People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps

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Not to be confused with the Republic of China Marine Corps.
People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps
中国人民解放军海军陆战队
Zhōngguó Rénmín Jiěfàngjūn Hǎijūnlùzhànduì
Patch of the People's Liberation Army Marine Corps
Founded1953; 71 years ago (1953)
Country People's Republic of China
Allegiance Chinese Communist Party
Branch People's Liberation Army Navy
TypeNaval infantry
RoleAmphibious warfare
Size40,000 personnel[1]
Part of People's Liberation Army
Garrison/HQChaozhou, Guangdong
Motto(s)陆地猛虎，海上蛟龙
(English: "Fierce Tiger of the land, Jiaolong of the sea")[2][3][4]
Colors  White
  Blue
Engagements

The People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps (PLANMC), also known as the People's Liberation Army Marine Corps (PLAMC), is the marine force of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and one of five major branches of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) responsible for amphibious warfare, expeditionary operations and rapid responses.[5] It currently consists of seven 6,000-man combined armed brigades and four other supporting brigades including aviation, engineering & chemical defense, artillery and service-support brigades for a total of 40,000. It further includes a brigade-level special operations unit called "Jiaolong Commando Unit" (Chinese: 蛟龙突击队)[6][4]

History[edit]

The founding of the PLANMC in 1953.
An amphibious landing exercise by marines in 1962.

The present PLANMC was originally established in April 1953[7] to conduct amphibious operations against islands held by Taiwan. By the end of the Korean War, the PLANMC numbered 110,000 personnel organized in eight divisions. However, the organization was disbanded in October 1957 when the leadership of China abandoned any plans to seize the island of Taiwan. Following the disbanding of the Marine Corps, the PLAN did maintain a naval infantry force, which consisted of several infantry and amphibious tank regiments.

In 1979 the Central Military Commission of China re-established the Marine Corps and organized it under the PLAN. On 5 May 1980, the 1st Marine Brigade was activated on Hainan.

In view of the growing tension between Mainland China and the Republic of China during the 1990s, the number of PLAN Marine Corps units was again increased. 1st Marine Brigade China was reinforced and rearmed. In July 1998, the 164th Motorized Infantry Division of the PLA Ground Force's 41st Group Army had been transferred to the PLAN South Sea Fleet and became the 164th Marine Brigade, with its homebase in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province. In February 2017, it was reported that the 77th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the 26th Group Army was transferred to the PLAN.

The PLAN Marine Corps participated in multiple international exercises, including participation in RIMPAC, and engaged with USMC in mutual training and friendly cultural exchanges during the Bush and Obama administrations as part of its "tranquility and good order" policy according to its navy chief.[8] However, with the Trump administration the PLA Navy and PLANMC were dis-invited from the 2018 Rim of the Pacific and the US Marines are trained to fight against the PLANMC.[9][10][11]

Organization[edit]

PLA marines based in Zhanjiang stand at attention during a visit by a U.S. admiral in 2006.

The PLAN Marine Corps is subordinate to Navy Headquarters, the Joint Staff Department and the Central Military Commission (CMC).

18,000 marines are under the Southern Theater Command, with 6,000 being under Eastern Theater Command and 12,000 being under Northern Theater Command.[6] These brigades possess combined arms units, including armor, artillery, missile, air defense, and logistics.

The Six brigades are as follows:

  • 1st and 2nd (ex-164th) Marine Brigades – both based in Zhanjiang
  • 3rd Marine Brigade based in Jinjiang
  • 4th Marine Brigade based in Jieyang
  • 5th Marine Brigade in Laoshan
  • 6th Marine Brigade based in Haiyang .[6]

Each Marine Brigade is organized into the following elements:[6]

  • 1 × Brigade HQ and Service Company
  • 3 x Marine Combined Arms Battalions (1 x Heavy with ZTD-05 Amphibious Tank, 1 × Medium with ZBD-05 Amphibious IFV and 1 × Light with VP4 ATV )
  • 1 x Air Assault Battalion
  • 1 x Marine Artillery Battalion
  • 1 × Air Defense Battalion
  • Marine Reconnaissance Battalion
  • Combat Support Battalion
  • Service Support Battalion

PLAN Marine Corps is not the only force capable of amphibious operations in People's Liberation Army. Marine Corps are primarily composed of light infantry, supplementing the heavily armed PLA Ground Force amphibious combined-arms brigades. Under the joint-operation command structure, Marine Corps will establish landing parameters before the ground force engages.[12]

Equipment[edit]

PLAN marines of the 1st Marine Brigade and U.S. Marines fire the Type 95 Assault Rifle during an exchange exercise in 2006.
A PLAN marine fighting through a combat obstacle course at a naval base as part of marine capability demonstrations, 2006.
PLAN sailors and marines with U.S. sailors during RIMPAC 2016.
A PLAN marine with a boarding team assigned to the guided missile destroyer Haikou during a maritime operations exercise in RIMPAC 2014.
Personnel equipment
Armor
Aircraft
  • Z-9WA attack helicopter
  • Z-9C utility helicopter
  • Z-18 transport helicopter
Artillery and ammunition

Chinese marines use the QBZ-95 as their main armament, though this is set to change as the PLA is set to replace the QBZ-95 with the QBZ-191 as its standard service rifle.[13] The Type 07 Oceanic Camouflage used by the marines is likewise scheduled to be replaced by the Xingkong camouflage pattern.[14] The marines also make use of GPS and night vision systems to enhance their fighting capabilities.

The PLAN marines are equipped with amphibious light tanks and armored personnel carriers. The Type 63A is the newest light tank in Chinese service. It is based on the hull of the older Type 63 (which in turn is based on the Soviet PT76 amphibious light tank). The Type 63A features a number of improvements, in particular the new welded turret which features much greater armor protection and the 105mm main gun (capable of firing standard NATO projectiles as well as the gun launched anti-tank missile). The marines are believed to have continued operating the Type 63 and the non-amphibious Type 62 light tanks as secondary units. The Type 77 amphibious APC was the standard armored transport for the marines for many decades. However, new designs have been adapted from the army to complement these aging transports. These include specially modified versions of the Type 89 and Type 63 APCs, with enhanced swimming capabilities. The Type 86 (or WZ501) IFV is also in service with the marines. Based on the Soviet BMP-1, it is armed with a single 73mm main gun and mounts an HJ73 ATGM (with max range of 3000 meters).

For air defense, Chinese marines employ a mix of automatic and manually operated anti-aircraft artillery systems, as well as short range surface-to-air missiles. The marines have been seen operating the new Type 95 self-propelled air defense platform on an amphibious hull similar to the Type 77 APC. This platform is armed with four 25mm cannon with a short ranged SAM combination to achieve effective killing capabilities against low flying targets at short ranges. The Type 89 self-propelled 122mm gun is the first SP artillery system in service with the marines since 1999. This adds additional accurate firepower to the PLAMC.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China" (PDF).
  2. ^ "解放军海军陆战队：既做海上蛟龙 也当雪域猛虎-新华网".
  3. ^ "陆地猛虎海上蛟龙：中国海军陆战队素质世界居前". China News. 2009-04-20. Retrieved 2017-01-26.
  4. ^ a b Huang Yuwen (October 1, 2019). "中共軍改後海軍陸戰隊的建構與發展（The Structure and Development of Chinese Communist Marines following its Military Reform）" (PDF) (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 53rd (5). Ministry of National Defense (Republic of China): 61–74. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-11-05. Retrieved April 30, 2021. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ^ Gabriel Dominguez & Samuel Cranny-Evans & J Michael Cole (3 June 2021). "PLANMC may be re-equipping for combined arms, multidomain operations". Janes.
  6. ^ a b c d "How special are PLA special forces?". Business Standard India. 30 January 2020.
  7. ^ "China's PLA Marines: An Emerging Force".
  8. ^ "China wants 'tranquillity', navy chief says ahead of new warships reveal". Reuters. 22 April 2019.
  9. ^ "U.S. Kicks China out of military exercise". Politico.
  10. ^ "US Marines are practicing seizing small islands as a possible China fight looms in the Pacific". Business Insider.
  11. ^ "US continues to train with allies in the event of Chinese attack". 29 April 2020.
  12. ^ Blasko, Dennis J., "China Maritime Report No. 20: The PLA Army Amphibious Force" (2022). CMSI China Maritime Reports. 20.
  13. ^ F, Nathaniel (18 May 2017). "Chinese PLA Ground Forces and Marines to Replace QBZ-95-1 with Completely New NON-BULLPUP Rifle?". The Firearm Blog.
  14. ^ "China: features of PLA latest combat camouflage uniforms".
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