China Military Watch

[svinayak]

china is spreading its tentacles into afghanistan. a $5b deal to explore and build a railway link via kazakhstan to afghani copper mine has been signed.

the gameplan seems to be:-
- block india using pakistan from exploiting CAR states as a resource hinterland (due to low population they will not be big markets)
- keep russia off balance with such deep linkages, outspend russia in funding the infra, power elites and factions in CAR
- develop kashgar-urumqi as a new industrial hub area to provide finished goods to CAR states , pakistan and via pakistan to the gulf if
possible.

if you look at PRC history it has been of expansion, first into korea, then manchuria was given to them by ussr, then tibet & east turkestan,
now gnawing at siberia using bangladeshi demographic war tactics and finally the pakistan-CAR takeover plan.

the US will be kicked out of pakistan once it realizes chinese capital , investment and arms is stable and comes with zero strings
attached. it will be milked while the $$ lasts ofcourse. the US will basically have to sulkily retreat back to kuwait and qatar and

Has it occured to you that PRC is spending money from the trade with Unkil and it is their joint goal to go after areas.
Unkil is providing these money to fulfil its goal in Asia.

[chackojoseph]

the US will be kicked out of pakistan once it realizes chinese capital , investment and arms is stable and comes with zero strings attached.

Pakistani leaders know it well not to cut of money, even if string attached. They will never allow monopoly of China, cause they too know that what will be the effects. They will eat both sides. Strings or no strings.

[Nihat]

the US will be kicked out of pakistan once it realizes chinese capital , investment and arms is stable and comes with zero strings
attached.

China is far more pragmatic than the US which has a tendency to be narrow minded and to put it bluntly Stupid. China will extract every single yuan from TSP for those JF-17's, unlike Unkil and PAF F-16 Blk 52's.

[Bade]

"A secret military payload successfully launched aboard a Long March rocket early Wednesday, continuing a feverish pace of Chinese space activity that includes a mysterious orbital rendezvous, an upcoming lunar probe and preps for continued human missions.

"It was the fifth launch in barely 50 days for China, and the second mission in that period lofting a clandestine Yaogan reconnaissance satellite.

"Wednesday's launch began with the blastoff of a Long March 2D rocket at 0242 GMT (10:42 p.m. EDT Tuesday) from the Jiuquan space center in the desert of northwestern China, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

"It was 10:42 a.m. Beijing time.

"The 135-foot-tall [41-m-tall] launch vehicle placed Yaogan 11 and two smaller satellites on a path nearly 400 miles [644 km] above Earth.

"The Yaogan 11 payload orbited Wednesday will conduct scientific experiments, survey land resources, estimate crop yields and contribute to natural disaster response efforts, Xinhua reported.

"But the Yaogan satellite series are believed to provide the Chinese military with high-resolution reconnaissance imagery through electro-optical cameras and night-vision radar systems."

China orbits spy satellite amid uptick in space activity

[Kailash]

Article criticizes Indian DDM, compares the actual range Vs ranges published in open source and by the Chinese for the DF-21. Also provides coordinates of the sites in China! Hope this was not posted earlier.

DF-21C Missile Deploys to Central China

The latest Pentagon report on Chinese military forces recently triggered sensational headlines in the Indian news media that China had deployed new nuclear missiles close to the Indian border.

The news reports got it wrong, but new commercial satellite images reveal that launch units for the new DF-21C missile have deployed to central-western China.

...the launch units are large with a considerable footprint that covers an area of approximately 300×300 meters. They are manpower-intensive requiring large numbers of support equipment. This makes them harder to move quickly and relatively easy to detect by satellite images.

Individual launchers of course would be dispersed into the landscape in case of war. But although the road-mobile launcher has some off-road capability, it requires solid ground when launching .... As a result, launchers would have to stay on roads or use the pre-made launch pads that stand out clearly in high-resolution satellite images.

[Juggi G]

China’s Naval Build-up Not Over

By James Holmes & Toshi Yoshihara

[Juggi G]

Beijing Spreads it Wings, Casts a Shadow Over Asia
DNA

Beijing Spreads it Wings, Casts a Shadow Over Asia
Brahma Chellaney
Friday, October 1, 2010 2:58 IST

Japan may have created the impression of having buckled under China’s pressure by releasing the Chinese fishing trawler captain.

But the Japanese action moves the spotlight back to China, whose rapidly accumulating power has emboldened it to aggressively assert territorial and maritime claims against its neighbours, from Japan to India.

China’s new stridency in its disputes with its neighbours has helped highlight Asia’s central challenge to come to terms with existing boundaries by getting rid of the baggage of history that weighs down a number of interstate relationships. Even as Asia is becoming more interdependent economically, it is getting more divided politically.

While the bloody wars in the first half of the 20th century have made war unthinkable today in Europe, the wars in Asia in the second half of the 20th century did not resolve matters and have only accentuated bitter rivalries.

A number of interstate wars were fought in Asia since 1950, the year both the Korean War and the annexation of Tibet started. Those wars, far from settling or ending disputes, have only kept disputes lingering.

China, significantly, has been involved in the largest number of military conflicts. A recent Pentagon report has cited examples of how China carried out military pre-emption in 1950, 1962, 1969 and 1979 in the name of strategic defence. The seizure of Paracel Islands from Vietnam in 1974 by Chinese forces was another example of offense as defense.

All these cases of pre-emption occurred when China was weak, poor and internally torn. So today, China’s growing power naturally raises legitimate concerns.

A stronger, more prosperous China is already beginning to pursue a more muscular foreign policy vis-à-vis its neighbours, as underlined by several developments this year alone — from its inclusion of the South China Sea in its “core” national interests — an action that makes its claims to the disputed Spratly Islands non-negotiable, to its presentation of the Yellow Sea as some sort of an exclusive Chinese military-operations zone where it wants the US and South Korea not to hold joint naval exercises.

China also has become more insistent in pressing its territorial claims to the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, with Chinese warships making more frequent forays into Japanese waters. Add to the picture China’s three separate large-scale naval exercises since April.

In Tibet, the official PLA Daily has reported several new significant military developments in recent months, including the first-ever major parachute exercise to demonstrate a capability to rapidly insert troops on the world’s highest plateau and an exercise involving “third generation” fighter-jets carrying live ammunition. In addition, the railroad to Tibet, the world’s highest elevated railway, has now started being used to supply “combat readiness materials for the Air Force” there. These military developments have to be seen in the context of China’s resurrection since 2006 of its long-dormant claim to India’s northeastern Arunachal Pradesh state and its recent attempts to question Indian sovereignty over the state of Jammu and Kashmir, one-fifth of which it occupies.

Against that background, China’s increasingly assertive territorial and maritime claims threaten Asian peace and stability. In fact, the largest real estate China covets is not in the South or East China Seas but in India: Arunachal Pradesh is almost three times larger than Taiwan.

Respect for boundaries is a prerequisite to peace and stability on any continent. Europe has built its peace on that principle, with a number of European states learning to live with boundaries they do not like.

Efforts at the redrawing of territorial and maritime frontiers are an invitation to endemic conflicts in Asia. Through its refusal to accept the territorial status quo, Beijing only highlights the futility of political negotiations.

After all, a major redrawing of frontiers has never happened at the negotiating table. Such redrawing can only be achieved on the battlefield, as Beijing has done in the past.

Today, whether it is Arunachal Pradesh or Taiwan or the Senkaku Islands, or even the Spratlys, China is dangling the threat to use force to assert its claims. In doing so, China has helped reinforce the spectre of a China threat. By picking territorial fights with its neighbours, China also is threatening Asia’s continued economic renaissance.

More significantly, China is showing that it is not a credible candidate to lead Asia. Leadership flows not from raw power but from other states’ consent or tacit acceptance.

It is important for other Asian states and the rest of the international community to convey a clear message to Beijing: After six long decades, China’s redrawing of frontiers must now come to an end.

[yantra]

Looks like India is upping the ante -

http://www.india-defence.com/reports-4546

A year after the Defence Ministry backed out of a military exercise at a US base near China at the last minute, a go-ahead has been given for a joint amphibious exercise at the US Marines base in Okinawa, Japan. The war game, which will involve senior officers of the Indian Navy and Army is scheduled to start later this week and will continue till October.

The same exercise, under the Habu Nag series of war games, was cancelled at the final stage in 2009 when 12 officers who had been earmarked were sent back to their formations days before they were scheduled to depart. While no reason was given for the last minute pull-out, regional sensitivities were thought to be behind the move. Okinawa is located close to China and has a significant US presence where several military bases are concentrated.

[chackojoseph]

China’s string of pearls vs India’s iron curtain in the indian ocean, it is a C3IC issue

[Don]

Chinese Su-27s Fly Mock Combat in Turkey
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/de ... d=blogDest

Posted by David A. Fulghum at 9/30/2010 10:29 AM CDT

An unexpected military cooperative exercise between China and Turkey has caught the eye of Washington-based analysts.

The two air forces were involved in a joint air exercise in the central Anatolian province of Konya, the first such exercise involving the air forces of China (People’s Liberation Army Air Force – PLAAF) and NATO member Turkey.

Part of the significance is that the PLAAF recently demonstrated major advances in long-range strike during their own “Peace Mission 2010.”

The latest joint exercise, “Anatolian Eagle,” in the past has been conducted jointly with the U.S. Air Force, other NATO air forces and the Israeli Air Force.

Ankara’s Zama newspaper reported that Turkish F-16s and Chinese Su-27s staged a mock dogfight. Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao plans a visit to Turkey next month where several agreements on economic and cultural cooperation are expected to be signed. Chinese aircraft, including the JF-17 export fighter, stopped in Turkey to refuel on the way to last summer’s Farnborough air show.

Turkey flies 200 F-16s, 150 RF/F-4s and 75 F-5s.

Another sign that Turkey is changing its international stance is modification of its security policy to remove some of its neighboring countries from a list of those considered as national security threats and the exclusion of the IAF from its exercises.

[Craig Alpert]

Cautiously Watching China's Military Growth: IAF Chief

"All neighbours - borrowing Chanakya's quotes - have to be watched with caution on the impact and growth of our nation. So we watch all neighbours, be it the smallest or the largest, with caution," he said.

"Even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that India's area of responsibility extends from Hormus Straits to the Malacca Straits and beyond. Yeh hoga future mein (It will happen in the future). We see what capability is required to meet this aspiration and accordingly modernization and procurements are planned," he added.

Naik said the procurement plans of the IAF stood on "four pillars of see, reach, hit and protect."

Asked if the IAF too was tweaking its doctrines to match the Army's new doctrine of preparing for a two-front simultaneous war with Pakistan and China, Naik said, "Air Force prepares for multi-front war. It is not single-front or other front or something.

"It is in terms of allocation of forces that you distinguish. Otherwise, we are preparing for multi-dimensional, multi-faceted, multi-front war."

With MMRCA's faith still undecided, LCA yet to get FOC and inducted with adequate numbers, severe shortage of transports & trainers that's a BIG statement there by the Chief, hope he has a sure shot action plan to back up his words!

[Craig Alpert]

PLA Makes Big Investments In Artillery

BLESSING IN DISGUISE for India to say the least with a heavy heart!!! Hopefully the Indian Govt will now FINALLY FAST TRACK and get the necessary artillery fire power that it needs which has been in limbo for over 2 decades!!!!

[chackojoseph]

x post from IN thread

Russian-Chinese Su-33 Fighter Deal Collapses - Paper
RIA Novosti

Russia has refused to sell its Su-33 carrier-based fighters to China over fears that Beijing could produce cheaper export versions of the aircraft, a Russian daily said on Tuesday.

So, if china does not export, then its ok for Russians?

[Singha]

>> the PLA maintains five independent artillery divisions and 20 independent brigades

thats a lot. and their WS1/2/3 rocket systems allow pounding large areas from a safe distance away. exposed airbases , artillery sites and storage areas in
ladakh are particularly vulnerable to this type of area attack. in arunachal and sikkim there would atleast be caved and tunnels to hide stuff in.

[Juggi G]

Turkish-Chinese War Games

Turkish-Chinese War Games

The Pentagon said Wednesday that the Turkish government promised to protect U.S. defense technology during its recent military exercises with China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) — drills that analysts say may have compromised key NATO war-fighting secrets.

Army Lt. Col. Tamara Parker, a Pentagon spokeswoman, confirmed European press reports of the unusual aerial military exercises last month involving U.S.-made Turkish jets and Chinese Su-27 fighters that engaged in simulated aerial combat.

"The government of Turkey is committed to the NATO Alliance and the continuation of strong ties to the United States, and Turkey assured us they would take the utmost care related to their possession of U.S. and NATO technologies," Col. Parker told Inside the Ring.

However, she did not address the issue of whether the Chinese military might have learned sensitive NATO aerial combat information.

Jane's Defense Weekly, quoting Turkish diplomatic sources, stated that the exercises involved less-capable U.S.-made F-4s and Chinese Su-27s, but not more advanced U.S.-made F-16s.

Ed Timperlake, a former Marine Corps fighter pilot and former Pentagon technology security official, said allowing the Chinese air force to exercise with a NATO ally poses security risks.

"'You fight like you train' is a saying from Top Gun school," Mr. Timperlake said. "The Turkish air force helping the PLAAF to see NATO combat tactics and training up close and personal is a very bad idea. It is deadly serious stuff."

Mr. Timperlake said the exercises and Turkey's warming relations with neighboring Iran should lead the Pentagon to rethink its decision to sell the new F-35 jet to Turkey.

Richard Fisher, a specialist on China's military at the International Assessment and Strategy Center, also criticized Turkey's military for conducting aerial exercises with a communist power that poses a threat to U.S. and allied security interests in Asia. "It's not a good thing," he said.

Mr. Fisher said Turkey in the late 1990s used Chinese technology to jointly develop short-range B611 missiles.

The Tehran Press TV Online reported on Monday that Iran opened its airspace to the Turkish and Chinese jets.

"All of this raises questions about Turkey's continued slide away from the West," Mr. Fisher said.

The joint Turkish-Chinese war games also were held before the scheduled visit to Turkey by Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao.

Turkey & Iran , China's Two New Bitches in the making ala the great Whore of a country, Pakistan.

[Singha]

greece too. as I mentioned in another thread, economically weak countries who could benefit from chinese trade and investment in south and eastern europe will drift into PRC orbit now. EU has no spare cash to keep them fed and happy. the process has already began.

but do not use the b-word. faithfull all-lie is the right word.

[chackojoseph]

Chacko, I wouldn't be that confident. Perhaps. Perhaps not. One wishes that the GoI were more aggressive. I expect the U.S. and Russia to get involved in this, too. Also, I expect something big to happen with Iran soon. The Russian decision not to sell Iran the S-300 SAM's is very significant.

Here is something for you

Balochistan a 'no go area': China tells its nationals

[kit]

Chinese area of influence is certainly heading north., the other religion association has already determined China to be the bullwark against the US., and the Turkish involvement with Iran and China does look like it ! The American influence seems to be less and less and even PK is not scared of snubbing the mighty khans (they know they have a back up just in case).look at the American chiefs saying sorry !

[D Roy]

thats a lot. and their WS1/2/3 rocket systems allow pounding large areas from a safe distance away. exposed airbases , artillery sites and storage areas in
ladakh are particularly vulnerable to this type of area attack. in arunachal and sikkim there would atleast be caved and tunnels to hide stuff in.

why do you think the military is so interested in iron dome and magic wand?

[SaiK]

The khans are considering certain type of cyber acts of aggression to take military strikes on the countering nations. Cyber is taken seriously.. though we are far, and having core change in operating system strategies in the future, currently we are vulnerable to chinese strike on all important installations, where they can worm around.

The recent chinese worm should be considered one such act.

[shukla]

China hitting India via Net worm?

[SriSri]

American Weapons for China: President Obama Pushes for Sale of C-130s to China

This is symbolic and could be a catalyst for enabling future Israeli & European arm sales to China.

[Hari Seldon]

American Weapons for China: President Obama Pushes for Sale of C-130s to China

This is symbolic and could be a catalyst for enabling future Israeli & European arm sales to China.

Don't worry. If history's any guide, the anglo-saxons merrily sold steel and other weapon inputs to Hitler right upto WWII only.

[SaiK]

While in China, Mr. Medvedev celebrated the 65th anniversary of the Soviet-Chinese alliance in the war against Japan (1936-45) and used strong language to convey Russia's solidarity — “Friendship with China is Russia's strategic choice, it's a choice that was sealed by blood years ago”; “The friendship between the Russian and the Chinese peoples, cemented by the military events, will be indestructible and will do good for our future generations.”

the two countries are discussing “very serious long-term projects” and “results will soon be known.” Significantly, he added: “We [Russia and China] have no doubt that military-technical cooperation is one of the most important areas of our strategic collaboration and partnership ... I'll repeat: the plans are quite extensive in this field.”


Russia has strongly supported China on the Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang issues and has shown its displeasure against Japan.

These came right thru our own commie voice - the hindu.
http://www.hindu.com/2010/10/11/stories ... 601000.htm

[yantra]

http://www.india-defence.com/reports-4617

American Weapons for China - President Obama Pushes for Sale of C-130s to China
American Weapons for China - President Obama Pushes for Sale of C-130s to China
2010-10-11 In a complete reversal of decades of U.S. policy on geopolitics and strategic security, U.S. President Barack Obama has written to the House of Representatives and to the President of the Senate seeking a termination of suspension of Arms Exports to China and to allow the sale of C-130 medium lift transport aircrafts to China. The letter by the President claims that this is in 'American national interest' and is for 'oil spill cleanup' efforts.

Has been very hard to understand the game-plan here..

[TonyMontana]

Has been very hard to understand the game-plan here..

Russia-US-China Axis? Total World Domination?

[Sidhant]

^^ Only if China would had been that understanding, currently its arrogance is for everyone to see. Being confident is good, being overconfident is no good...

[RamaY]

^ Spoken like a true China-friend.

Let PRC show its true intentions for that will prove that the emperor had no cloths.

Note: There are more than one-emperor in this scenario.

[vishnu.nv]

Mr.Barak Obama believes in making their enemy's friends. Be it be Afgan talibs, TSP musharaff's or chiki panda's. In spite of all this real worlds threats they are preparing to fight Iran.

We could see many american technologies in Chinese hands another 5 years as they are virtually funding america now.

[SaiK]

Doubt it.. Obamism is dying fast.

[DavidD]

^^ Only if China would had been that understanding, currently its arrogance is for everyone to see. Being confident is good, being overconfident is no good...

Overconfident? You should take a closer look. By and large, China has great relationships and is further forging relationships with powers from afar, while subjugating the powers that are near them. It's using the millenia-old strategy of "allying with the far, conquering the near."

Its "arrogance" is only directed at the antagonistic powers nearby, such as Japan, the U.S.(huge presence in China's periphery), Vietnam, India, and to a lesser extent, the Philippines, and Malaysia. Most of the other powers nearby, such as Pakistan, NK, and Myanmar(at least now) are already in China's fold. Nations like Thailand, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and to a lesser extent, SK, can still swing either way. Since Russia is west-centric and China is east-centric, the two great powers are also in each other's camp and have a very amicable relationship.

However, looking beyond China's immediate vicinity, you'll see great efforts exerted by the Chinese to cultivate deeper relationships, with almost no exception. Farthest from China, there are the Chinese investments in Africa, which have been discussed ad nauseum, and it's also greatly expanding its influence in South America. A bit closer and we have the middle east and the nearby Muslim countries, which China has always had good relationships with. Recently, with the security pact with Saudi Arabia and the military exercise with Turkey, it's evident that China wishes to further deepen their ties. We all know about Iran. China has also been playing a VERY active role in taking advantage of the stability created by the Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan through huge investments. Moving to the South Pacific, you can see that China has gone to great lengths to move past the bloody anti-Chinese riots by the Indonesians to explore a deeper relationship with them. It's establishing a foothold in Fiji, and China-Australia ties in recent years is astonishing and unprecedented for any Caucasian U.S.-ally nation. With U.S.-European ties in a slow by steady decline since the end of the cold war, Europe's waning powers in Asia, and the recent economic crisis, China has even taken the initiative to court the more troubled European nations such as Greece and Italy.

[shiv]

Sorry if this has been posted before
http://www.uyghurnews.com/tibetan/Read. ... 0611109346

China builds oxygen-rich barracks for soldiers in Tibet

Saibal Dasgupta, TNN
Times of India
June 27, 2010

BEIJING -- The People's Liberation Army in Chinahas come up with the first batch of ecologicaloxygen-enriched barracks for use by troops postedin the oxygen deficient mountain regions of Tibetacross the Indian border. It means lesserdependence on oxygen cylinders and higherperformance for soldiers, the PLA research team has reported.

This is one of the several recent innovationsreported by Chinese defense establishment thatinclude reduction in take-off time for ship-basedhelicopters, reorganizing the layout formulti-functional training ground in the slopes ofInner Mongolia and running digitalized medicalservices, according to the official media.

Oxygen enriched barracks built at a height of4,500 meters at the Naqu Military Sub-Command inTibet involved using plants to generateadditional oxygen in a special activity room andbarracks with floor space of 1,000 square metersand 3,000 square meters, respectively. Soldiersusing these facilities during exercise were foundto have 10% higher oxygen level in the blood ascompared to the outdoors and relieved of the problem of plateau anoxia.

The harsh environment with 48% oxygen as comparedto the hinterland has been a cause of worry forthe PLA, which found a large number of soldierssuffering from altitude diseases as alopecia andnail dent. Ecological experts including botanistsand altitude disease pathologists were brought infor an on-the-spot investigation in the largelyunpopulated area. This is what resulted in thecreation of barracks that use plants to generateadditional oxygen, the official media said.

[rohitvats]

What happens to the Soldiers when they step put of the barrack for the morning PT?

[Singha]

it can at best ease the acclamatization process for units flown in from sea level. for combat performance they'd have to do blood doping as per TFTA "honest" cycling teams imho.

[shiv]

What happens to the Soldiers when they step put of the barrack for the morning PT?

You guessed it - they get fcued.

http://www.eso.org/sci/facilities/alma/ ... ode25.html

the key to reducing the negative effects of high altitude will be the provision of oxygen enrichment in the site buildings and other enclosures such as transporter vehicle cabins and antenna receiver cabins, and the use of lightweight portable oxygen units where appropriate. An increase in the oxygen concentration in the buildings from the natural value of 21% to 26% will provide workers with an environment equivalent to that at an altitude of 3500m, which should be acceptable. The choice of 26% is a compromise between competing requirements: improved performance would be achieved with a higher concentration, but it would reduce the degree of acclimatization for indoor workers who must also work outdoors, and it would increase the cost and fire hazard. Oxygen enrichment is now feasible and economical because of the availability of molecular seive technology - it is no longer necessary to use liquid oxygen in bottles. The effective annual cost of oxygenation in a two-man office is about $500 per worker, a small fraction of an annual salary, and it would be still more economical if used on a larger scale. Oxygen enhancement produces an increased fire risk, which is particularly dangerous at high altitude because of the increased risk of asphyxiation. Inhaled smoke decreases an already diminished oxygen supply, so the time required for evacuation is reduced. In addition, the reduced oxygen causes combustion to be less complete, increasing the levels of carbon monoxide. Thus, special care must be taken in the design of the buildings, to provide adequate smoke detection sensors and emergency exit routes. The proposed oxygen concentration of 26% is within accepted standards (including those for the Space Program), and will not cause an unacceptable fire hazard.

For outside workers, particularly those who must perform tasks which are mentally or physically particularly demanding, portable oxygen units will be available and their use should be required. A light weight, back mounted oxygen tank feeds a nasal cannulas. With an oxygen supply rate equivalent to an altitude of 3500m and by using a demand regulator which supplies oxygen only when the user breathes in, a system weighing only 4 kg will supply oxygen for more than eight hours. A nasal cannula is preferred over a mask because it makes communication easier and is less intrusive. Such portable devices are widely used by medical patients and have been used for research and mining work at high altitude.

[shiv]

and see this
http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htatri ... 00710.aspx

Researchers recently discovered that most Tibetans evolved in the last 3-6,000 years to deal with this problem. It appears that the most of the people moving to, and staying in, highland Tibet, where those with the rare genes that made them resistant to altitude sickness. These people became the dominant population in Tibet, mainly because they were healthier at high altitudes. Nearly all Tibetans have this gene (which controls how their red blood cells operate, to maintain sufficient oxygen levels). Very few lowland Chinese have these genes.

The Chinese military is spending a lot of time, effort and money trying to solve this problem. Currently, most of the troops in the Chinese Chengdu Military Region are in the eastern, lowland half. In the western portion (Tibet), they station the 52nd and 53d Mountain Brigades, and struggle to keep these 5,000 troops fit for duty. If there's an emergency, as there was two years ago, the nearby 13th and 14th Group Armies can send troops from their lowland bases. Over 20 percent of these troops will be hampered by altitude sickness once they reach the highlands, and commanders are trained to deal with that.

Chinese troops operating at the highest altitudes (4,500 meters, on the Indian border) now have access to exercise rooms (one of 1,000 square meters and another of 3,000 square meters) that are supplied with an oxygen enriched atmosphere. Troops exercising in these rooms increase the oxygen in the blood, and are much less likely to get hit with a case of altitude sickness. Thus the troops can stay in shape without getting sick. For border patrols at high altitudes, troops usually carry oxygen bottles and breathing masks.

So far, the Chinese have only been able to limit the attrition from altitude sickness, not eliminate it.

[shiv]

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/c ... 259413.htm

BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Altitude sickness poses the biggest challenge for rescuers from the military and armed police in their quake-relief efforts in northwest China's Qinghai Province, a senior military officer said Tuesday.

Wang Zhenguo, an officer with the Yushu quake-relief headquarters of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) and armed police, said at a press conference that no casualty had been reported among the quake-relief soldiers and armed police so far despite the difficulties.

However, all quake-relief soldiers and armed police suffered altitude sickness including dizziness, short of breath, fatigue and coma, said Wang.

Two soldiers had pulmonary edema after catching colds and were being treated in hospital, he said.

But the majority of the quake-relief soldiers only had slight symptoms such as dizziness and short of breath as most of them were young and had previously participated in military tasks on plateaus, according to officers attending the press conference.

To cope with altitude sickness, most of the soldiers were told to carry more medicine as well as oxygen concentrators and tanks, Xie Weikuan, an officer with the PLA General Logistics Department, said at the same press conference.

As of Tuesday, the PLA General Logistics Department had supplied 5,000 portions of medicine, 100 oxygen concentrators and 145 oxygen tanks to help soldiers cope with altitude sickness, Xie said

[Kailash]

couple of days old
China to conduct 30,000-troop military drill

China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) will begin a military exercise on Sunday to test and improve the force's combat capability in high-tech warfare, sources from China's Central Military Commission said Saturday.

The exercise will involve 30,000 soldiers from three divisions across three of China's seven military area commands and include military transport planes, fighter jets and attack helicopters, sources said.

The drill, which will include infantry forces, paratroopers and air forces, will center around battle scenarios in a "complex information environment" as well as across different terrains and weather conditions, according to sources.

The exercise will also include long-distance mobilization of ground and air forces, and test their coordination in defense and striking military targets.

During the drill, the PLA will mobilize civilian passenger aircraft and cargo planes to transport soldiers and military equipment, sources said, adding the date to complete the drill has not yet been announced.

[rohitvats]

Shiv,

Apart from the acclimatization, there is another thing which needs to be mentioned.

That is the operational experience of Indian Army in these High Altitude Areas (HAA). The challenges and idiosyncracies of operating in HAA have been internalized in the IA. There are scores of soldiers and Officers who've cut their teeth in HAA deployments across the Northern or North-Eastern Borders of India over last couple of decades. So, even if the troops are to come from outside to beef up the sectors (apart from existing troops in these sectors), these men and their commanders are aware of the challenges.

Case in point - General Malik commanded troops in the J&K Sector. He was intricately aware of the terrain and challenges posed by it and had much better and indepth understanding of terrain. There is a body of knowledge that resides with in the IA.

Compared to IA, the PLA deployment in the TAR is limited and for any serious offensive action, troops will have to be deployed from outside. Even the main Group Army for MR is sitting outside of Tibet Plateau. I've not come across instances of PLA conducting large scale exercises in these mountainous areas -which imo is necessary for managing large scale operations. IA over last 7-8 years (finances having become better) has progressed from one complex exercise to another where Indo-Pak shooting matches are wargamed. This gives IA commanders exposure and experience to manage large mechanized formations in a fluid environment and infuse tri-Services jointness.

Where have Chinese field commanders - of the Group Army level - exercised large formations for deployment on the Plateau and any offensive action against India? They seem to be obsessed with Taiwan. As is the orientation of their main strike elements.

IMO, this is one factor which will play itself out in the future war.

[D Roy]

Apropos to the HAA capability ,

it is something that is widely accepted by US analysts. And it is a coveted capability.

Sample this from Christine Fair in 2005,
http://home.comcast.net/~christine_fair ... _Final.pdf

Notably, India has a well-honed and exceptional
high-altitude warfare capability, of which few countries can boast.