SomePLAOSINT
@someplaosint
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Not PLAOpsOSINT. But also interested in understanding more about PLA as a fighting force.
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Tor M1 is a SHORAD SAM system developed by the USSR. China purchased 6 to 9 batteries from Russia and subsequently fully copied & optimized the Russian system to create its own designs. These systems formed the backbone of accompanying field air defense for the PLAGF. A long 🧵:
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🇺🇸USAF (including ANG) is no doubt the largest air force in the world by 2,094 of 4/5th Gen fighter & CAS aircraft.
🇨🇳PLAAF holds a not so distant 2nd with 1,582 & it is growing at rapid pace.
🇮🇳IAF holds a distant 4th with 557 airframes equaling 1/3 of PLAAF and 1/4 of USAF.
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1/n | The Bofors L70 40mm anti-aircraft gun is the most prevalent medium caliber AAG in service with the Indian Army. Combined with the Flycatcher fire control unit, it has been the backbone of the terminal air defense for the Indian Army for 4 decades and counting. A long 🧵:
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Mi-17 family is one of the rare cases where China keeps placing orders to Russia without aiming for license production/directly copy
China did put significant efforts in ->modifying the aircraft into different specialized variants
->significantly increasing survivability
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A PLAGF mechanized infantry squad in 2023.
New type 21 BDU (starry sky camo) and plate carrier are more common.
New firearms such as the QJB-201 SAW and QBU-191 DMR are more common.
IFV gunner is up-gunned from a pistol to a automatic carbine.
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Busy scene at Jiangnan shipyard in Shanghai offered by GE. 13 large surface ships are being constructed at the same time.
->6 DDGs
->2 FFGs
->2 LHDs
->3 Large Cutters
The shipyard is also working on the sea trial of CV-18.
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Comparing Artilleryman's Personal Equipment across militaries (large image, better enlarged):
->PLAGF has been improving PPEs for artillerymen.
-Wide adoption of noise-canceling headphones is notable.
->PLAGF is a big force, adoption still in progress.
->Lead most Asian Armies.
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A nice comparison of turrets between Indian Army’s T-90S Bhishma and Chinese VT-4 MBT. The VT-4 is decked without the sensors for better accuracy, survivability, and situation awareness while T-90S has very little or none.
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Comparing machine guns at infantry company level between Indian Army and PLAGF.
->IA has less MGs in total
->IA has no 12.7mm and above HMGs
->IA has little or no vehicle mounted MGs
->All due to IA’s low(er) level of mechanization
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Comparing AFV inductions between 🇨🇳PLAGF and the 🇮🇳Indian Army over 4 decades.
->India mostly imported/license produced
->only 124 indigenously designed Arjun Mk-1 inducted
->China absorbed Russian and western technologies with domestic R&D and churned out iterative designs
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Comparing propulsion power between modern FFGs.
->🇮🇳 Indian Navy's P17A is the most powerful modern FFG by this metric
->🇨🇳 PLAN's 054B ranked last
->🇺🇸 USN's FFG-62 has a similar P/W ratio to 🇨🇳 PLAN's 054B (depending on what electric motors on the USN ship)
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Saturation attack with PGMs is one effective way breaching an IADS. PLA knows this and has put great effort to increase magazine depth of its AD systems.
-> Long range HQ-9B, 50-100% increase
-> Medium range HQ-16F, 33% increase
-> Short range HQ-11, 100% increase
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This is a beautiful graph by
@LouisMVezian
depicting the YJ-12 salvo strength of PLANAF’s bomber fleet (1/4 of PLA’s entire bomber fleet).
This highlights the importance of the H-6 family, despite its ancient base design, to China for effective sea control &/ sea denial.
Strategic transports, tankers & bombers are areas that the PLAAF (& PLANAF) traditionally lags behind.
China aims to catchup by kicking productions into high gear.
->16 Y-20/YY-20 transports/tankers
->16 H-6K/J/N medium bombers
are parked at the manufacturing facility.
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Partially real, partially fake, a look at NK's M2020 MBT sights.
->The gunner sight seems to be similar to BLR/RUS Sosna-U
->NK should have no difficulty accessing it
->The commander sight is likely to be non-functional
->Too many channels while too little space to fit
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Strategic transports, tankers & bombers are areas that the PLAAF (& PLANAF) traditionally lags behind.
China aims to catchup by kicking productions into high gear.
->16 Y-20/YY-20 transports/tankers
->16 H-6K/J/N medium bombers
are parked at the manufacturing facility.
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But small arms seem to be stuck at around 1960-1970.
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1/n | The Bofors L70 and PG-99 are the most prevalent radar-guided towed AA guns in the Indian Army and PLAGF respectively. Here we would compare their effectiveness considering various factors. A long 🧵:
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A heavily armed PLAGF amphibious mechanized infantry squad in 2024.
->At least 2 disposable 93mm rocket launchers on dismounts, likely more in the IFV
->Shotgun for trench/urban warfare capability
->Enhanced night fighting capability with IR sights and digital NVG for navigation
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Some Modern ATGMs of PLAGF from the 2010s & going forward.
->HJ-10 fiber optic wire-guided heavy ATGM organic to combined arms brigades
->HJ-XX Lock Before Launch (LOBL) & data link Human in the Loop (HITL) medium ATGM organic to combined arms battalions & company (my guess)
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1 | Benchmarking 🇨🇳PLAN's single carrier battle group (CBG) against the entirety of top European navies (🇫🇷&🇮🇹).
->The Liaoning CBG has more VLS cells than either one of the two European navies
->VLS count is a rough (sometimes biased) proxy of firepower
->Caveats apply
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Comparing 🇮🇳 and 🇵🇰's MANPADS missile inventory.
->Despite a smaller military, 🇵🇰 has an inventory 1.5 times of the 🇮🇳 one
->🇵🇰 has been producing 🇸🇪 & 🇨🇳 MANPADS missiles under license since 1987
->While the current 🇮🇳 inventory is fully imported from 🇷🇺
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Comparing artillery strength at the brigade level between 🇨🇳 PLAGF and 🇮🇳 Indian Army.
->PLA has overwhelming numerical advantage in tube artillery
->IA has the caliber/range advantage in tube artillery
->PLA mitigates/overmatches with rocket artillery
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It’s a bit of a stretch to call it supremacy when many countries have fielded similar missiles for decades.
India's Missile Supremacy 🇮🇳🔥💪
Nirbhay Subsonic Cruise Missile of India being chased down by IAF Jaguar Fighter Jet during trials earlier..
One of best Video of Missile ever recorded like this 🫰
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A mechanized infantry squad of the ROCA 🇹🇼.
Similar to the PLAGF, the ROCA also adopts a 9-man squad setup with a vehicle of 3 being included in the squad.
The 6 dismounts are split into 2 symmetric fire teams of 3 with:
Grenadier x1
Machine gunner x1
Anti-armor specialist x1
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A mechanized infantry squad of the PLAGF of the Tibet Military District (2021).
It is a more “simple” setup with 1 PF-98A 120mm RL and 2 QJB-95 SAWs as support weapons.
The 2 RL fire team members both carry rifles so it gives the squad leader more flexibility.
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Categorizing PLA’s long-range SAMs by terminal guidance modes, primary roles, and country of origin.
(Missing 40N6 from S400 and HQ-16F due to lack of photographic evidence)
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The PG-99 is a gun-based short-range air defense (SHORAD) system equipped by the PLAGF. It mostly serves as a terminal air defense weapon for various formations. For about a decade, it was one of the most modern gun-based SHORAD systems for the PLAGF. A long 🧵:
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Q: Who powers the Indian Navy and PLAN's modern DDG fleets?
A:🇺🇦 Ukraine.
->In 3 decades, the IN sticks with the DT59 gas turbines
->China bought 10 UGT 25000 gas turbines and full technical documents from Ukr in 1993
->GT-25000 is Chinese derivative of UGT 25000
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Comparing mortars operated by the Indian Army and PLAGF at the light infantry battalion level.
->IA has more mortars (18 vs 12) though weaker in caliber
->IA's 51mm mortars have a sub-1000m max range
-> PLA's firepower would prevail at the 1-9km range
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China has developed a wide range of self-propelled anti-air gun (missile) systems ranging from 25 mm caliber to 76 mm caliber.
This is by no means a comprehensive list.
Some are adopted by the PLA and some are not chosen and now for export only.
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Beating the dead horse again on the gap of mechanization/motorization between the Indian Army and PLAGF.
*Not equivalent comparison:
->I should either remove the 50 wheeled SP mortar for India
->Or add 1/200 PCP001 wheeled SP mortar for China
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1/n | In 1999, the Indian Army launched an ambitious modernization plan called Field Artillery Rationalization Plan (FARP) to have 2800 155mm guns by 2027. The progress of execution is to be desired. A 🧵:
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A busy scene at Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation where PLA's medium air lifters and special purpose aircrafts are produced.
->12 KJ-500 AEW&C
->8 Y-9/Other Variants
are parked on the apron ready to be tested or deliver to the PLA (PLAAF & PLANAF).
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The 🇬🇧Royal Navy is on the course of transformation in the coming decade, how does that measure against 🇨🇳PLAN's buildup?
->RN is set to double its VLS count, fully replace its FFG fleet in 10-12 years
->PLAN is set to add 20% more VLS count than the entire future RN in 4 years
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Comparing thermal imaging gunner sight adoption between 🇨🇳PLAGF, 🇵🇰Pakistani Army, and 🇮🇳Indian Army.
->PLA and PA lead TI adoption against IA but not by a big margin
->PLA mostly relies on fully domestic solutions
->PA imported TI sights from 🇫🇷 while IA from 🇫🇷&🇮🇱
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In 2024, 🇮🇳 Indian Navy is set to induct 4 major surface combatants, making the year with the most commissioning in recent history and the immediate future.
While 2024 is a slow year for the 🇨🇳 PLAN with only 1 DDG and possibly 2 FFGs commissioned. But 2025/26 would be very busy.
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The Mengshi (Warrior) Gen 3 vehicle family is one of the most versatile platforms in the PLAGF.
From 2 base variants:
->Unibody CSK-181 4x4 APC
->Body on frame CTL-181 6x6 truck
A family of at least 24 variants are in service of the PLAGF.
(Better consumed enlarged)
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1 | Although PLA’s Western Theater Command does not have its organic bomber unit, we could observe (occasional) deployment of H-6K/J bombers in WTC from GE.
From there, they can project power into the subcontinent while being protected by PLAAF fighters (J-20 included).
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Possibly the first public reporting of HQ-11 SAM in deployment.
-> The system was reveled in 2022 Zhuhai air show.
-> It was shown in PLA colors indicating it is already in service.
-> it is a combination of SAM and CIWS as the replacement for HQ-6A for PLAAF.
🇨🇳PLAAF Y-20 during an airlift exercise transporting a short-range HQ-11 SAM Air Defense System with the fire control radar module mounted over the TA5450B vehicle ('42' training vehicle number) but without the rear 8-missile canister box mounted
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An air assault infantry squad of PLAGF in 2023
Due to low image quality, this analysis is on the speculative end
->9-man squad setup
->4 men required to service the PF-98A RL instead of 2 in a mechanized squad (speculative)
->If true, this could be due to stricter weight limit?
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Somewhat solved the protection issue of BMP-3.
Probably the IFV with the greatest destructive power today
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Both the PLAGF and Indian Army are in the process of replacing their towed anti-air guns. The PLAGF is full-on replacing the PG-99 fleet with another self-propelled system. While the IA still keeps a significant place for L70 and other towed-L70-derived system(s). A long 🧵:
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Before discussing 5 or 6 carriers in the distant future, the 🇮🇳 Indian Navy has a fighter shortage for its 2 existing carriers NOW.
->When both ships are operational (now), they can only have 50% of their full complement of fighters
->This issue may persist for 10 years ahead
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The PLAGF’s mechanized infantry squad takes up many forms across times or even across units during the same time.
The most unifying feature is the 9-man squad with 3 vehicle crew and 6 dismounts.
Here is an amphibious armored (mechanized) infantry squad in 2018.
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Former Director General of Artillery of the Indian Army is teaching online commentators how (not) to comment on Indian Army’s procurement.
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Comparing sensor suite and protection features on top of the turret between India’s Arjun Mk 1A and PLAGF’s ZTZ-99A.
ZTZ-99A leads in active/passive protection, situation awareness and communication.
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1/n | Though not covered in 1999's FARP, the Indian Army's rocket artillery fleet suffered under the same inaction and piecemeal procurement up until 2016. In contrast, the PLAGF has made strides in inducting/improving long-range MRLS in large numbers with a significant lead.
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On the front of AEW&C aircraft, the PLA’s land-based aviation (PLAAF+PLANAF minus carrier air wing) actually holds an advantage in quantity and to some extent quality over USAF.
USAF: 31 E-3 with PESA radar
PLA: 61 all with AESA radar
4 KJ-2000
11 KJ-200
43 KJ-500
3 KJ-700
🇺🇸USAF (including ANG) is no doubt the largest air force in the world by 2,094 of 4/5th Gen fighter & CAS aircraft.
🇨🇳PLAAF holds a not so distant 2nd with 1,582 & it is growing at rapid pace.
🇮🇳IAF holds a distant 4th with 557 airframes equaling 1/3 of PLAAF and 1/4 of USAF.
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The PLAGF was originally 10 years behind the Indian Army regarding to inducting first tracked IFVs (reverse engineered BMP-1 vs BMP-1).
But it managed to become 1 generation (improved BMP-3 design vs BMP-2) ahead with faster decision making and induction cycle.
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A few hundred kilometers north of Jiangnan Shipyard, it also gets quite busy at Dalian Shipyard.
->5 052DL DDGs are under construction
->Carrier Liaoning is undergoing her mid-life-refit
Not shown in this image, but 30kms away from the main yard
->2 055 are being built as well
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PLA airborne then
PLA airborne now
The Chinese Windows 98 background camo will never not be funny to me.
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A rough depiction of the distribution of 🇮🇳 Indian Army's long/medium range rocket artillery units.
->Most units are split between West and East
->Northern Command does not seem to have its own Pinaka/Smerch unit
->Yet recently it did conduct artillery drills with Pinaka systems
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Another form of PLAGF mechanized infantry squad in 2018.
Heavily armed ZBD-04 IFV with 100mm & 30mm guns.
Use QLZ-87 35mm grenade launcher instead of PF-98A 120mm rocket launcher (more anti personnel than armor).
1 SAW in the squad but have a QBU-88 DMR instead of another SAW.
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Reliable partner? But definitely an unreliable supplier: a few examples of poor procurement of the Indian Armed Forces from Russia.
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11 years since these 2 ships were laid down.
India will take delivery of two Russian-made warships in the next few months
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Long-range SAMs of the PLA.
->HQ-9 missiles bear exterior and mechanical resemblances to the missiles of the S-300 systems.
->HQ-9’s guidance system is ahead of its Russian counterparts.
->In 1995 when HQ-9 with terminal ARH entered PLA service, S-300 only has SARH missiles.
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1 | The militarization of the SCS provides the PLA a dominant advantage exercising control over the area against all other claimants.
Woody island in the Parcels and the Big 3 (Subi, Mischief, Fiery Cross reefs) each can accommodate 24 fighters & additional AEWCs + MPAs.
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Number of various ATGMs in a PLAGF Combined Arms Brigade in the near future. (Better expand the image)
->Total 700+ ATGMs in a Heavy CAB ready to fire (exclude reload)
->All 700+ ATGMs are capable of top attack
->600+ Fire & Forget ATGMs
Many guessworks, consume with SALT
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DRDO's New 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗿𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 (𝗔𝗔𝗣-𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗱)
This 1:4 scaled model will be shown in
#DefExpo2024
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PLAGF SOF soldier practicing culture appropriation with skull morale patch
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Benchmarking the procurement process and projected strength of Indian Army’s 155mm self propelled artillery against regional rivals:
The IA will have less 155mm L52 guns than Pakistan Army by 2027 and only equivalent to 40% of PLA’s Western Theater Command alone.
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Sister ships between 🇨🇳 PLAN and 🇮🇳 Indian Navy.
->PLAN and IN each operate a replenishment ship based on the Soviet Komandarm Fedko-class oiler
->🇨🇳 ship was built in 🇺🇦 and further constructed in 🇨🇳
->🇮🇳 ship was fully built and delivered by 🇷🇺
->Both commissioned in 1996
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Observing Indian Army soldiers' personal equipment changes through 20 years of Yudh Abhyas, a series of Indo-US joint military exercises.
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If not compared to China's naval expansion, India's effort in modernizing its navy could be considered impressive among Asian countries.
->2 DDGs
->4 FFGs
->1 SSK
captured together in 1 shipyard.
To date, 1 DDG commissioned, 1 started sea trial, 1 FFG starting sea trial soon.
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An appraisal of rocket artillery strength between the entire Indian Army's combat units and Western Theater Command PLAGF units (1 out of 5 PLA theater command).
->The Indian numbers based on operational regiments
->The Chinese numbers based on standard ORBAT
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1/n | UPDATED 🧵 on the construction speed (from the start of block erection to outfitting completion) of the 1st 054B FFG: it leads other major modern FFGs by a large margin except those from JMSDF, against which the 054B, with a moderate estimation, leads with a thin margin.
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Collection of PLAGF's armored reconnaissance vehicles
->Recon capabilities are highly valued by PLAGF both on land and in air
->Elevated mast with optics and surveillance radar is the standard feature for these modern recon vehicles
->Most of these vehicles can launch small UAV
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The Laser Warning Receiver (LWR) gap between 🇨🇳 PLAGF and the 🇮🇳 Indian Army.
->Roughly 32% of tank, 63% of IFVs, almost all assault guns of the PLAGF have LWR
->Only 3% of IA’s tank fleet (Arjun Mk1A) and non of its other vehicles have LWR
Significant gap in survivability.
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Great OSINT analysis as always from Joseph.
With the dedicated Long-Range MRLS Brigade added to WTC's 76th GA, the minimum number of LR MRLS launchers in possession of WTC reached 144, with 84 being the new modularized PCL-191 and 60 being the older PHL-03(A).
76集團軍成立新遠火旅，這是近期除信息支援部隊成立外，最該讓人在編制上產生研究熱情的發現。
5月2日，西部戰區陸軍發佈“军体运动会，当“燃”不让！”軍事報導，描述76集團軍某旅舉行火龍盃軍體運動會。
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1) HQ-9/FD-2000 is often described as TVM-guided in English sources for a few reasons:
->Somewhat similar antenna arrangement compared to PAC-2's AN/MPQ-53 during development/prototyping.
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Some modern target drones that are in service with the PLAN.
It seems that the VLO subsonic target is one major focus area in PLAN's training.
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This image also shows 3 types of night vision equipment:
Left 1 -> thermal imaging gun sight
Left 2 -> image intensifier gun sight
Right 1 & 2 -> BNVG + IR designator
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BMP-2, hard to say goodbye.
->The effort to replace Indian Army’s BMP-2 started 27 years ago
->1 tech demonstrator developed
->Tender for the FICV project issued 3 times over 16 years
->the final product is still years away to be inducted
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🚨Long graph
🇺🇸🇮🇳🇯🇵🇦🇺QUAD navies+🇰🇷ROKN vs 🇨🇳PLAN added VLS count 2023-2026.
->QUAD+ROKN out-commissioned PLAN in terms of VLS cells by 25% (1736 vs 1392)
->Tico decommissioning negates all VLS growth and left QUAD+ROKN 110 VLS less in 4 years
->PLAN has a net growth of 1392
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Comparing arty strength between 🇨🇳PLAGF's Heavy Combined Arms Regiment and 🇮🇳IA's Armored Brigade.
->These units may already deployed facing each other around Ladakh
->🇨🇳unit has better quantity & quality in organic fire
->🇮🇳 unit has more tube arty support but no MLRS
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A map of my own.
KD-20 ALCM density delivered by PLAAF’s H-6K/J bomber fleet around the 1st Island Chain.
Rely heavily on assumptions, please read those carefully.
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SAM count & foreign dependency between 🇨🇳 PLAN and 🇮🇳 the Indian Navy.
->PLAN dominates in SAM count across all categories
->PLAN is extremely self-sufficient
->The IN is extremely reliant on foreign import/input
->16/1008 (1.6%) of all IN’s active SAMs are fully indigenous
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1/n | Battlefield Management System interface of tank commanders between PLAGF, PA and IA.
->🇵🇰 is likely the 1st to implement the BMS interface at tank level
->🇨🇳 is 3-4 years behind in initial adoption but at a far larger scale
->🇮🇳 lags far behind in BMS adoption
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An airborne mechanized infantry squad of the PLAAF’s Airborne Corp.
->A 7-man squad similar to Soviet/Russian VDV
->4 dismounts and 3 vehicle crew members
->The dismount element only has 1 machine gunner
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India successfully developed its first semi-active laser homing ATGM in 2023/24.
PLAGF started to fit LWRs to protect its AFVs against such threat almost 20 years ago, starting from ZBD-04.
Huge step forward if confirmed. Arjun firepower especially and even T-90 if we can adapt it to replace earlier gen Refleks ATGMs. Top attack trajectory would enable it to counter APS.
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1 | The Southern Approach: by using/violating Burmese airspace, the PLAAF can leverage its bomber fleet to project power into the Indian Ocean, especially the Bay of Bengal.
The KD-20 ALCM & KD-21 ALBM can cover installations across Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
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🇮🇳 IAF and 🇨🇳 PLAAF's Mi-17 in combat search and rescue (CSAR) role.
->Both are armed and armored in the same way
->PLAAF's Mi-17Sh is better for the job due to dedicated SAR equipment such as searchlight and/or EO turret
->Also better protected with laser countermeasures
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Employment of laser-guided TGM in PLAGF
->Each battery has a dedicated recon vehicle
->The electro-optical sensor suite can be easily removed and made man-portable
->Target acquisition and designation can be done inside the vehicle or dismounted
->Guided rounds widely adopted
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SAM count by category of the entire PLAN DDG & FFG fleet.
->Long-range SAMs are the primary focus of PLAN
->Current medium-range SAMs might get replaced by long-range HQ-16F
->No quadpacked ESSM equivalent known, may see a spike in SAM count later once such missiles available
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The guidance stations (engagement radars) of the S-75 to HQ-12A SAM family in PLA service.
->China's radar/guidance technology was quite stagnant between late 1950s and late 1980s
->Huge strides are made starting from 1990s
->Backward compatibility has always been important
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The competition and coordination dynamics in China's defense sector is more tilting towards the latter.
Competitions largely exist, though carefully managed.
For example, CASIC is the preferred supplier of AD systems to the PLA but CASC products are also selected.
China's state firms make up 1/5 of the Fortune Global 500. But they're not the rigid, top-down orgs of the past. In many industries today, they try to combine the benefits of both market competition and state coordination.
My latest High Capacity piece:
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An appraisal of the current MANPADS inventory of 🇮🇳
->All belong to 🇷🇺 Igla family
->Most of them are very old
->89% being 2 decades and older
->47% being 3 decades and older
->Refurbishment of oldest Igla-1M stock ongoing but won’t be modernized
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Compared to the INS Vikramaditya, the newer INS Vikrant seems to have 50% less ammunition elevators (4 vs 2).
->Does this mean the INS Vikrant will have slower ammunition handling hence have reduced operation tempo?
->What is the trade-off in this case?
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Stalled Modernization of 🇮🇳 IAF's Mi-17 fleet:
->Delivered by USSR from 1984-1989
->IAF proposed modernization in 2002
->Contract finally signed in 2017 with 🇮🇱 Elbits for 56 Mi-17
->1 delivered, rest 55 should be done by HAL
->Stuck due to paperwork
->Retire by 2024-2028
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1/n Reposting the infographic about PLAGF artillerymen's protection equipment and expanding on some feedback received regarding a few other nations.
->A broader survey shows that hearing protection through noise-canceling headphones is widely adopted
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Compared to their counterparts in the 🇮🇳 Indian Army, common light tactical vehicles in the 🇨🇳 PLAGF are a lot more digitized and with network-centric capabilities.
->Sat Nav system
->Software-defined UHF/VHF radio
->Remote weapon station
->Battlefield management system
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No need to worry lol.
🇮🇳🇨🇳
So China has deployed its Fifth Gen Jet J-20 at 2 Airbase near India border from Ladakh to AP. Meanwhile IAF forget about 5th Gen we are lacking big in 4.5 Gen Jet number
This is what happens when u take things easy.
>J-20 at Hotan
>J-20 at Shigatse
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1K
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PLAGF artillery has its focus on counter reverse slope tactics. It is a common theme in the publicized exercises.
After all, the PLAGF itself was an avid practitioner of reverse slope tactics in Korea when it is at an absolute firepower deficit against the US.
The impressive elevation angle of the 🇨🇳NORINCO 122mm PLZ-07 (Type 07) self-propelled artillery doesn't increase its range, but it's extremely useful for (high) mountain artillery targeting (behind hills) & for fire coordination.
PLAGF ID# 6206,without unit label
(via wb/拓跋尊)
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🇺🇸USN and 🇨🇳PLAN VLS count changes between 2023-2026.
->The US remains a military shipbuilding giant by commissioning 1 Zumwalt and 10 Burke in 4 years with 1040 new VLS cells
->Yet the rapid decommissioning of Ticos negates these newly added cells and results in negative growth
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Demonstrator by 2030?
China started working on 6th gen fighter.A prototype or Tech Demo expected within 2030. China looking to add 1000 J20 by 2035.China already far more powerful in paper. Hard time ahead for IAF. Tejas MK1A delayed its 100% sure that AMCA will delay.IMO expect induction around 2040
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It is both right and wrong to call Chinese HQ-9 a S-300 copy.
-> the HQ-9 project started long before the purchase of S-300
-> pic 1 is what the HQ-9 could’ve looked like without reference Russian design
-> HQ-9 missile is ARH from the start while S-300’s 5V55 and 48N6E are not
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The lineage of PLA's medium to long-range SAMs.
->HQ-5 started in 1978, canned in the 1980s
->HQ-9 started in 1985 building on HQ-5's experience
->FT-2000 was a spin-off from the initial phase of HQ-9 development
->HQ-9 project experienced overhaul in 1994 and finalized in 2005
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