By Here is an interesting look at the ever increasing capabilities of China’s military:
In retrospection of the things related to the Chinese armed forces in 2009, the high-frequency military exercises are a conspicuous highlight. Up to the present, authoritative media in China have given public coverage of a total of 18 large-sized actual-force military exercises participated in by the Chinese troops in 2009.
One of the most important reasons for the appearances of so many military exercises in 2009 is that, behind the military exercises, an exploration of organizing trainings under actual-war conditions according to the new Outline of Military Training and Evaluation is going on in the whole armed forces from the general headquarters/departments of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) down to battalions and companies, the basic combat unit of the PLA.
These military exercises serve as an explanation of the direction and new ideas of the military training reform of the PLA.
Regularized military exercise contributes to entrenchment of battle effectiveness
Is there any way to test the battle effectiveness and the level of military training of the troops in time of peace? It’s obvious the military exercise is the best choice. Maybe the year of 2009 has become an important year in the process of military exercise regularization of the PLA.
Most of the military exercises held in 2009 were designed to be “confrontational”, “test-oriented” and “research-oriented”.
“Both the performances of our weapons and combat capabilities of the troops can be tested through exercises,” said a responsible person with the Military Training and Arms Department of the General Staff Headquarters (GSH) of the PLA. [Defence Pros]
Red the rest on your own because there is a lot of good stuff in this report, but I did find it interesting that much like the US military the PLA is implementing an increasing amount of simulations into their exercises.
2:14 am on December 17th, 2009 1
One Longbow could take out everything in that picture in about 14 seconds and not even be seen.
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8:00 pm on December 17th, 2009 2
There is no doubt China is building a formidable military to the best of its ability. I also have no doubt that they are receiving training that they never had in the past.
However I seriously doubt it comes close to US standards.
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December 17th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
with one big difference. They have money and you don’t.
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December 17th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
Money is important of that there is no doubt. However the industrial base for the current technology is very mature in the US. It has taken many years and many billions of dollars to grow the base the US currently has.
As such, the US has long ago made the investment that China is just beginning to do. It will take China many years to provide all the infrastructure needed to produce world class weapons such as the F-22 etc.
The current US defense budget just passed is around $626 billion. That is still far beyond what China spends.
“with one big difference”? Not yet Tom.
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December 18th, 2009 at 6:34 am
“The current US defense budget just passed is around $626 billion. ”
All Chinese money.
December 18th, 2009 at 10:17 am
You don’t understand Tom, once China has invested all of its money in US securities, we are going to repay with all the ‘Clunkers’ bought under the cash for clunkers program.
December 17th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
We just don’t have enough bullets, unless we use nukes.
And if we did the American people will not support the death toll required to win a war in China.
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December 18th, 2009 at 10:20 am
I think the strategy is to leave any ‘ground’ war to the Russians.
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11:14 pm on December 18th, 2009 3
Looks like T-69 tanks. I’m not impressed. I could take those out close to a dozen km away, no problem.
You’d think they would have used their latest tanks for this photo-op.
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