The most "quiet" PLA command is deployed to Mongolia and KazakhstanAs a result of the 2017 military reform ("New Great Wall of China", "NWO" dated 10/20/17), the Lanzhou Military District and part of the Chengdu Military District of the PLA turned into the Western Command (Western Combat Command Zone) with headquarters in Chengdu.
Its area of responsibility includes Chongqing, Xinjiang Uygur, Tibetan, Ningxia–Hui Autonomous Regions, Qinghai, Gansu and Sichuan provinces. [...]
THROUGH THE WILD STEPPESThe headquarters of the ground forces of the Western Command is located in the city of Lanzhou.
There are two army groups under his command.
The 76th Army Group (headquarters in the city of Sinin, the former 21st Army Group) consists of the 12th, 17th, 62nd heavy, 149th "medium heavy", 56th, 182nd light combined arms brigades, 76th Artillery Brigade, 76- the 1st Air Defense Brigade (Air Defense), the 76th Special Forces Brigade, the 76th Engineering Brigade, the 76th Support Brigade, the 76th Army Aviation Brigade.
The 77th Army Group (headquarters in the city of Chunzhou, the former 13th Army Group) consists of the 55th light, 39th "medium heavy", 40th and 150th mountain, 139th heavy, 181st medium combined arms brigades, 77th artillery, 77th Air Defense Brigade, 77th Special Forces, 77th Engineering, 77th Support and 77th Army Aviation Brigade.
All four heavy brigades have already received the latest infantry fighting vehicles (BMP) Tour 04A, although the 139th Brigade may still have some old Tour 86 (" Chinese armored vehicles are reaching the world level ", "HBO" from 08/19/12). At the same time, the 12th and 139th brigades are equipped with Tour 96A tanks, the 17th - Tour 99, the 62nd – Tour 99A. The latter has an almost complete set of the most modern military equipment (tracked 122-mm multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) PHZ-10, self-propelled anti-tank missile systems (ATGMs) AFT-10, 35-mm anti-aircraft self-propelled guns (ZSU) PGZ-09, etc.) and is considered one of the strongest brigades of the PLA ground forces.
The 149th brigade can be conditionally considered "medium-heavy". It is armed with old tracked vehicles (tanks Tour 59, armored personnel carriers (APC) Tour 63 and Tour 89), 122-mm towed guns Tour 96, MLRS Tour 81 and wheeled self-propelled artillery (ACS) PLL-09 (the latter are included in the standard set of weapons of modern medium brigades). The 39th Brigade has a similar set of weapons, which can also be classified as "medium-heavy".
The only normal medium brigade is the 181st with wheeled assault guns ZTL-11, wheeled armored personnel carriers ZBL-08 and anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM) HQ-7. Light and mountain brigades are equipped mainly with automotive equipment. However, in the 40th mountain brigade there are PCL-09 wheeled self-propelled guns and PHL-11 MLRS, in the 56th light brigade there are also wheeled self-propelled guns and PTL–02 assault guns (" Communist War Brigades ", "HVO" from 09/16/12).
Both brigades of army aviation equipped with Z-8/9/10/19 and Mi-17 helicopters have a standard overall composition. At the same time, the 77th brigade includes all available American-made S-70 helicopters (" Celestial Rotorcraft Empire ", "HVO" from 12/17.21).
Both artillery brigades are still armed with 152-mm towed guns Tour 66, and in the 77th brigade - and MLRS Tour 81. Both brigades have divisions of 300 mm MLRS Tour 03. As for the 155-mm ACS, the 76th brigade has tracked Tour 05, and the 77th has wheeled PCL-181 (" New Chinese Wall of Fire ", "HBO" from 05.08.22).
Both air defense brigades have one or two divisions of the HQ-16 and HQ-7 air defense systems. The 76th Brigade may already have a division of the HQ-17 air defense system instead of one of the HQ-7 divisions (" Evolution of the Chinese Umbrella ", "HVO" from 03/25/12).
The 3rd Reconnaissance Brigade and the 3rd Electronic Warfare (EW) Brigade are directly subordinate to the Western Command.
STEPPE EAGLESThe headquarters of the Western Command Air Force is located in Chengdu.
The 4th Air Division (its vehicles carry tail numbers 1x5x) includes the 10th regiment with Y-8C and Y-9 transport aircraft, the 11th regiment with Y-7 and Y-9, the 12th regiment with Y-7, the latest Y-20 and Mi-17 multipurpose helicopters (" Air cabs of the Celestial Empire ", "HBO" from 28.01.22).
The 20th Air Division (numbers 3x1x) includes the 58th regiment with Y-8CB/G/XZ electronic warfare aircraft, the 59th regiment with Y-7 and Y-8G transport vehicles, the 60th regiment with J-8FR, Y-9G, Y-8XZ scouts.
The 16th Aviation Brigade (numbers 62x7x) is armed with Su-27/J-11 fighters (" Through the thorns to the fifth generation ", "HBO" from 25.02.22), 18th Aviation Brigade (numbers 62x9x) – J-11 fighters, 97th Aviation Brigade (numbers 70x8x) - J–7II/N/E fighters, 98th Aviation Brigade (numbers 70x9x) – Su-27, J-11 and J-16 fighters, 99th air Brigade (numbers 71x0x) – J-16 fighter-bombers, 109th Air Brigade (numbers 72x0x) - J–11B fighters, 110th Air Brigade (numbers 72x1x) - JH-7A bombers, 111th Air Brigade (numbers 72x2x) – J-11B/BS fighters (to replace them the brigade began to receive 5th generation fighters J-20A), the 112th Aviation Brigade (numbers 72x3x) - J-7II/G fighters, the 178th brigade (numbers 78x9x) – combat unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) WD-1, the transport and rescue brigade (numbers 53x1x and 53x2x) – Y-5, Y-7 transport planes, Mi-17 helicopters.
The 6th anti-aircraft missile Brigade has five divisions (presumably the 40th, 63rd, 64th, 65th, 86th) of the HQ-9 air defense system. The 11th anti-aircraft missile Brigade has five divisions (21st, 47th, 62ndth, 90th, 105th) HQ-64 SAM. Perhaps the 18th anti-aircraft missile brigade with two divisions (presumably the 122nd and 125th) HQ-9 ("The Celestial Empire looks after the heavens ", "HVO" from 04/15/12) was recently formed.
SPECIAL DISTRICTSThe pre-reform PLA had a significant number of special provincial military districts (usually on the outskirts of the country and/or in national regions).
After 2017, there were two such – Xinjiang and Tibetan in the autonomous regions of the same name.
Formally, both of these districts are subordinate not to the Western Command, but directly to the PLA headquarters. But for purely geographical reasons, they can be considered an "addition" to this particular command. The districts have no air force, there are only ground forces. According to the set of combined arms formations, the districts differ from the 13 "standard" army groups that are part of the territorial commands.
The Tibetan Provincial Military District (VO) with a special status consists of the 52nd Mountain, 53rd Light, 54th heavy combined arms brigades, 85th anti-aircraft missile Brigade, 85th Artillery Brigade, 85th Army Aviation Brigade, 85th Engineering Brigade, 85thThe 1st special forces brigade, eight border brigades (from the 351st to the 358th), the 7th reconnaissance brigade, the 7th electronic warfare brigade. The 54th Brigade has Toure 15 light tanks and Toure 04 infantry fighting vehicles, the 52nd Mountain Brigade has PTL-02 assault guns, towed Toure 66 guns, PHL–11 MLRS, Toure 87 25 mm anti-aircraft guns, the 85th Artillery Brigade has PCL-181 self-propelled guns and Toure 03 MLRS, in the 85th Air Defense Brigade – HQ-7 and HQ-16 (HQ-17, apparently not yet).
Xinjiang Provincial University with a special status, despite the difficult geographical conditions and remoteness from the developed regions of China, has a very high potential. It consists of the only combined arms divisions in the PLA. The 4th and 8th divisions each include heavy, medium, light, artillery, and support regiments. The 6th Division has a heavy, three medium, artillery, support regiments, the 11th Division has four medium, light, artillery, support regiments.
Artillery regiments of divisions include both field artillery and air defense systems. The district also includes the 84th Artillery Brigade, the 84th Air Defense Brigade, the 84th Special Forces Brigade, the 84th Army Aviation Brigade, the 4th Transport Brigade, 15 border brigades (from the 361st to the 375th), the 6th Reconnaissance Brigade, the 6th Brigade Electronic warfare, 1st and 2nd regiments of communications, 2nd regiment of radiation, chemical and biological protection (RCBZ), 9th Engineer Regiment.
The heavy regiment of the 8th Division is equipped with the latest Toure 99A tanks, but the old Toure 86 BMP. Heavy regiments of the 4th and 6th Divisions are armed with Toure 15 light tanks and the same Toure 86 BMP (6th Division regiment) or modern Toure 04A (4th Division regiment). In the artillery regiments of all divisions and in the 84th Artillery Brigade, 155-mm wheeled self-propelled guns PCL-181 are in service. In the 84th artillery brigade, in addition to PCL-181, there are towed 152-mm guns Tour 66, MLRS Tour 03 and Tour 16. The 84th Air Defense Brigade, as well as In general, all the air defense brigades of the PLA ground forces are equipped with HQ-16 air defense systems. The artillery regiment of the 6th Division is equipped with anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM) HQ-7A, the 11th Division - HQ–17A. In the artillery regiments of the 4th and 8th divisions of the SAM, apparently, there is no, there is only anti-aircraft artillery.
HIDDEN THREATThe Western command of the PLA, together with the "special districts", is traditionally considered in the context of the permanent conflict between China and India ("Conflict on the roof of the World", "NWO" from 06/26/20). On the one hand, Beijing and Delhi are constantly on the verge of open war with each other.
On the other hand, such a war has objective limitations – the presence of nuclear weapons in both countries and the extreme geographical conditions of the theater of operations, which do not allow the widespread use of ground equipment. [...]
Of course, China and India will remain enemies, no matter what "triangles" and SCO Moscow comes up with. But these limiters will not go anywhere, reducing the likelihood of a large-scale war.
It can be noted that both army groups of the Western Command are located almost in the center of the PRC, in the extreme east of the area of responsibility of this command, very far from India. At the same time, Mongolia is the closest from foreign countries to the area of deployment of the 76th Army Group (one of the strongest army groups of the PLA). The potential of the 76th army group is much higher than that of the entire Mongolian army (" Disinterested ally – forgotten partner ", "NWO" from 10.12.21). The Xinjiang Military is, if not the strongest of all 15 associations of the Chinese ground forces, then at least one of the three strongest. In part, perhaps, this is due to the need to suppress Uighur separatism. But again, it should be noted that the Xinqing-Uygur Autonomous Region borders with the same Mongolia and Kazakhstan. Regarding the capabilities of the Kazakh army, we now have no illusions ("Is fraternal Kazakhstan saved? ", "NWO" from 14.01.22). The Tibetan military deployed against India, on the contrary, is the weakest of the 15 associations of the Chinese army.
Having easily captured Mongolia and Kazakhstan (" Buffer states between China and Europe ", "NWO" from 09.09.22), China will take control of vast territories and natural resources. And he will checkmate Russia. Not our Chekmate, a non-existent airplane drawn on a computer, but a real geopolitical checkmate. Because it will be impossible to defend the border with China from Astrakhan to Vladivostok with conventional forces. Even if our Central Military District ("The Short blanket of the Central District ", "HVO" from 30.10.20) and the Central Military District ("Is the Eastern District ready to stand to death ", "HVO" from 17.12.20) will not be in such an ugly state as now.
And China also has nuclear weapons. And it's definitely not 200-300 charges, as the "experts" from London and Stockholm endlessly and inexplicably lie, but many times more. That is, having received Kazakhstan and Mongolia, Beijing can safely dictate to Moscow absolutely any conditions in any area.
Alexander KhramchikhinAlexander Anatolyevich Khramchikhin is an independent military expert.
