A little thread on the PLA's Xinjiang Military District (MD). Affiliated with the Western Theatre Command (WTC) as this Jamestown image shows. Primary role is likely related to internal security, but also with responsibility for defending against India.
It is thought to actually host more troops than the Tibet MD, around 70k vs 40k according to the Belfer Center. It is presumed that Xinjiang would be one of the first responders to support Tibet in the event of conflict with India because of this, along with the WTC.
ORBAT: Mech Inf Div, Armour regt, 2 x Inf regt, Arty regt, GBAD regt, 3 x Motorized inf divs, Arty bde, "high powered" arty bde, SOF bde, 2 x independent regts, 2 x border def regts. There is also a PLARF formation with DF-21 missiles based near Korla.
Until 2021, Xinjiang was something of a pauper within the PLAGF. It had received no new equipment and was rolling around with Type 88 MBTs and Type 63 APCs. These were supported by mostly towed howitzers, and a ltd stock of SPHs.
Things have changed rapidly since the start of 2021, at @JanesINTEL we have observed a number of deliveries to Xinjiang of modern vehicles and weapon systems. Often these broadcasts are a form of signalling, but they are indicative of what is/will be delivered.
Starting in the air, CCTV footage from Feb showed the Z-20 helicopter on a joint training mission with a Z-8G transport and several Z-10 attack helicopters assigned to the 84th Army Aviation Brigade in Wujiaqu, Xinjiang. janes.com/defence-news/n…
PHL-03 deliveries were reported in May, likely to one of the arty bdes. The footage showed a formation of 10 launchers, each manned by a crew of four, accompanied by four transloaders and four unidentified 4×4 trucks. janes.com/defence-news/n…
May also introduced a 4x4 howitzer, often referred to as the PCL-161, It carries a 122mm gun and could have gone to any of the formations - although the motorized formations would be good candidates. janes.com/defence-news/n…
February was the turn of the 155 mm PCL-181, these are often deployed to artillery brigades to replaced towed guns with a much more mobile wheeled system. janes.com/defence-news/n…
Worth bearing in mind that all of these new artillery systems appear to be networked to some extent through C2 and recce vehicles. They are often accompanied by MALE UAVs and other recce assets, deliveries of which are rarely reported. They represent quite an improvement.
Type 15s were observed in February, around ten appeared to be delivered, with the 6th Armour Regt standing as a good candidate for them. janes.com/defence-news/n…
At the same time, ZBL-09 based medical vehicles were observed, but no ZBL-09s. The end formation for these is unclear. janes.com/defence-news/n…
It follows that Xinjiang is either undergoing an enormous modernisation, or token deliveries are being reported to convey the image that Xi's planned modernisation and mechanisation is proceeding according to his goals.
Tom has identified at least 14 separate Russian units, including what may be the 119 Missile Brigade with Iskanders. The moves at present appear benign and somewhat leisurely. And, as others have observed, there are few signs of an offensive nature at present.
There has been some cyber activity recently, including a state-sponsored attack on a Ukrainian government site in an attempt to steal data, and there was much greater activity in February. But, there are no clear signs of a targeted campaign. Which we might expect to precede war.
A quarterly reminder that tracking and engaging UAVs is not a simple or easy task. These videos release by an Azeri YouTube outlet show what are supposedly Baryaktar TB2 strikes against Armenia:
A lot of the targets shown are short range air defence assets, notionally designed to protect a forces against low flying aircraft and helos. Some limited ability to engage missiles could be present too.
Why does this keep happening? Drones being used to smash air defences and other vehicles seemingly at will? Well, first off, locating and tracking UAVs is hard. They can be built largely from composites or plastic as opposed to metals like large aircraft.
I think a few analysts might dispute this. The PLA airports are outnumbered by Indian ones in the LOAC region, and the PLAAF is aware of this. There’s a rail route under construction, but the short term stuff would depend on which side had control of the sky.
This kind of rhetoric is partially fuelled by the last war; China had to relinquish its territorial gains as it could not support its troops. This may be intended to signal that it won’t be the same next time. There have definitely been improvements eg the joint logistics force
But fighting in mountains is hard, and the forces assigned to the Tibetan MD aren’t that numerous. They’d be relying on PLAGF forces from elsewhere to maintain the fight. And, more importantly, the planes and roads to get them there. All infrastructure could be threatened.
So it seems that Project Convergence got off to a rocky start. Of the two Excalibur rounds fired, one failed in flight and missed its target, the other one came close. A UAV replicating a future VTOL capability engaged one target with a GBU, the second GBU-69 failed and was lost.
In the third phase the mortars used by deployed infantry intended to replicate NGCV missed all targets with all shots fired. The network, which utilised MEO and LEO satellites as well as Prometheus AI seems to have performed adequately.
Director of the Network Cross-Functional Team (CFT) Major GeneralPeter Gallagher told Janes that this was an experiment, with the network built in a very short space of time, from the ground up. Expect more developments of the project in the near future.
Some more info on that USMC force concept for 2030 from General David Berger: He states that the USMC is still set up for a conflict on the Korean peninsula, and that this isn't optimal for any future conflict. However, conventional large amphibious assault ships will remain.
Berger adds that the decision to divest tanks and towed artillery has been difficult. But it is unlikely that the USMC will need to land multiple brigades across multiple beaches. Marines will be located on multiple ships, rather than one, and able to go ashore whenever they want
“We have to spread out. We have to have a dispersed, distributed force lay down in the Pacific. Our posture must change,” Berger said. The navy and marines are working together on a long-term shipbuilding plan. However, Berger stressed that funds were limited.
Whilst I am waiting for something to load, here are some pictures of an MLRS on a Chinese EQ2050. New developments are coming thick and fast for the PLAGF - especially in the indirect fires segment.
Recent developments include a new 4x4 122 mm GOAT, as well as an ATGM carrier for Tibet as well as PLC-181 GOATs for a few theatre commands, Janes articles here: janes.com/defence-news/n… and here respectively: janes.com/defence-news/n…