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China strengthens amphibious and night combat capabilities

Besides adding weapons, China also continuously promote the exercise activities to enhance the capability of expeditionary warfare, amphibious assault and night attack.

Recently, the newspaper Global Times reported that China’s 74th Army Corps had just conducted an operation amphibious exercise Shoot real bullets at night. This corps has its headquarters in Huizhou city, Guangdong province – the territory of the Southern Military Region of the Chinese army (PLA).

China strengthens amphibious and night combat capabilities - Photo 1

Type 071 amphibious ships Ngu Chi Son (987), Kunlunshan (998) and Changbaishan (989) exercise in the South China Sea in 2020.

Chinamil.com.cn

Step up night drills

At the beginning of April, the South China Morning Post China’s state media reports have continuously published information about the PLA conducting drills throughout the day and night. Prominent among these, the Chinese Air Force deployed J-11B and J-11BS fighter jets to fly for nearly 20 hours of continuous exercises, fly over more than 5,000 km, go to the sea and test landing at many airports. have different terrain.

The newspaper quotes experts military In Taiwan, the PLA is strengthening its continuous combat capability, especially the ability to operate through the night to increase the element of surprise and the ability to react immediately, in regional waters such as the East Sea, East China Sea…

In 2021, the Chinese military conducted 100 exercises at night, of which 70 drills took place from midnight to dawn. This number is significantly more than 2020. Because in 2020, the Chinese military only conducts 30 exercises at night, including 11 exercises from midnight to dawn.

China strengthens amphibious and night combat capabilities - Photo 2

Armored combat vehicle of 47th Army Corps (PLA) night amphibious exercise

Risks for the East Sea region

Along with enhancing the ability to attack at night, the PLA also strengthens the ability to attack amphibious assault. In March, Sputnik news agency cited some information that China may be about to commission a third Type 075 class amphibious assault ship.

With a displacement of 40,000 tons and a length of about 237 meters, the Type 075 amphibious assault ship can carry 30 Z-8 or Z-9 multi-role combat helicopters. Not only that, Beijing is developing a stealthy fifth-generation fighter jet J-31 version of the short take-off and vertical landing to equip the Type 075 ship, making it an aircraft carrier. similar to the US deploying F-35 fighters for America-class amphibious ships, Wasp-class.

In addition to Type 075, China has also added more over the years Type 071 . amphibious transport ship has a displacement of about 20,000 tons. This type of ship can carry from 600 to 800 soldiers and four Type 726 amphibious hovercraft and a number of helicopters. In particular, each Type 726 amphibious hovercraft can carry dozens of soldiers and 1 main battle tank or 2 amphibious armored vehicles ZBD-05. In the past time, China has repeatedly sent Type 075 and Type 071 ships to operate and exercise in the East Sea, causing concern to observers.

To enhance amphibious capabilities, the PLA is also looking to supplement its AG600 seaplane amphibious capabilities. This is the largest seaplane world and just completed another step of testing in February to soon put it into use, which is expected this year, according to the Global Times. The AG600 is capable of carrying about 30 soldiers and weapons, has a range of more than 4,000 km and a cruise speed of about 500 km/h.

From mid-2020, sheet Global Times Information that equipped with the AG600 seaplane, the Chinese military can easily access the islands in the South China Sea to protect what it calls “core interests”. Accordingly, when deployed at Sanya base on Hainan island, the AG600 aircraft allows China to quickly move troops to any area in the East Sea. The fact that the AG600 can land on water allows troops to land from the sea.

Therefore, when combining the Type 075 and Type 071 amphibious ships with the AG600 seaplane, China can form an amphibious capability both by air and by sea. This is assessed as a risk for the East Sea region when Beijing has continuously militarized this sea area and has engaged in many acts of causing tension.

Australia prevents Solomon from signing a security agreement with China

Reuters reported yesterday (April 13), Australia formally asked Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare of the Solomon Islands not to sign a controversial security agreement with China. A draft of the agreement was leaked last month. In particular, the main point of interest is the provisions that will allow China to deploy security forces and navy to the Solomon Islands.

For a long time, the US and its allies in the region have always been concerned about the prospect of China moving to set up a naval base in the South Pacific. This allows Beijing to project naval power far beyond its borders.

HG

In addition, last year and this year, the Chinese Air Force continuously trained long-time fighter aircraft. The latest was last March, the newspaper Global Times reported that the PLA Southern Theater Command held a training exercise in which the J-10 fighter jet conducted a flight lasting up to 24 hours. The PLA’s Southern Theater Command was assigned by Beijing to take charge of operations in the South China Sea. According to Dr. Satoru Nagao (Hudson Research Institute, US), China’s strengthening of the fighter’s ability to fly continuously is also to improve the escorting capacity for strategic bombers – which can fly continuously. hour.

Combined with the above, the PLA appears to be increasing its expeditionary capability at the same time, allowing the air force to strike with both bombers and fighters, and land from sea and air, as well as increase enhance night combat capabilities to be able to deploy surprise attacks.

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