Limbering Up the Dragon - Operational Training in the PLA

With the PLA moving to an all arms mechanised force and reorganising its forces to perform independent action at the operational level, training has become more sophisticated with joint operational planning required as well as training areas to allow for the PLA’s emphasis on ‘informationalised warfare’.[i] Combined arms training requires large instrumented exercise areas and in the past few years the PLA has invested considerable resources in developing new combat ranges and training centres to develop and train its forces for modern joint operations. Based on the instrumented US United States Army’s National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, the PLA hopes to create a force capable of engaging and defeating enemy forces on the periphery as well as offensive operations against Taiwan. [ii]

The NTC has from its beginning had a dedicated opposing forces unit to act as the enemy equipped with dedicated OPFOR forces and equipment to train the US Army against Soviet forces.[iii] The United States military incorporates ‘Red Teams’ into its planning and crisis-decision planning process to look at possible counters to their actions and incorporate changes before they could become a reality.[iv] Opposing forces training had three benefits: it adds realism not found it set- piece scenarios; this realism, which takes the form of changing battlefield conditions, causes commanders to use initiative to accomplish their missions; and thirdly, it exposes troops to new tactics, theoretically the tactics of a potential enemy.[v]

The PLA adopted the idea creating its first OPFOR unit in the Nanjing Military Region (MR) in the 1980s and provided OPFOR personnel for other military regions.[vi] 84 established a large simulation centre in Beijing.[vii] The Shenyang MR has a site for tactical logistics simulation training system where two divisions can practice information warfare exercises.[viii] Generally in the PLA, OPFOR units are referred to as ‘confrontational’ (duikang xing) or ‘blue’ (lanse) forces.[ix] The Shenyang MR contains a large sized OPFOR unit to enable exercises at the ‘higher levels’, with the Nanjing MR high technology OPFOR unit is known as the ‘Black Panther Unit’ (hei bao bu dui). [x] Like the NTC the PLA has visually modified some of their armored vehicles, the early ones including the Type 62 light tank visually modified (VISMOD) to represent the US M48 medium tank.[xi] Chinese media reports on recent exercises have shown OPFOR units honing their skills and the units they face all over China. These range from special forces attacks on high value targets to anti-invasion techniques in the recent Peace Mission 2005 exercise with Russian military forces. The latter was more for show as mechanised forces overrun airborne forces if in the area and will decimate a beach head if given the opportunity.
The PLA has created a divisional land forces training areas similar to Ford Polk using technology developed by the Nanjing Research Institute on Simulation Technique (NRIST). Called the digital directional (asset tracking) system, it utilises GPS tracking, audio-visual frequency compression and digital communication techniques, and could be used as a battle management system.[xii] This shows that the Chinese military is serious in having its forces to operate seamlessly in joint operations.

The PLA, like the late Soviet army, keeps the majority of its equipment in store for use in war, utilising earlier versions and small amounts of more recent equipment in training. Although this ensures new equipment in times of mobilisation it leads to problems of personnel not being trained on the equipment issued on mobilisation and equipment breakdowns due to poorly kept batteries, hydraulic fluids and deteriorated fan belts if not stored correctly,. This happened prior to Russian attack on Grozny invasion of Chechnya in late December 1994. The mass movement of military equipment and working the equipment up, such as bore sighting tank guns, alerts an opponent to a mobilisation.

To enable advanced joint counter-terrorist training the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Regional Anti-Terror Training School in the Midong New District in the capital, Urumqi started construction in August 2005. The first phase, planned to be completed in mid-2010 at a cost of 700 Million RMB, will be used by regional police forces to research and develop methods to defeat separatists. Covering 367 hectares it will include facilities for advanced driving training and anti-hijacking training of aircraft and trains.[xiii]

The question is does the PLA forces learn from battles with OPFOR units or are they more for developing new tactics, than training units for combat. The PLA certainly evaluates foreign militaries translating their documents and foreign military journals, having a whole unit used in that role. Foreign officers are sent to study overseas as well as reports from defense attaches and visitors to military conferences, seminars and exhibitions. The mind set however may be different. Can a schooling system, that prides itself on rote learning, and not learning how to judge, challenge and think, produce a force agile enough in thinking to perform in a modern high speed war. Can the PLA produce commanders that can think inside an opponent’s decision cycle?

The PLA has been expending considerable resources to improve their command and control systems. To test the systems out the PLA recently conducted a major joint command and control exercise linking units from the centre linking units from the Beijing, Guangzhou, Shengyang and Chengdu military regions. The headquarters is being run from the Guangzhou MR headquarters ‘to work out the deployment and cooperation between the Army, Navy and Air Force when "separated by hundreds of kilometres’ in the Guangzhou region.[xiv] Another article noted about this exercise that: ‘To ensure the joint training command is up to speed, various arms and services and various units are linked to each other via networks with their equipment capable of effective coordinated operation.? Based on the principle of ‘integrating military with locality and field locations with fixed locations’, they set up multiple sets of fiber-optics transmission systems and use the method of integrated platforms, integrated networks, and integrated applications to connect the major command systems in the cooperation zone, thus ensuring that commanders at all levels are able to transmit and receive telegrams, data, and images real-time at their levels of command. By using uniform interface, upgrading and designing software, and adopting uniform technical specifications, they integrated their existing equipment and information resources and built a complete set of field electronics information networks, thus realizing interconnection of different information equipment and information systems and effectively raising the quality of joint training.’[xv]

The importance of training the C2 systems in the Guangzhou MR cannot be underestimated as the headquarters responsible for the South China Sea and Taiwan. On operations it is imperative that everyone uses the same procedures and commands and the exercise showed that the different commands were not using the same standard operating procedures. Hu Jintao and the Central Military Commission have reinforced the need for standard operating procedures and called for all headquarters units to read and adopt the new regulations for operating headquarters units.[xvi] This exercise exposed flaws which artificial command post exercises of the past did not. The enemy was not allowed to win and cause problems for the losing staff’s promotion prospects. Peace Mission 2005 held with the Russians last year was so stage managed that it lost any relevance for operational training except for the TU-95MS cruise missile carriers, and continuation training of airdropping procedures. With the PLA starting to develop their own version of the 1980s Soviet Operational Manoeuvre Groups and the US Army’s mechanised and armoured divisions in Desert Strom, training in command and control and battle management systems will be intensified.[xvii] The structure of the PLA’s new self-propelled gun (SPG) battalion, itself a copy of the US Army’s Paladin SPG battalion, is a portent of the increasing reliance on automated systems fire control systems linked in with signals intelligence and unmanned air vehicles.[xviii] This will require more specialist training and either extending the contract time and an ever increasing reliance on volunteers, increasing the wage bill accordingly. The PLA has yet to decide how it will keep the personnel it has invested its training expenditure on in an ever increasing market driven economy wanting people with those same skills. Many Chinese appear to still believe the old adage, Haotie bu zading, haozi bu dangbing, ‘Good iron is not used to make nails, good sons should not become soldiers.[i]

[i] . It has also been translated as ‘so good sons did not enlist for the battlefields. Wong, C.S. A Cycle of Chinese Festivities, Malaysia Publishing House, Singapore, 1967, p. 97.

[i] . Niu Junfeng,. ‘Chinese Army speeds up tempo in transformation’, PLA Daily on-line, 27 January 2006.

[ii] . For a history of the National Training Center see Herling, M.P. & Boiselle, J. ‘Coming of age in the Desert: The NTC at 20’, Military Review, September/October 2001.

[iii] . Ibid.

[iv]. Malone, T.G. & Schaupp, R.E. ‘The “Red Team”: Forging a Well-Conceived Contingency Plan’, Aerospace Power Journal, Vol. XVI, Number 2, Summer 2002,
pp. 22 – 33.

[v] . Blasko, D.J., Klapakis, P.T. & Corbett, J.F. ‘Training Tomorrow’s PLA: A Mixed Bag of Tricks’, China Quarterly, Number 146, April-June 1996, p. 497.

[vi] . ‘Report on PLA ‘Opposition Force’ Exercise’, Hong Kong Ta Kung Pao, 16 March 1998, p. 10.

[vii] . Kondapalli, S. ‘Towards a Lean and Mean Army: Aspects of China’s Ground Force
Modernisation’, Strategic Analysis, Vol. 26, Number 4, October-December 2002, p. 471.

[viii] . Foreign Bulletin Information Service FTS19971227000149 dated 27 December 1997.

[ix] . Blasko et al, op. cit., p. 491, fn.4.

[x] . Ibid.

[xi] . ‘Haoyu zhishijie runwu xiwusheng ____ 62shi qinxing tankede gaijin guocheng yutedian’, Tanke zhangjia cheliang, 2005 Niandi, 12 Qi, Zhongdi 238,p. 6.

[xii] . Wu Xiaochun, NRIST Keeps Forging Ahead’, Military Training & Simulation News,
Volume 5, Issue 5, October 2003, pp. 36 & 37.

[xiii] . Li Xin. ‘China Begins Construction of Regional Ant-Terror Training School in Xinjiang’,
Urimqi Tanshan Wang, 30 August 2005.

[xiv] . ‘News-Foreign Armies’, Krasnaya Zvezda on-line, 10 March 2006.

[xv] . Peng Zecheng & Zhang Kejin. ‘PLA Holds Joint Military Exercises in 4 Military Regions’, Renmin Wang, 2 March 2006.
[xvi] . Xie Gang and Liu Xing'an. ‘PLA urged to earnestly study and implement new
Regulations on Military Headquarters’, PLA Daily on-line, 30 March 2006.

[xvii] . ‘Tuo Mao: The PLA’s New Armour Heavy Corps’, GI Zhou Newsletter Number 36,
11 November 2005.

[xviii] . ‘Zhongguo PLZ45 155haomi huoqiangjia jingxinbianhua’, Bingqi Zhishi, 2006 Niandi, 1Qi, Zhongdi 219, pp. 28 – 31.

More Chinese Small Arms and Armour

Tongzhimen shubingmen he pengyoumen, nimen hao!
Dorogiye tovarshchi soldaty i druzhya!
Prolettarii vsekh Stran, Soyedinites!

On the small arms side this newsletter looks at shotgun ammunition, This issue looks at the QBZ03 5.8mm assault rifle, QCW05 5.8mm Silenced Sub-machine Gun, the ‘Concealed Demon’: China’s New Silenced Pistol, and a new 5.8mm co-axial machine Gun.

Armour stuff includes a tiny piece on multiple rocket launchers in the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War, the new QL550 4x4 lightweight wheeled armoured fighting vehicle, Chinese Airmobile Vehicles, Wheeled Missile Armed Tank Destroyers and the venerable Model 83 152mm self-propelled gun,.


A Protracted Development: The QBZ03 Assault Rifle

This rifle was developed from the 1987 vintage QBZ87 which is similar in appearance to the Model 81 7.62mm x 43mm assault rifle. It was not introduced into service as it did not offer any weight benefit, with its reduced calibre, when compared with the Model 56.[1] This was also the case with Heckler and Koch’s 5.56 x 45mm G-41 in the early 1980s, when compared to the 7.62 x 51mm G-3. It was redesigned in 1995 and designated the QBZ95A and again redesigned in 2002 and designated the QBZ03. The major differences from the QBZ95A are a new folding stock copied from the Heckler and Koch G36, a SIG 540 style fore grip and a slim mount for the standard 3x optical sight used on Chinese rifles. [2] The QBZ03 is 950mm long with the stock folded out and 725mm folded.[3] An effective range of 400 metres is quoted with an accurate rate of fire of 40 rounds per minute with 100 rounds per minute automatic. The muzzle velocity is 930m/sec and its weight with an empty magazine is 3.5kg.


QCW05 5.8mm Silenced Sub-machine Gun[4]

The venerable Model 64 silenced 7.62mm sub-machine gun is being replaced by the QCW05 5.8mm machine gun. This fires the 5.8 x 21mm DAP92 cartridge which is 33.5mm in overall length and not 34mm as previously mentioned.

There is also a subsonic round the DCV05 available in 5.8 x 21mm but I cannot find any details other than it would be 33.5mm in length and it reduces the effective range of the weapon to 100 metres. There are two flip up rear peep sights with the one for the DAP92 set for 150 metres, the other at 100m for the DCV05 round. The fifty round magazine is spilt internally into two separate magazines internally and has particularly strong lips which would not deform if a full magazines was in avertedly dropped. Without the suppressor the QCW05 weighs 2.18kg empty and is 499mm long. The DAP92 round has a muzzle velocity of 321m/sec.

‘Concealed Demon’: China’s New Silenced Pistol[5]

The new QSW06 is replacing the Model 67 silenced pistol in PLA service. It uses the subsonic 5.8 x 21 mm DCV05 round when firing with the detachable suppressor but can also fire the 5.8 x 21mm DAP92 cartridge. It weighs 795 g empty with its empty 20 round magazine, has a 120mm barrel and fires the DAP92 round at 290m/sec. No information is available on its detachable suppressor other than it uses spiral diffusion to reduce the noise of firing and from photographs is about 200mm long and screws onto the barrel.

New 5.8mm Machine Gun[6]

A new 5.8 x 42mm machine gun was recently unveiled. Provisionally designated the QJT it is based on the QJY88 it has been simplified removing the forward hand guard, pistol grip, butt and using a fixed feed ramp. Solenoid fired, it feeds from the right instead of the left on the QJY88 and weighs under 8kg empty.

Rat Patrol Revisited - Chinese Airmobile Vehicles Trials

As I sit at my desk I have two old OO scale Roco models under my screen of the German Kraka airborne vehicle, one mounting a TOW, the other a Milan anti-tank guided missile system. These are for inspiration on the PLA’s new airmobile mechanised trials battalion which has been identified in the Chinese media as the 155th Special Light Mechanised Regiment.[7]

The 16 February 2006 edition of Zhanqi Bao, reported on a ‘light mechanized infantry experimental group’, in Sichuan, which is part of the Chengdu Military Region. An airmobile trials unit in Western terminology, the group is developing and testing new joint concepts and equipment required for the new corps aviation brigade. Eighty percent of the unit's equipment is new or modernized and is not available to other PLA units. This unit has quadrupled the firepower of the unit it was formed from, with only 30 percent of the original personnel. The article refers to it as a ‘newborn baby’ of integrated training and is an ‘integrated entity of operational elements such as intelligence and reconnaissance, navigation and positioning, three-dimensional mobility, fire strikes, command and control and battlefield management. In other words it is organised as an independent task force. The unit is entirely airmobile—all vehicles are able to be slung underneath or stored inside the unit’s helicopters. Unless the PLA Air Force’s (PLAAF) heavy-lift helicopters were transferred to the PLA’s army aviation force, this implies that the unit is a joint PLA/PLAAF unit). The Zhanqi Bao article mentioned that the new equipment included a high mobility amphibious vehicle with an automated fire control system equipped with cannons and missiles. The unit therefore relies on manoeuvrability, surprise and advanced fire control systems to bring its firepower to bear.

Photos taken from Chinese television show a variety of vehicles that would not be out of place at a NATO airborne meeting in the early 1980s. The vehicles shown look remarkably like the British argocat 8 x 8 wheeled light vehicle; German Kraka 640 4 x 2 light airborne weapon carrier and the M274 Mechanical Mule.[8] Their fast attack vehicles are similar to the modified Chentowth Racing Products FAVs bought by the US Army for the 9th Infantry Division in the early 1980s.

Many of the vehicles have a QLZ87 35mm lightweight automatic grenade launcher (AGL) and the QJZ89 12.7mm heavy machine gun. There is even a modular lightweight towed 107mm multiple rocket launcher. Chinese airborne personnel are being equipped with modern Chinese infantry weapons like the Model 92 pistol, Model 95 assault rifle and squad automatic weapon, the QLZ87 35mm AGL and the Model 89 120mm anti-tank rocket launcher.[9]

Sergeant Sam Troy would have been impressed.

There does not appear to be a weapon comparable to the Kraka with its Milan anti-tank guided weapon launcher and six rounds which was, for its time, an excellent anti-armour weapon. This would not be an issue however as the Red Arrow-9 ATGW could be easily fitted to a vehicle. Like all gun buggies the vehicles lack any armour or weather protection and rely on speed, small size and their cross-country ability to survive. A bullet in the driver or engine block quickly wrecks their day.


1979 Sino-Vietnamese Conflict

On the inside of the rear cover of Tanke Zhuangjia Cheliang 9/2006 is a painting of the PLA’s First Armoured Division Model 70 130mm self- propelled multiple rocket launchers.[10] They are firing a salvo in February during the conflict.

A VBL Clone: The QL550 Lightweight Wheeled AFV

The Chinese defence industry has come up with another copy of a foreign design, this time thew French designed VBL 4x4 wheeled armoured fighting vehicle.[11]

Armed with a 12.7mm machine gun on a pintle mount the QL550 is 5.2m long, by 2.25m wide by 1.86m at the top of the hull. It has a crew of four and can carry seven or eight passengers or 1.5 tonnes of cargo. Its 230 horsepower diesel engine gives it a maximum road speed of 120 km/hr. Unfortunately, the article did not give the weight of the vehicle.

Chinese Wheeled Missile Armed Tank Destroyers

The front of the September 2006 issue of Tanke Zhuangjia Cheliang shows the rear engine version of the WZ 523 Series 8 x 8 Wheeled Armoured Vehicle mounting a tank destroyer turret.[12] The bottom of the turret has two banks of four smoke dischargers ands a weapon sight, then there is a box like structure equipped with a fixed 14.5mm QJG02G machine gun, a co-axial 7.62mm machine gun that can be independently elevated, and a co-axial QJT 5.8mm machine gun. The box turret elevated independently and also contains a day/night sight for the Hong-Jia 9 ATGW system with two missiles underneath the turret, either side of the turret elevation equipment shielded from the weather and shell bursts etc.

The six-wheeled WZ551A tank destroyer which was photographed prominently in last years Sino-Russian peace Mission Exercise has a much simpler turret with 4 Hong-Jia 8 or 9 ATGW and a 12.7mm machine gun.

Model 83 152mm Self-Propelled Gun[13]

The Model 83 self-propelled gun was the first modern Chinese self-propelled gun and used its own chassis which was later used for the PTZ89 120mm self-propelled anti-tank gun and the PHZ89 122mm self-propelled gun.

The hull is 7.33 m long and the vehicles overall length is 9.942m with the gun forward and the barrel locked for travelling. It is 3.236m wide and 2.68m high to the turret top and 3.052m including the 12.7mm machine gun. Its combat weight is 30 tons, and its 520 horsepower diesel engine gives it a maximum road speed of 56 km/hr and 30 km/hr cross country with a maximum road range of 450 km. The gun has a depression of -50 and a maximum elevation of 650. Its minimum indirect fire range is 4.3 km and its maximum range is 17.23km. There are 30 rounds for the main gun and 650 round for the machine gun stored internally. There are 5 crew of which three assist in firing the gun, the driver and AA machine gunner stay I their positions although they would assist if necessary. The other four of the gun team ride in a separate vehicle.

Wo Pengyoumen Zai Jian!


[1] . Wo junbanyong wuqide huimou yu zhanwang’, Qing Bingi, 2002 Niandi, 10 Qi, Zhongdi 164 Qi, p. 13.

[2] . ‘Zhongguo 03 zidong buqiang’, Qing Bingqi, 2005 Niandi, 2 Qi, Zhongdi 193 Qi, pp. 32 – 35.

[3] . ‘Chilaide ai ___ jiedu QBZ03 shi 5.8mm zidong buqiang’, Qing BingQi, 2006 Niandi, 8 (shang) Qi, Zhongdi 228 Qi,
pp. 16 – 20.

[4] . ‘Zhongguo QCW05 shi5.8mm weisheng chongfengqiang’, Qing Bingqi,
2006 Niandi, 7 Qi, Zhongdi 246, p. 21.

[5]. ‘Yinbi zhimei QSW06 5.8 haomi weisheng shuoqiang’, Bingq Zhishii, 2006 Niandi, 9 Qi, Zhongdi 227 Qi, pp. 22-24.

[6] . ‘5.8mm xiakouneng jiqiang xilie’, Qing BingQi, 2006 Niandi, 8 (xia) Qi, Zhongdi 229 Qi,.pp. 33–35.

[7] . ‘155th Special Light Mechanized regiment , Chengdu MR’, http://www.china-defense.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=883

[8] . Foss, Christopher S. Jane’s Combat Support Equipment, 1978-79, Jane’s Yearbooks, London, 1978, pp.

[9]. Yingjichangkong __ zhongguo konggjiangbing zhuangbei daquan (yi)’, Qing Bingqi, 2006 Niandi, 7 xia Qi, Zhongdi 227 Qi, pp. 12 – 15.

[10] . Ibid.

[11]. ‘Zhongguo QL550 qinqxing lunshi zhuangjiache’, ‘Tiejia zhanshen zai nuhuo (xia) ___ guochan zixing liudanpao he zixing huojianpao’,Tanke zhangjia cheliang, 2006 Niandi, 8 Qi, Zhongdi 246, pp. 5 - 10.

[12] . Tanke zhangjia cheliang, 2006 Niandi, 9 Qi, Zhongdi 247.

[13] . ‘Tiejia zhanshen zai nuhuo (zhong) ___ guochan zixing liudanpao he zixing huojianpao’,Tanke zhangjia cheliang, 2006 Niandi, 7 Qi, Zhongdi 245, pp. 5 - 10.

China's Military Options Over North Korea's Exploding a Nuclear Device

Background

Asia Week recently reported that that the PLA’s intelligence network inside North Korea has was compromised and North Korean frontier troops recently shot a Chinese frontier guard.[i] This occurred on top of North Korea’s exploding of a nuclear device which has led to China cancelling all leave for its soldiers on its frontier with North Korea and massing its forces along the border.[ii] Is this a response to a fear of a flood of refugees into China, a measure to show China’s displeasure at the exploding of a nuclear device, or forces gathering as a precursor for a ‘lesson’ as occurred in the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War. China wants stability in the region yet since the explosion, China has threatened to fire a nuclear armed ballistic missile on any nation threatening it, presume ably US forces in the region. This has seen Japan and the United States announce the acceleration of their joint ballistic missile defense measures which China views as a direct to its strategic deterrence. The possible implosion and flood of refugees that could stream into China if the North Korean government collapsed in the event of a Chinese attack is outweighed by the loss of China’s strategic ballistic missile deterrence.

Chapter two of China’s National Defense 2004 White Paper stated that “China adheres to its military strategy of active defense,” with Chapter one attacking the United States for accelerating its development of BMD, Japan’s development of BMD..’ The Chinese government repeatedly claim it would not use nuclear weapons first. Yet by definition a “offensive defensive” doctrine is a lynchpin of China’s active defense strategy. The Chinese intervention against United Nations Forces in the Korean War, and the Sino-Vietnamese conflict, are justified by the PLA using this strategy. It has been argued that the 1962 Sino-Indian occurred because of the Chinese professional preference for the offensive defensive doctrine in which the initial spoiling attack is staged against the weaker adversary (India) on the eve of an assumed coordinated attack against China a stronger one (the USSR)

Pre-emptive operations or spoiling attacks have been part of the PLA’s doctrine since its beginning as the Red Army. Thus, to stop a nuclear armed Japan or one with long range anti-ballistic missiles and sensors, China could attack and topple the North Korean government, to remove the threat behind a nuclear armed Japan. China certainly feels threatened by any ballistic missile defense (BMD) systems in North East Asia that threaten its ballistic missile land-based deterrence system. The acquisition of BMDs by Taiwan and Japan have made sections of the in the Chinese government feel that these are part of a United States containment strategy. If China felt threatened it might launch an attack on North Korea, including the use of ballistic missiles “on warning of threat,” believing that if it waited to “launch on warning” (of a launch) or wait until “launch under attack” its missiles would be intercepted before they could be used. China believes the latter scenarios destroy the basis of its strategic deterrence, and also the warheads would fall on China.
Strategic Quandary

The Chinese leadership was in a strategic quandary before North Korea exploded a nuclear device, due to the deployment of advanced BMD systems in Northeast Asia, in response to the build up of Chinese and North Korean ballistic missiles. The accelerated acquisition of BMD systems by Japan and South Korea, and the forward deployment by BMD US forces will make the Chinese government feel uneasy. If the Chinese leadership follows its doctrine of active defense and believed its nuclear deterrence was becoming neutralized or under threat, it could launch strikes against North Korea.

Besides the use of ballistic missiles, there are other military options available to China.
These could include the capture or neutralisation of key nuclear and WMD installations by Chinese special forces elements supported by airborne and airmobile forces, prior to an attack by China’s new armoured corps using deep strike operations.

Deep Strike

The PLA in March 2005 conducted a Battle Management C4I exercise in the Talikmakan Desert to develop and test new doctrine for the new corps and brigade structures.[iii] Involving over 10,000 personnel and 1,000 vehicles, the exercise saw an Army Battle Group formed, with a headquarters having four subordinate groups. The article concentrated on the Joint Tactical Group, which was responsible for operations. Joint operations involving aircraft and artillery strikes in conjunction with offensive electronic warfare were practiced. The armoured forces involved operated with armed helicopters. All these aircraft movements and artillery missions including both tubed artillery and multiple rocket launchers, would have also tested the PLA and PLAAF’s joint doctrine in airspace control.

To adapt to informatised warfare and to enable more rapid decision making on the battlefield, the PLA has decided to increase the number of army corps by removing the division and instead adopting a three-level command system of corps, brigade and battalion.[iv] Like the ex-Soviet countries, the People’s Liberation Army is based on the old Soviet triangular model that uses a corps, division and regimental command and control structure. The regiment acted as the basic tactical unit, subordinate to the division as it lacked sufficient staff officers and command powers within its headquarters to act independently of the division. Going from a Russian style corps and divisional structure requires few changes at the battalion or even regimental level, but does mean is a radical change in command and control arrangements as the brigade is expected to act independently once committed into operations, with the company the basic combat unit.

The Armor Heavy Corps

The PLA is going away from its triangular structure at the higher levels to a square organisation of two armored and two mechanized brigades in its heavy combined army group (corps). Currently a Group Army (heavy) is composed of one armoured and three mechanised divisions, an air defence brigade, an artillery brigade, a helicopter group (dadui), an engineering regiment, headquarters unit and a logistical support unit. The divisions are in the classic triangular structure with three companies to a battalion, three battalions to a regiment and three regiments to a division. Even the armoured and mechanised companies have a structure of three platoons and one headquarters vehicle. This force totals around 70, 000 and personnel with around 600 main battle tanks (MBTs), over 300 pieces of artillery of 122mm calibre and above and more than 1,000 various armoured vehicles in support.[v] Some of these units still exist.

Contrast this with the new structure, which besides two mechanised and two armoured brigades, has a brigade each of aviation, artillery, air defence and engineers each composed of four battalions, and a battalion for chemical defense, communications, corps level air defense and electronic warfare. The new PLA armored corps is envisioned to have a total of 500 main battle tanks; 586 tracked infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), 126 155mm self-propelled guns; 96 120mm turreted self-propelled mortars; 36 30 tube 122mm and 27 300mm 12 tube multiple rocket launchers; 12 DF-15D tactical missiles and 48 attack, 18 multipurpose and 60 transport helicopters and around 2,000 other types of vehicles.[vi] Its peacetime establishment is 22,180, which rises to around 23,000 in wartime.[vii] New ZTZ 99 main battle tanks and ZDB 97 infantry fighting vehicles will be the core of the corps C4I with battlefield management systems down the individual vehicle.

The biggest change in the corps structure is within the company structure. Under the current structure there are three AFVs (tanks or armored personnel carriers) per platoon, then three platoons per company and a headquarters vehicle to make ten AFVs per company. In the new structure there are now four AFVs per platoon and two AFVs at the company headquarters to give a total of 14 AFVs.[viii] Not only is the company now larger by four vehicles it can still operate as a viable maneuver element with casualties whereas three vehicle platoons have trouble providing fire and movement with two vehicles. At the battalion level the only supporting weapons are the battalion’s six 120mm self-propelled mortars. T o open the way and for time critical targets the PLA will employ special forces and other light infantry forces.



Chinese Special Forces

Since the mid-1990s the roles of the PLA Special Forces have grown, and were the first to units to be issued unmanned air vehicles, battlefield video systems and thermal imaging systems.[ix] The PLA Special Forces now train to attack the ‘accupoints of the enemy’, such as ballistic missile sites by direct action, or as in a recent exercise, inserted by helicopter and parachute to provide targeting data for strategic bombers and theatre ballistic missiles of the Second Artillery force.[x]

During the exercise Special Forces elements were inserted by helicopter and parachute and provided targeting data for strategic bombers and tactical ballistic missiles of the Second Artillery force. This means that the DF-15 theatre ballistic missiles in the corps will still be under the control of the Second Artillery and not the corps commander. It can send its payload 600 km and this poses a problem for the both the corps and theater commanders. The command and control of China’s ballistic missile force has come under some debate inside the PLA. In the late 1990s control of the PLA’s short-range ballistic missiles was delegated to the group armies.[xi] With the creation of the corps as the major combat group, this has created a command and control problem for the use of TBMs. The 600km range DF-15 would now come under a corps commander instead of the control of the military region commander. This is seen as unlikely as theatre ballistic missiles would come back under control of the Second Artillery Force as a recent exercise in the Talikmakan Desert showed.


Airmobile and Airborne Operations


The PLA operates a ‘light mechanized infantry experimental group’, in Sichuan, which is part of the Chengdu Military Region. An airmobile trials unit in Western terminology, the group is developing and testing new joint concepts and equipment required for the new corps aviation brigade. Eighty percent of the unit's equipment is new or modernized and is not available to other PLA units. This unit has quadrupled the firepower of the unit it was formed from, with only 30 percent of the original personnel. The article refers to it as a ‘newborn baby’ of integrated training and is an ‘integrated entity of operational elements such as intelligence and reconnaissance, navigation and positioning, three-dimensional mobility, fire strikes, command and control and battlefield management. In other words it is organised as an independent task force. The unit is entirely airmobile—all vehicles are able to be slung underneath or stored inside the unit’s helicopters. Unless the PLA Air Force’s (PLAAF) heavy-lift helicopters were transferred to the PLA’s army aviation force, this implies that the unit is a joint PLA/PLAAF unit). New equipment includeds an eight-wheeled high mobility amphibious vehicle with an automated fire control system equipped with cannons and missiles. There are also fast attack vehicles similar to the models used by the US Army and US Navy SEALS. The unit relies on manoeuvrability, surprise and advanced fire control systems to bring its firepower to bear. Many of the vehicles have a 35mm lightweight automatic grenade launcher (AGL) and a 12.7mm heavy machine gun. There is even a modular lightweight towed 107mm multiple rocket launcher.

To deploy and support these units, PLA army aviation units have Z-9G helicopters equipped with IIR sensors, cannon and rocket pods, and air-to-air and anti-tank guided missiles.[xii] The PLA used their first airmobile regiment with its Z-9G helicopters in Xinjiang to develop high altitude tactics and operating procedures. For movement of personnel PLAAF Mi-17 transport helicopters are available. These are equipped with a navigation radar and uprated engines with an auxiliary power unit to ensure reliable starting at altitudes up to 4,000m’.[xiii]

Chinese airborne personnel are being equipped with the latest Chinese infantry weapons like the Model 92 pistol, Model 95 assault rifle and squad automatic weapon, the QLZ87 35mm AGL and the Model 89 120mm anti-tank rocket launcher.[xiv] They also have a number of ZSL2000 airborne combat vehicles than can be air dropped This vehicle mounts a two-man turret with a 25mm automatic cannon, a co-axial 7.62mm machine gun and a turret mount for Hong Jia ATGM

Light Infantry Operations in the Korean Mountains

The PLA has considerable operational experience in high altitude and mountain warfare including operations in Tibet from 1951-1974, the 1962 Sino-Indian War and the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War. Mountain warfare, by its nature suited to light infantry, and the PLA’s new emphasis on informatization and rapidly mobile units, ideally fit into light infantry operations.

High altitude operations by the PLA are moving towards the Russian concept of Reconnaissance – Combat Operations (RBD) for counter-insurgency operations. Based on tactics developed in Soviet times, the need to identify and attack Chechen insurgents in mountainous areas saw the concept refined.[xv] RBD is being introduced into the PLA and involves the extensive use of signals intelligence, helicopters and reconnaissance teams to provide intelligence for light infantry blocking forces, and providing fire coordination for long range artillery and air support. The PLA is already developing these forces as part of its drive towards informatization especially for its high altitude forces on China’s western periphery. .

The Western periphery of China contains the World’s largest mountain ranges and high desert plateaus. The forces in Tibet and Xinjiang require lighter forces as the infrastructure as this type of terrain is generally unsuited to large heavy armored forces and there are long borders to patrol. The PLA has equipped its mountain brigades in Tibet and the 6th Independent Division in Xinjiang, the first mechanized infantry division to be deployed at this height, with wheeled armored fighting vehicles.[xvi] These units could quickly redeploy to Shenyang.

PLA light infantry are now being trained and equipped to operate in their traditional roles of screening, flank protection and jungle and high altitude operations over larger over than before, with elite units now becoming the PLA’s choice for conversion into airmobile units. New rations enable the PLA to conduct extended operations without having to rely on the civilian population for rationing and light infantry are now able to conduct covert operations without compromising themselves by needing to replenish rations. Their lack of supporting weapons, when outside their helicopters and light armored vehicles, means that their need for access to supporting forces is still necessary as they can quickly become overwhelmed by conventional forces.

The enable sustained operations in the field during cold weather the PLA has introduced the 05 series of pre-packaged field rations. These are heated in a flameless heater pouch similar to the one in the US military’s MREs and can heat meals up to 600C. [xvii]

The PLA has not left the light infantry bereft of tanks with the ZTS-63A amphibious tank replacing the venerable Type 62 light tank which have equipped Chinese equipped armored regiments supporting light infantry and were prominent in the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War. Equipped with a modern fire control system and a 105mm gun, it can navigate North Korea’s paddy fields much better than its predecessor.


PLAAF Long Range Interdiction and Strike Missions

The PLAAF’s main strike weapon is the obsolete Xian X-6 bomber which is a copy of the old Tu-16 bomber from the 1950s. The PLAAF does however contain a sizeable amount of Su-27 and Su-30 fighters to protect its attack aircraft from intercepting North Korean fighters and shotting down surface –to-air missiles if necessary. The majority of PLA attack aircraft lack precision guided munitions and bad weather/ night attack avionics but would provide support to PLA ground forces out to their limited range. The majority of North Korea’s nuclear facilities would be within their range from the many PLAAF air bases available. The PLAAF does not however have anywhere near enough, if any, precision guided conventional munitions capable of hitting and destroying hardened underground facilities as North Korea has scattered across the entire country.

If All Else Fails – Russian Heavy Bombers

If the PLA were to become stuck in the North Korean countryside or mountains and it looked like it could escalate to a nuclear exchange there, the Russians could be expected to intervene as this has been practiced before. From 18 to 25 August 2005 elements of the Chinese and Russian armed forces conducted an eight-day joint exercise with the stated aim of the exercise to strengthen ‘the capability of the two armed forces to jointly fight international terrorism, extremism and separatism.’ Primarily a Chinese firepower demonstration exercise with Russian support, it was aimed at the governments in Pyongyang and Tokyo, to pressure North Korea to go back to the six party nuclear talks and Japan over its border claim to the Kurils.

The Russian Air Force employed four Tu-22M3 strategic bombers and two Tu-95MS on a conventional strike mission to soften up the defences before the amphibious landing. The Tu-95MS is a cruise missile carrier, unsuited to the conventional bombing role in comparison to the Tu-23M3, but the crews would have had the opportunity to carry out mock cruise missile attacks against possible targets in North East Asia The Russians provided the bulk of the high technology and larger items of military equipment. Russian aircraft, besides the Tu95MS and Tu22M3, included Il-76 military freighters, an Il-78 aerial refuelling tanker, an A-50 AEW&C, Su-24M2 strike aircraft and a Su-27SM fighters.

These military options are within the ability of the PLA today. The Fall exercises have finished so many of the PLA units are at the peak of their training. Only time will tell what occurs.

[i] . Callick, Rowan. ‘North's spy coup upsets Red Army’, The Australian online, 21 October 2006.
[ii] . Sheridan, Michael. ‘China on alert over a nuclear neighbour’, Sunday Times online, 8 October 2006.

[iii] . Wei Chun. ‘Battle on the Sea of Death Battlefield’, PLA Pictorial, 1 April 2005, pp. 28 – 31.

[iv] . “Military to be restructured: Paper”, Xinuanet, 13 July 2005.

[v] . Wang Hui, ZTZ-98 zhuzhantanke zhuanji, Inner Mongolia Cultural Publishing Company, 2002, p. 74.

[vi] . By comparison the US Army Division 86 Aviation Brigade fielded 134 aircraft including 48 attack helicopters. Wilson, John B. Maneuver and Firepower: The Evolution of Divisions and Separate Brigades, Center of Military History U.S. Army, Washington D.C., 1998, p. 386.

[vii] . Wang Hui, op. cit., p. 76.

[viii] . Wang Hui, op. cit., p. 77.

[ix] . ‘Chinese Army takes on New Look’, Peoples Daily Online, 19 June 2002.

[x] . ‘Airborne Unit Begins Winter Drill to Retrain Troop’, Beijing Kongjun Bao, 11 December 2004; Wei Chun. “Battle on the Sea of Death Battlefield”, PLA Pictorial, 1 April 2005, pp. 28 – 31.

[xi] . Wang Hui, op. cit., p. 74.

[xii] . ‘Da zaozong hezhao zhangxinglui hangbudui’, Xiandai junshizao (CONMILIT), 2004 Niandi, 2 Qi, Zhongdi 325 Qi,
pp. 10 & 11.

[xiii] . Lavrentiev, A.P. The International Workhorse - the Mi-17, located on the Kazan Helicopter Production Association website.

[xiv]. Yingjichangkong __ zhongguo konggjiangbing zhuangbei daquan (yi)’, Qing Bingqi, 2006 Niandi, 7 xia Qi, Zhongdi 227 Qi, pp. 12 – 15.

[xv] . Kiselev , Valeriy. ‘Acquired – Destroyed’, Armeyskiy Sbornik, Number 8-2001, pp. 35 – 39.

[xvi] . ‘PLA Dispatched 10 Additional Divisions to the Sino-Afghan Border’, World Journal, 7 October 2001.

[xvii] . ‘Zhandouli zhiyuan wojun junyong shipin zonghentan (xia)’, Bingq Zhishii, 2006 Niandi, 6 Qi, Zhongdi 224 Qi, pp. 53 – 55.

Chinese small arms and armoured vehicles

Tongzhimen shubingmen he pengyoumen, nimen hao!
Dorogiye tovarshchi soldaty i druzhya!
Prolettarii vsekh Stran, Soyedinites!

On the small arms side this newsletter looks at shotgun ammunition, copies of the SIG-Sauer P226 and P228 pistols, a 35mm under barrel grenade launcher for the Model 95, a 40mm automatic grenade launcher, Chinese QJY 5.8mm general purpose machine gun, 9mm pistol and sub machine gun updates. The PLA has introduced new ration packs to feed its soldiers on the move which will be examined.

Armour stuff includes the Chinese armour in the future and in the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War, Chinese light tanks including, the unsuccessful WZ132 light tank and the attempts at producing an improved Model 62 light tank, the Korean Model 62 and a small piece on the ill-fated attempt to copy and produce the T-10 heavy tank; .and the Model 80-II main battle tank.

Other armoured vehicles include the Model 81 and 85 armoured command vehicles, the PLZ-45 155mm self-propelled gun and its laser guided ammunition and the Model 70-1 122mm self-propelled gun.


Chinese S&W Model 10 Revolver Update

The Chinese copy of the Smith and Wesson Military and Police/Model 10 revolver reviewed in a previous blog has a 75mm barrel and uses Chinese versions of pancake holsters similar to the Bianchi, Safariland and Hellweg models and a Chinese copy of the HKS speedloader.

9mm Silenced Sub-machine Gun Update

The 9mm silenced sub-machine gun mentioned is identified as the CF 05 sub-machine gun.

Neither Fish Nor Fowl – The QJY 88 5.8mm GPMG

Data on the QJY 88 5.8mm general purpose machine gun has become available. The weapon is 1151mm long and an empty weight of 11.8 kg, The barrel is 600mm long and the weapon has a muzzle velocity is 895m/sec with an quoted effective range of 1,000 metres. It has a 200 linked round magazine available. This weapon is suitable for neither role being too large and heavy for a light machine gun in its calibre and the cartridge too light for a tripod mounted sustained fire machine gun.

Bu comparison the 7.62 x 51mm FN MAG is 1260mm long, weighs 11.79 kg empty and has an effective range of 2,000 metres from its 630mm barrel. The 5.56x45mm FN Minimi has an overall length of 1060mm, an empty weight of 7.1kg and an effective range of 1,000m from its 430mm barrel.

‘Chinese’ SIG-Sauer Pistols

The Chinese have copied yet another Western design but at least make no attempt to hide it. The NORINCO NP22 is the SIG-Sauer P226 and the NP24 the P228. I am not bothering to give the details of the weapons as that gives NORINCO more credit that it deserves.

LG-1-I 35mm Underbarrel Grenade Launcher

This weapons slips over the barrel and attaches to the forward hand guard of the Model 95 assault rifle. It uses a copy of the Russian 40mm VOG25 HE grenade scaled down to 35mm which is muzzle loaded into a short rifled barrel like the Russian GP-25 underbarrel grenade launcher. It is 217mm long, 49mm wide and 95mm high and unloaded weighs 0.8kg and the rounds has a muzzle velocity and a maximum range of 400m.

Chinese 40mm Automatic Grenade Launcher

The Chinese have entered the 40mm automatic grenade market with the LG3. The weapon uses the standard 40mm grenades and weighs 39kg empty. The weapon is 1030mm long, 229mm wide and 195mm wide and is a very clean design. The tubular tripod again is a very clean design that enables the launcher an elevation of -10o to +42o and a radius of 180o and the equipment is quoted being able to put a ten round burst at 2200m in an area 9 x 50m.


This newsletter is big on armour. This issue looks at armour in the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War, Chinese light tanks including, the unsuccessful WZ132 light tank and the attempts at producing an improved Model 62 light tank, the Korean Model 62 and a small piece on the ill-fated attempt to copy and produce the T-10 heavy tank, the PLZ-45 155mm self-propelled gun system, the old Model 80-II main battle tank and the Model 81 armoured command vehicle.


12 gauge Shotgun Blank Cartridge

This round is the base of all Chinese shotgun rounds as the cartridge does not have any projectile/s in the wad. The case is 63mm long meaning the case is shortened to 2.5 inches allowing more rounds per tubular magazine. The round is used for riot control and the wad is quoted as being unable to pierce the skin four metres from the barrel. The round weighs 10g and has a report on firing of 120dB.

Model 05 Rations

The PLA has introduced a new series of pre-packaged field rations ie. ‘rat packs’. These include MCF-240 240g ‘military compressed food’ (iron/emergency ration) blocks which also have a halal version. For the squad there are 10 man boxed rations. Ring pull cans are available containing such delicacies as aquatic product, bird, fruit, green vegetables and meat. Rice is available in individual soft foil pouches as well as condiments and clear soup bases as found in military ration packs world wide. There is a water-activated flameless ration heater pouch similar to the one used in the US Military MRE which can heat meals up to 600C. PLA forces on extended ops can now eat on the run instead of trying to forage off the population.


Future Chinese Armour

In a recent article in Tank and Armoured Vehicle (Tanke Zhuangjia Cheliang) titled Giant Dragon Rising ___ China Constructs a New Generation Transformed Army (Julong tengfei ___ Zhongguo jianshe xinxing daihua lujun) the future equipping of the PLA is examined. The ZTZ-99 can be fitted with a 140mm smoothbore gun and the future Chinese MBT will be equipped with it. The Model 62 light tank was trialled with the 105mm gun turret from the ZTZ-63A but is being phased out for the WZ551 fire support vehicle with its 105mm gun and when a tracked vehicle is required the ZTS- 63A amphibious tank. The ZTS-63A amphibious tank has improved cross country mobility and the WZ551 a much higher road speed. But both have increased firepower but significantly less armour, being able to be penetrated by heavy machine gun fire. If employed as anything other than reconnaissance vehicles they will suffer accordingly.

Armour in the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War

In the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War the following Chinese AFVs were employed - the Model 59 main battle tank, the Model 62 light tank, the Model 63 amphibious tank and the Model 63 armoured personnel carrier. The Model 62 were at the vanguard of the first PLA units to cross into Vietnam and were used for infantry support.


Chinese VISMOD AFV

The PLA have used the Model 62 light tank as a visually modified vehicle for blue force opposing forces (OPFOR) use. This vehicle’s gun a ‘T’ shaped muzzle brake similar to the one used on the 90mm gun of the M48 main battle tank. It also had a circular infra- red searchlight mounted on the top and a fume extractor mounted 1/3rd up the
barrel. The mantlet was also squared off to represent the M48.

WZ131-1 Light Tank

In 1967 the PLA decided the Model 62 (WZ131) light tank needed updating as the 85mm gun was starting to show its age. The improved tank was designated the WZ131-1 and the project had a long history resulting in various upgrades that eventually led no where.

One upgrade was the addition of skirts over the tracks and bar armour around the rear arc and sides of the turret to detonate HEAT rounds before hitting the turret. In Chinese they translated as ‘improved screen added outfit cannon tower bars’. They do however give a great place for tank hunting teams to throw and hang explosive charges where they will sit against the sides of the turret.

A laser rangefinder was added to the top of the mantle to improve accuracy and at the same time, to improve the survivability of the commander in close battle, a 12.7mm machine gun turret from the Model 63 APC was to the commander’s cupola. Very similar in shape to the 12.7mm machine gun turret used on the M-113 ACAV, this copied the US Army in the Vietnam War where crews often added the ACAV turret to various AFVs. This increased their firepower in the event of close in attacks by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces by increasing the survivability of the gunner. This was the reason behind the adding of the Model 63 machine gun turret to the Model 62. In the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War the Model 62 suffered from severely from RPG hits due to the close in nature of the terrain. It was not introduced into service as it added 479mm to the profile of the tank and the experience of the Israeli Army in the 1973 Yom Kippur war where tank commanders were decapitated when the machine gun turrets atop their M48 and M60s were shot off in combat.

The Model 62 light tanks in PLA service have been modified with a bank of four smoke grenades launchers in armoured mounts added to both sides of the turret. The WZ131-1 had a combat weight of 19.86t, four crew and had an overall length with the barrel forward of 8.016m, a width of 2.994m with its side skirts and a height of 2.742m to the top of the machine gun turret and 2.263m without the turret. Its 316 kW diesel engine gave it a maximum speed of 60 km/hr and a maximum range of between 400 and 450km. Improved ammunition storage gave it 62 rounds of 85mm ammunition onboard compared to 46 on the Model 62. This could have been incorporated in the Model 62 during refits and maintenance. Compared to the Model 62 3,000 rounds of 7.62 mm machine gun ammunition was carried compared to the Model 62 and 825 rounds of 12.7mm machine gun rounds compared to 300.3das to the top of the metres long with the barrel including the barrel , by 2.994 inc85m wide by 2.35m high

The United States no longer has a light tank, not replacing the M551 Sheridan and Taiwan has updated the M41 as far as it can conceivably go. According to a Chinese article, Taiwan will start replacing the M41D from 2007 with an 8 x 8 wheeled light armoured vehicle mounting a 105mm gun. This may be a case of Chinese mirror imaging, foreshadowing the replacement of the Model 62 with the Chinese eight-wheeled 105mm gun armed wheeled tank destroyer.

The United States Army has had a difficult time trying to provide a light tank/wheeled armoured gun system for its personnel after the retirement of the M551 Sheridan after the 1991 Gulf War. The programme to make a light tank/armoured gun system (AGS) for the US Army started in 1980 and the M1128 Stryker Mobile Gun System has yet to come into service. The M8 Armoured Gun System was developed – a light tank with a 105mm low-recoil gun but it showed how difficult it is to balance firepower, mobility and survivability on the modern battlefield. The PLA tried to find a replacement for the Model 62 light tank during the Cultural Revolution with the ill-starred WZ 132 light tank.

A Tortured Soul – The Story of the WZ132 Light Tank

The history of the WZ132 saga can be broken into three parts or phases; phase 1 from 1967 to 1969’ Phase 2 from 1970 – 1972 and Phase 3 from 1973 – 1975. If better is the enemy of good, this project exemplifies it. It went from a simple project competing with the upgraded Model 62 (WZ131-1) to almost an entirely new design. The first design used solid road wheels similar to those on the Model 63 amphibious tank and had a long barrelled 76.2 mm gun with a pepper box muzzle brake, making it look similar to Taiwan’s Type 64 light tank, itself a copy of the US M41 Walker Bulldog light tank. The next version of the WZ132 used the standard 85mm gun.

The capture of the then new Soviet T-62 main battle tank during the Zhen Bao Dao/Damiansky Island Incident gave Chinese armour designers access to the latest Soviet technology including the 115mm UTS-5 smoothbore gun and its APFSDS ammunition. To enable the vehicle to engage modern Western main battle tanks (MBTs) equipped with the 105mm gun, a 100mm smoothbore gun was installed in 1970 with the gun also being tried on the Model 59 MBT.

The diesel motor incorporated a supercharger, using compressed are, to give the tank a speed boost in combat. The WZ132’s 405 kilowatt diesel engine gave it an impressive power to weight ratio of 18 kilowatts per tonne and could climb 45 degree slope. Its maximum range was 500km and unlike the Model 62 it was amphibious, being able to travel a maximum of 6.84 km/hr in the water. The WZ132 design was finalised in 1973 but languished until its cancellation in 1975. It was decided to upgrade the Model 62 instead and resources, likely due to the dismal combat performance of light armoured combat vehicles like the BMP-1, or lack of it, during the Yom Kippur War. Light tanks could not compete on the modern battlefield and resources were needed for other projects rather than another light tank.

The final version of the WZ132 had a combat weight of 22.5 t, and had a hull length of 6.049m and an overall length with the gun forward of 8.528m. It was 2.92 m wide, 2.121 m high at the cupola and besides the 100mm gun, was equipped with a 12.7mm machine gun on the turret roof and two 7.62mm machine guns in the turret. It could carry 41 rounds of 100mm, 500 rounds of 12.7mm and 2,400 rounds of 7.62mm machine gun ammunition.


North Korean Light Tank Program

The Russian Book Red Dragon: Military Technology and Armaments of China: Volume 1 – Tanks, on page 94’ talks of 100 Model 62 light tanks being exported to North Korea armed with a copy of the U-5TS 115mm smoothbore gun used on the on the U- Russian T-62 main battle tank. . If correct then the Model 62 would have incorporated technology from the WZ132 programme and the turret could be the one from the WZ132.

WZ 111 Heavy Battle Tank

In 1960 China decided to develop a light, medium and heavy tank similar to the US program of 1951. The Model 62 was to be upgraded or replaced, the medium tank was to be an upgraded Model 59 and the heavy tank was to be a copy of the Soviet T-10 and known as the WZ111. Only the Model 69, the upgraded Model 59, entered service.

The T-10 had some major problems including a cramped turret and a flimsy hull, inherited from the IS-3, made worse by the hull now having a stamped belly plate in a shallow V shape, an even larger and heavier turret, and thus even more heavily stressed engine.

The project was cancelled in 1964 after a running chassis had been built equipped with a rudimentary steel box where the turret would go.


Model 80-II Main Battle Tank

The Model 80-II main battle tank was designed for export and is an improved Model 69-II. The state of the Chinese armoured industry during this period with the time it took to develop a simple upgrade. Started in as project 8503 its development was not finalised until December 1990 when M1A1(HA) Abrams and Challenger 2 main battle tanks were about to blast apart the Iraqi Army’s armoured forces especially any Chinese vehicle they encountered. They were obsolete from the moment they were ready for production but the design was further developed into the Model 59D main battle tank.

The combat weight is 38.5 tons and has a crew of four. The vehicle is 9.336m long, 3.372m wide and 2.29m high not including the 12.7mm cupola mounted machine gun. Its diesel engine is capable of 535kW and has a torque of 80 kP. The vehicle has a maximum road speed of 57km/hr and a maximum range of 500km. The 105mm main gun is a copy of the British L7/US M68 and there are 44 rounds available. The co-axial 7.62mm machine gun has 2,250 rounds available and the 12.7mm AA machine gun 500 rounds.

Model 81 Armoured Command Vehicle

The Model 81 ACV is also designated the WZ 701 and is based on the Model 63 and uses the same extended hull as the WZ750 ambulance. The vehicle weighs 13 tons loaded for combat and contains seating for two crew forward of the rear and up to eight personnel in the rear. This makes for a crowded vehicle which includes a seat against the rear door and normally the personnel in the rear varies from 3 to 5. A battery fire control vehicle would have less personnel for example. The Chinese ACV version in the article was equipped with five Model A-220 short wave/FM radios, one Model 714B back pack radio and one Model 339 facsimile machine.

Model 85 Armoured Command Vehicle

Unlike the Model 81 featured in the previous newsletter, this vehicle uses the same hull as the vehicle it is based on, in this case the Model 86 armoured personnel carrier. This means that the vehicle cannot be readily identified as an ACV on the battlefield drawing unwarranted attention, ACVs being natural ordnance magnets.

The vehicle weighs 13.8 tons and has a crew of 8. It is 6.125mm long, 3.06m wide and is 2.59m high to the top of the hull. It is armed with the ubiquitous 12.7mm machine gun with 560 rounds. Its diesel engine produces 317KW and its torque is 54.3 kP. It has a maximum road range of 500km on road and 61km in water. Its maximum road speed is 65km and it can reach 6 km/hr in the water. A typical ACV fit out is one VRC-83 and two VRC-84 transceivers and one 70-2B facsimile machine.

PLZ45 155mm Self-Propelled Gun (SPG) System

The PLZ45 system has been in use since the late 1990s when Kuwait bought a battalion and in 2001 a second. For those with access to Jane’s Armour and Artillery some of this is old hat but this article gives the structure of the way the PLA foreshadows the organisation and equipment of the PLZ45 artillery battalion in the PLA’s new armoured corps structure.

Best described as Chinese M109A6 Paladin, the PLZ45 is the latest SPG in PLA service. In a PLZ45 SPG there are three eight-gun batteries (companies) with each SPG supported by a GCL45 ammunition supply vehicle, a copy of the United States Army’s M992 Field Artillery Ammunition Supply Vehicle (FAASV), using the same chassis as the PLZ45.

The PLZ 45 has a chassis length of 6.66m, a width of 3.23m and a height of 2.6m and has a crew of five. It can travel at speeds up to 55 km/hr a maximum distance of and is powered by a 412Kp diesel engine. It has a combat weight of 32t. The GCL45 has a three crew, a combat weight of 33 t and can carry 90 155mm rounds and charges. It can feed the 6 to 8 rounds per minute into the PLZ45 and has a maximum speed of 55 km/hr and a maximum range of 450km. Both vehicles have a cupola 12.7mm machine gun. The maximum range of the gun is quoted at 30km for normal rounds, 39km for base bleed rounds and 50km for rocket assisted rounds.

The company headquarters each have two ZCY45 C3 vehicles based on the YW534H APC. The vehicle has a crew of four and has an enlarged and heightened rear superstructure with two C3 terminals. The vehicle has a combat weight of 14.9 tonnes, can travel at a maximum speed of 65 km/hr and has a cupola mounted 12.7mm machine gun for self-protection.

The battalion headquarters, has nine GCL45 forward observation vehicles, one artillery locating/fire correction radar on a 6 x 6 truck chassis, a 4 x 4 truck mounted meteorological vehicle, two W653A armoured recovery and repair vehicles (ARRVs), four 4 x 4 maintenance and repair trucks and two ZCY45 C3 vehicles for the battalion HQ staff.

The GCL45 has the same enlarged rear chassis as the ZCY45 with the observation equipment mounted in a small armoured turret atop of the enlarged rear hull. The combat weight of the vehicle is 15.2t and it has a maximum speed of 65km/hr and a maximum range of 500km. There is a crew of four. As the GCL45 and ZCY45 use the same chassis as the PLA’s latest armoured ambulances which could lead to charges of targeting ambulances in combat.

Chinese Laser-Guided Artillery Round

The PLA now have 155mm Chinese made versions of the Russian Kraspanol laser-guided rounds available for use with the PLZ 45 self-propelled gun system.

Model 70-1 122mm Self-Propelled Howitzer

This was the PLA’s first Chinese designed self-propelled howitzer. First mooted in 1969 it did not see service until 1981 – a twelve year gestation for what was a simple piece of equipment! Based on the armoured personal carrier version of the Model 63-1 amphibious tank it is basically a Type 54 122mm howitzer mounted to the floor without its spades. The weapon has an elevation of +63.5 degrees and a depression of -2.5 degrees and can traverse approximately 22.5 degrees giving it some self defence and direct fire capability. It also carries a light machine gun, for self protection with 1,000 rounds, but no mount for it on the vehicle proper. The main gun has 40 rounds of ammunition and has a maximum range 15,300m with a base bleed shell and 11,800m with a normal HE round. The vehicle is amphibious using large full length rubber cylindrical floats attached to the hull.
It has a combat weight of 15.4 tonnes with a vehicle crew of two and five artillerymen. It is 5.6 m long, 3.070 m wide and 1.904m at the hull top and 2.279m high with the gun in travelling position. The ground clearance is 400m and its 317KW diesel engine produces a maximum of 58kP of torque giving it a maximum road speed of 56 km/hr and a maximum road range of 450km. To protect the crew against inclement weather a weatherproof canopy can be erected similar to one on a vintage sports car.

Number two

Tongzhimen shubingmen he pengyoumen, nimen hao!
Dorogiye tovarshchi soldaty i druzhya!
Prolettarii vsekh Stran, Soyedinites!

This issue looks at an experimental light tank, an improved model of the Model 62 light tank, the unsuccessful Chinese attempt to produce the T-10 heavy tank, and the PLZ-45 155mm self-propelled gun system.

High Altitude Combat in 1904

As China claims and occupies Tibet, the highest reported combat in China occurred on 18 July 1904 at Karo-La. There, soldiers from the 8th Gurhka Regiment climbed to over 18,000 feet to outflank of the Tibetans at Karo-La who had established a stone wall and a number of sangars in a narrow pass to prevent the Younghusband Mission from advancing to Lhasa.


Model 88 5.8 x 42mm round

The standard 4.8 g projectile has a velocity of 890 m/sec, falling to 734m/sec at 200m, 595m/sec at 400m, 471 m/sec at 600m and 367 m/sec at 800m.

New 9 x 19mm round

There is a new Chinese 9 x 19mm low impact and wounding round which uses an 11.6g projectile with a muzzle velocity of 378 m/sec. The cartridge is 29.9mm long overall and weighs 11.6g
with the projectile weighing 7g. Haven’t got much more info as yet on the projectile design so stay tuned.

Butchering a Classic Design – The New Police Revolver and Ammunition

The new Chinese police revolver being introduced into the Public Security Bureau is a butchered copy of the Smith and Wesson (S&W) Military and Police/Model 10 revolver. The major differences are an enclosed ejector rod, ramp front side and a rear sight, which the S&W Model 19, an improved version of the Mode1 10 incorporated. Unloaded, it weighs 700g and has an overall length of 180mm. The major difference is that Chinese engineers have added a safety catch above the cylinder release.

There two types of service ammunition identified and the best description would be 9 x 19mm rimmed and replicate the old.38 Smith and Wesson cartridge. The first is a duplex rubber round which looks the same size and shape as the old 38/200 and designed for internal security use during riots. This is 30mm long and weighs in at 12.6g.The rubber projectiles will be low velocity otherwise they would foul the rifling. The second cartridge is a copper jacketed semi-wad cutter round – the blunt nose adding to its ‘man-stopping’ ability. Both have a heavy roll crimp at the mouth of the case.

The old Smith and Wesson Model 10 in 38/200 I used to shoot in my early air force days had better ergonomics and a more powerful round than this piece of crap. The safety catch shows that other than special units, the lack of weapons proficiency of Public Security Bureau officers.

Another Heavy Calibre Sniping Rifle

Bingqi Zhishi 2/2006 has the details on another anti-materiel rifle – AMR-2. Of conventional design, this bolt action rifle is in 12.7 x 108mm and uses a five round magazine. It has an empty weight of 9.8kg with a loaded magazine adding just less than 4kg. It has an overall length of 1420mm and with the buffered stock folded 1230mm, with an 820mm barrel. It can be equipped with a suppressor.

New Thermobaric rocket launcher

In 2000 the PLA introduced the 93mm PF 97A thermobaric rocket launcher which uses a larger version of the 80mm PF 89 rocket launcher with a licence produced version of the Russian 93mm Schmel thermobaric rocket. The article was quite proud of China’s ability to produce the B695 fuse.

Mechanised Infantry Weapons and Their Ammunition Times of Flight

Appendix One is from an article on how mechanised infantry shoot from vehicles and gives the times of flight for their primary weapons – the Model 81 assault rifle, the Model 81 squad automatic weapon and the Model 69 RPG.

The article reveals that the 5.8mm family of weapons are not used in mechanised infantry units nor the Model 67 and Model 80 7.62 x 54mm machine guns – the 12.7 mm machine gun mounted in the vehicle turret and tracked mortar carriers providing fire support.

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Appendix One


PLA Mechanised Infantry Weapons Times of Flight (seconds)

100m 200m 300m 400m 500m

Model 81 AR 0.15 0.33 0.53 0.78 1.07
(7.62 x 39 mm)
Model 81 SAW 0.15 0.31 0.51 0.74 1.02
(7.62 x 39 mm)
Model 69 RPG 0.512 0.854 1.185 1.625 2.163

It Lives!

Tongzhimen he Shubingmen!DorogiyeSoldaty i Druzhya!Pengyoumen, Nin Hao

Greetings from the sunny land of Brisbane Australia. This is where the world will be able to read the infamous GI Zhou Newsletter, feared by crap analysts and the PLA ( I wish).

This isssue looks at new Chinese small arms ammunition, the ‘new’ Chinese Model 03 assault rifle, armoured ambulances and Chinese armour in 1937 and 1938.

The Development of the 5.8mm DBP87 Round

In March 1971 the Chinese military decided to move towards a smaller rifle and machine gun calibre rifle and various calibres between 5m and 6mm. A recent article in Qing Bingqi looks at various cartridges developed before the 5.8mm DBP87 was accepted into service. Known by their factory numbers, their specifications are in Appendix One. The factory number of the DBP87 was 721 but is not included. For comparison this cartridge weighs 12.5g, is 61mm long overall, and the projectile weighs 4.15g with an overall length of 24.3 mm. Although its designation is 5.8mm the round is actually 6mm in diameter.

Comparison Penetration Figures for the 5.8mm DBP87 round

Penetration percentages using the 5.56mm NATO (SS109), Russian 5.45mm and the Chinese 5.8mm against an A3 steel plate are below. Please note the hardness of the steel is not known, nor whether the 5.8mm had the standard steel core. The average muzzle velocities of the rounds were measured at: 5.56mm NATO 846 m/s, 5.45mm 847.1 m/s and 5.8mm DBP87 885 m/s.
300 metres 10mm A3 steel plate 0O
5.56mm NATO Nil5.45mm Russian Nil5.8mm DBP87 100%
640 metres 3.5mm A3 steel plate 0O
5.56mm NATO 100%5.45mm Russian 18.2%l5.8mm DBP87 100%
700 metres 3.5mm A3 steel plate 0O
5.56mm NATO 72.7%5.45mm Russian Nil5.8mm DBP87 100%
12 Gauge Shotgun Bag Round
Using the standard 12 gauge 23/4 inch shotgun case containing a 32g ball shaped cotton bag containing powder tied up with a piece of string – I kid you not. Two rounds are available, one using white powder and the other red dye marking powder.
The bag has a muzzle velocity of 75 +/- 10m/s and at 5 metres delivers a 120J blow at 12J/cm2 but at 15m this drops to 27J at 4Jcm2. At 30 m it delivers a 5J punch and can operate across a temperature range of –300C to + 450C.

Model 98 low lethality hand grenade

The Model 98 looks like a mini ball type grenade and has a diameter of 50mm and a length of 86.2mm, which includes a long safety handle. It weighs 115.5g with its 50g charge producing a 2 to 2.5 second flash of 4.2 x 107 candela and a noise of 182 decibels. Its danger radius is one metre and its effective radius is 10 – 15 metres depending on the area of explosion.

Model 03 Assault Rifle

The PLA has designated a product improved version of the QBZ95A assault rifle which itself was an improved version of the QBZ87A. The major differences are a new folding stock copied from the Heckler and Koch G36, a SIG 550 style fore grip and a slim mount for the standard optical sight used on Chinese rifles. Other than that there is nothing new to the rifle.

PLA Tracked Armoured Ambulances

There have been three armoured tracked armoured ambulances in PLA service. The first was based on the Model 63 APC and was designated the WZ750. It was 5.476m long, 2.464m wide and 2.763m high including the Model 59 12.7mm machine gun. It had a vehicle crew of two with two medics and could take four lying or eight sitting patients.

The next is the WZ751 based on the YW531H hull. It is armed with the Model 59 12.7mm machine gun with 560 rounds and has a vehicle crew of two in addition to two medics. It can accommodate eight siting wounded, four lying or two lying and six sitting. It has an overall length of 6.1 m by 3.06 m wide by 2.816m high including the Model 59 12.7mm machine gun. Its maximum torque is 53.9 kilopascals with a maximum output of 236 kilowatt giving the vehicle a top road speed of 65 km/hr and 6 km/hr in the water. Its maximum ranges are 500km on road and 61km in water.

The latest armoured ambulance is the WZ752, which is based on the Model 89 hull and 534mm longer than the WZ751. This gives it better sea keeping qualities enabling it to ferry wounded soldiers from the shore to the internal docks of suitably equipped amphibious warfare vessels. It is unarmed and carries the same amount of medics and wounded as the WZ751. An internal view of the WEZ532 shows it to be similarly equipped as a large civilian ambulance.

Chinese Armour 1937 and 1938

Following on from earlier GI Zhou Newsletters a recent Chinese article looks at Chinese armour in the early stages of the Sino-Japanese War. In 1935 and 1936 the Guomindang received at least 15 PzKpfw I light tanks and a small number of Sd.Kfz221/222 four-wheel drive armoured cars and 37mm anti-tank guns from Germany, 20 CV-33 tankettes from Italy, and 20 Vickers Model E ‘six-ton’ tanks and 29 Vickers Carden-Loyd light tanks from the United Kingdom. With some old ex-French FT-17 and earlier purchases of Vickers ‘six-ton’ tanks these comprised the armoured strength of the Nationalist Army at the beginning of 1937.

On 13 August at the start of the Battle for Shanghai amongst the equipment available to available to Guomindang forces defending Shanghai were Vickers Model Es, which were in four platoons of five tanks, and three platoons PzKpfw I light tanks in three platoons of five tanks. At least one Vickers Model E and PzKpfw I were captured by the Japanese.
To make au for the losses that the Guomindang had suffered the Soviet Union provided aid in the form of military equipment. These included 83 T-26 light tanks and a smaller number of BT series tanks and BA-3/6/10 and BA-20 armoured cars On the 15th January 1938 the strength of Guomindang 200th Armoured Division was 70 T-26 light tanks, four BT-5 fast tanks and 18 CV-3 tankettes, survivors of the 20 ordered in 1934 they having missed had the battles of 1937. There were 50 BA series armoured cars and Vickers Model E tanks available in reserve. Also on strength were 12 122mm howitzers, 45mm anti-tank guns and 75mm field guns.
I will be getting more Chinese military journals on Friday so there will be a December issue.
Zai Jian,

GI Zhou

Appendix One
Some developmental cartridges used during the trials for a new Chinese main rifle and machine gun cartridge.
Factory number 321 791 861 930 940 941 942
Calibre (mm) 6 5.81 6 5.8 5.8 6 6
Cartridge Weight (g) 12.7 12.45 12.2 12.63 11.7 13.0 12.4
Length Overall (mm) 56 56.5 56.8 58.0 59.5 55.0 58.0
Powder weight (g) 1.75 1.67 1.76 1.6 1.69 1.81 1.66
Proposed Barrel Length (mm) 520 520 520 520 520 540 540
Number of rifling lands 4 6 4 6 6 6 3
Twist (1 in X mm) 240 260 240 260 240 240 300
Projectile weight 4.2 4.2 4.42 3.9 3.9 4.3 4.1