military.

  The pension amendment is the latest in a string of policies to safeguard soldiers' interests. In July, the State Council and Central Military Commission published a policy that encourages commercial insurance providers to provide services to PLA members.

  President Xi Jinping announced a 300,000 reduction to the country's standing troops during the military parade in Beijing on Sept 3.

  The cuts - which will mainly target troops equipped with outdated armaments, administrative staff and non-combatant personnel - will be accomplished by the end of 2017, Yang Yujun, Defense Ministry spokesman, said at a news conference following the parade.

  At 2.3 million, China now has the world's largest active-duty military, including an 850,000-strong ground force, according to a 2013 government paper.

  Gong Fangbin, a political education researcher at PLA National Defense University, told Beijing Times that the improved pension package will relieve concerns of those who will be cut from the military thus helping pave the way for the troop cut.




China moves to ensure veterans' welfare

(Source: Xinhua)   2015-10-09

  China on Wednesday announced measures to improve the living standards of retired soldiers through pension reforms.

  The proposed amendments to the veteran pension system have been approved by the State Council and the Central Military Commission. The General Department of Logistics, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Headquarters of the General Staff and the General Political Department of the People's Liberation Army jointly released two notices on the changes.

  According to the notices, veterans will be retroactively eligible for a basic pension allowance and occupational pension allowance from Oct. 1, 2014, both of which will be subsidized by the central government.

  President Xi Jinping announced a 300,000 reduction to the country's standing troops during the military parade in September.

  The cuts -- which will mainly target troops equipped with outdated armaments, administrative staff and non-combatant personnel -- will be accomplished by the end of 2017, Yang Yujun, Defense Ministry spokesperson, said at a press conference following the parade.

  At 2.3 million, China now has the world's largest active-duty military, including a 850,000-strong ground force, according to a 2013 government paper.

  The improved system will protect soldiers' immediate interests, improve military service as an occupation, motivate military personnel and help with recruitment, an unidentified official with the General Department of Logistics said.

  The pension amendment is the latest in a string of policies to safeguard soldiers' interests. In July, the State Council and Central Military Commission adopted an act that encouraged commercial insurance providers to provide products for service people.

  The document advocated endowment insurance, health insurance and household property insurance policies, and promised tax exemptions to insurance providers for business related to military units, service people and their relatives.

  In April 2012, the top legislature passed the first law on insurance for service people, exempting them from premiums on death and injury insurance as this would be covered by the state.

  It also rolled out government-subsidized medical insurance and pension programs for the unemployed spouses of service people who relocate to where their partners are stationed.

Editor:Zhang Tao

Photos of the day: China Navy, Naval Aviator Patch

Navy aviation officer Dai Mingmeng. 





Please note the 3 digit production serial numbers on those J-15s -- they all belong to the 1st production batch run.  The two prototypes that made the first take-off are longer to be seen 

 









Friday, October 02, 2015

CV16 is still around.......

According to several non-reputable sources on the interweb, the PLAN CV16 Liaoning is joining fight against ISIS.  Well, that is just wishful-thinking..

Setting the record straight here



 

Sunday, September 20, 2015

38th Group Army in Malaysia

The  38th Group Army, Beijing Military Region is sending a detachment of Special Operation forces as part of the 1160-strong PLA ground force to kick off the first joint military drill with Malaysia. This marks the largest ever between Beijing and an ASEAN country.










China, Malaysia start first joint military exercise

(Source: Xinhua)   2015-09-18

  SELANGOR, Malaysia, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and Malaysian armed forces launched their first joint military exercise here Friday, aiming to deepen all-round strategic partnership between the two countries.

  The drill, coded "Peace and Friendship 2015" and scheduled to be conducted in the Malacca Strait and surrounding waters, includes exercises for joint escort, joint search and rescue, hijacked vessel rescue, weapons use, humanitarian rescue and disaster relief.

  Yi Xiaoguang, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, said at a press conference after the opening ceremony that the Chinese armed forces are committed to promoting cooperation in the defense and security area with countries by the South China Sea including Malaysia.

  He said the drill aims to boost China-Malaysia all-round strategic partnership, enhance bilateral pragmatic exchanges and cooperation, improve the ability of the two sides to address non- traditional security threats and safeguard regional maritime security.

  He added that the joint exercise does not target a third party and is not related to the regional situation.

  Chief of the Malaysian Armed Forces Zulkifeli Mohd. Zin said the joint exercise provides a platform for coordination and cooperation between the two armed forces, which is of great significance to the improvement of ties between the two armies as well as the strategic relations between the two countries.

  He said that by conducting the drill, the two armies could take advantage of their respective strength to jointly deal with major natural disasters and play a greater role in enhancing regional security.

  The joint drill is also the largest bilateral military exercise between China and a country from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Editor:Yao Jianing

Friday, September 18, 2015

blue smurf

Seriously guys -- if the Chinese high command really wants the PLAN Marine to be a multirole RRU, they should at least provide them with a better alternative BDU that is not so smurf 










Saturday, September 12, 2015

J20 prototype 2016 rolled out.at Chengdu

Making it the 7th prototype overall.  Also noted is the new DSI-bump.













Sunday, December 21, 2014


J20 prototype 2015 conducts its maiden flight




Other J-20 prototypes that are still flying