Air Force trains 3rd-generation pilots

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Air Force trains 3rd-generation pilots
Updated: 2011-07-13 19:40
(Xinhua)

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2011-07/13/content_12897211.htm

BEIJING - The Air Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is now studying a new training program for the pilots of its third-generation fighter jets, according to Air Force headquarters.

The country's first group of third-generation fighter pilot cadets recently completed their academic studies and military training in an experimental Air Force training program. They are expected to become qualified pilots after more training in Air Force combat units, according to the headquarters.

Fighter pilots typically go through 10 years of training, including academic study and combat training. However, the new training program shortens the period to five to seven years, according to Wang Yingzhong, president of an Air Force pilot academy responsible for carrying out the experimental program.

The new program also keeps the trainees in the air more often. Total flying hours have increased by over 42 percent under the new program, Wang said.

The new program has allowed the academy to train more pilots at a time, increasing this year's number of graduates by 94.3 percent, Wang said.

The new program also adds new graduation criteria for cadets, requiring them to master 10 aerial combat skills in addition to their academic training, Wang said.

Hangover 3, the Adm. Mike Mullen story

Ok, let's get him so drunk that he won't remember a thing in the morning.

Navalized ASN-206 Drone unveiled

According to the Chinese edition, the new drone is to serve as a communication relay between the supporting surface ship to the amphibious force.

PLA Navy’s 1st communication support drill with drones

(Source: China Military Online) 2011-07-11

A drone is lifting off.

The Navy of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) kicked off its first remote communication support drill with drones at 05:00 of July 10, 2011 at a comprehensive training range of a general communication station of the South China Sea Fleet of the PLA Navy. All the communication drones offering remote communication support for joint combat troops successfully accomplished the drill on 10-plus subjects including air information relay, mass information delivery and special situation handling before returning back at full speed.

By Wang Liuyi, Yang Zongjin and Wu Jianming

Editor:Liu Wanyun

Coincidentally that a squadron of LST happens to conduct a combat drill

PLA naval flotilla in real-combat training

(Source: PLA Daily) 2011-07-12

The formation of landing ships is sailing ahead. (chinamil.com.cn/Tan Wenwu)

A landing ship flotilla of the South China Sea Fleet under the Navy of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted real-combat drill in a sea area of the South China Sea on July 8, 2011.

The training subjects included the ship formation maneuver under complicated conditions, comprehensive defense, anti-aircraft live-shell firing during daytime and emergency handling in the case of equipment being damaged in a sea battle. 　　

South Africa's MRAP to China

One way to prevent a cheap knock-off -- build it there.

"After that intellectual property will be handed over to Changan against a fee"

The US Army and Marine Corps are planning to replace all their HMMWVs with MRAP in Afghanistan to protest troops from IEDs, the PLA might be drawing a lesson here.


http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10434:mls-scores-in-china&catid=50:Land&Itemid=105

MLS scores in China

Mobile Land Systems (MLS), a South African armoured vehicle manufacturer established last year, says it has a contract worth R40 million to manufacture 11 mine-resistant armour protected (MRAP) vehicles in conjunction with a Chinese company associated with the People's Liberation Army and transfer know-how to the east-Asian giant.

MLS CE Dewald Hattingh says indications are that China may need as many as 10 000 MRAP vehicles to cover their internal needs and equip peacekeeping missions. The PLA is the largest military in the world mustering some three million soldiers, sailors and airmen, of whom some 2.5 million are in full-time service. It is said to operate over 8500 main battle tanks but just over 1000 infantry combat vehicles and 3500 armoured personnel carrier of various designs – and none mine protected.

Hattingh says he was invited by Poly Technologies to talks on the fringes of the DSEi defence exhibition in London in September last year. “After negotiations and a formulated RfP [request for proposal], we drafted a MoU [Memorandum of Understanding] on the 14th of September 2009 in London. I changed the design to accommodate the special requests for China and after a few visits to Beijing and the Chinese industry, the design was signed off,” Hattingh says.

Poly Technologies decided on Changan Industries, a major manufacturer of vehicles and ammunition in China, as MLS' Chinese manufacturing partner. Eight engineers visited South Africa in the first quarter of the year and some changes were made to the design and finally signed off. During this visit of three weeks, two hulls were build and the process demonstrated to the visiting engineers.

MLS next sent a prototype hull and component parts to Changan's Chong Qing facility and a team consisting of three South African engineers led by Tos Visser followed to assemble and transfer skills to their Chinese counterparts. The South Africans stayed for six weeks. Andre van Eeden chief designer at MLS partner Laser Sprint also visited China for a week to oversee aspects of the the process. “The first prototype vehicle was a huge success and a major achievement if one takes the distances and language barriers into consideration,” Hattingh says.

Hattingh notes Poly Technologies will be sending more engineers to be trained in the MRAP manufacturing process. Nine more vehicles will be part-manufactured in South Africa under the contract and exported to China in kit form for assembly there. Changan will take over manufacture at that point and is licenced to build 289 more vehicles. “We are committed to give close support and quality control assistance to secure our royalties,” Hattingh says. After that intellectual property will be handed over to Changan against a fee. “Our commitment is to assist with transfering of skills, providing parts and constant support for the project.”

First "in-service" photos of the Type99A2.??

Talk of the Chinese military forums today -- production variant of the long reported Type99A2 spotted on its way to a line-unit.

Photos of the Type99G for comparison

A new ZTZ99 (Type99) variant or just another prototype?

This recently surfaced photo of an unidentified ZTZ 99 (Type 99) has a different turret "title arrangements" compare to the latest Type99A2 variant. It also sports a different set of headlight and a US M1 style tracks.

At any rate, the photo suggests the development of the Type99 is far from complete.

Type 99G

The rumored Type 99 A2

On a related note:

Heavy Armor Still Has Role in China

By WENDELL MINNICK
Published: 19 April 2010

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4588231&c=LAN&s=TOP

TAIPEI - While China continues to improve the firepower and mobility of its lighter armored vehicles, heavy armor maintains a major role in military doctrine.

No evidence was more obvious than the recent 60th anniversary parade in Beijing, when 500 main battle tanks (MBTs) and armored personnel carriers rolled past the Forbidden City on Oct. 1.

Some of the vehicles had never been seen before in public, including the tracked ZBD97 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), 155mm PLZ05 self-propelled artillery system and the Type-99G MBT. Many of the vehicles included a new digital camouflage pattern, such as a new IFV for the Chinese Marines covered with a blue digital camouflage.

China North Industries Group (Norinco) develops and manufacturers most of China's tanks and other armored vehicles and equipment.

The Norinco ZBD97 IFV is believed to be part of an effort to construct a well-armed IFV comparable to the Russian BMP-3 series, giving airborne units protected firepower and enhanced mobility, said Dean Cheng, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation in Washington.

"If these forces are dropped deep behind enemy lines, they would be confronting not first-line troops with heavy armor, but rear area logistics troops with a scattering of light anti-tank weapons," Cheng said. This suggests an interest in deep penetration and a greater emphasis on jointness, he said.

Norinco's new Type-99G tank, the latest variant of the Type-98/99 series, demonstrates Chinese advancements that include explosive reactive armor, an upgraded turret with detachable and upgradable composite armor, targeting systems and a more powerful engine.

"If you look at their production, they do well at the armor and applique packages, they are fine at communications and fire control [with some help from other countries] and their guns and stabilization aren't bad," said Larry Wortzel, vice chairman of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.

"Chinese main battle tanks are clearly no longer obsolescent or obsolete vehicles," Cheng said.

However, despite the impressive advancements, Norinco continues to have problems developing efficient drive trains, such as engines and automatic transmissions.

"They still have to go to Europe or Russia to get engines and transmissions," Wortzel said. "Even with all their work on big Volvo buses and large trucks under license, they don't seem to have mastered that part of it yet."

Norinco is beginning to produce a new 105mm gun-launched missile for use against armored targets, including tanks using reactive armor. According to a Norinco brochure, the missile is guided to the target by a laser.

"The 105mm gun-launched missile can also constitute a part of the T-54/T-55 or Chinese Type 59 and Type 69 MBT update package along with other considerations of upgrading," the brochure says.

The company also is producing the new MBT-2000 with a 125mm smoothbore tank gun capable of firing three types of ammunition: armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot, high-explosive anti-tank and high-explosive rounds. The MBT-2000 is outfitted with an automatic loader that can fire six to eight rounds per minute.

The auto-loader is further evidence the "Chinese military of today is not that of the past," Cheng said. "Manpower conservation measures such as autoloaders suggest that there is an effort to economize on people where possible.

"While the U.S. appears to be focusing more on counterinsurgency, the Chinese are, through their actions and acquisitions, making clear that they see the future of warfare as still involving nation-on-nation conflict involving the 'heavy iron,'" he said.

However, China also is pragmatic. There are serious internal security concerns in the rugged hinterlands of Tibet and Xinjiang that make MBTs impractical against civilian revolts. During crackdowns in Tibet in early 2008, the Chinese military sent Type 90 tracked and ZSL92 armored fighting vehicles into Lhasa to quell violence.

"Heavier vehicles are for real wars," Cheng said. China's periphery is not like Europe, "with well-paved super-highways."

Up the Yangtze

Type 039A Mod, newly launched from Wuhan

Type 071 LPD 2nd Hull

Type 071 LDP 3d Hull

Qing Class