People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps

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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 PLA Marine Corps.svg
Patch of the People's Liberation Army Marine Corps
FoundedApril 1953(71 years ago) (1953-04)
CountryFlag of the People's Republic of China.svg  People's Republic of China
AllegianceFlag of the Chinese Communist Party.svg Chinese Communist Party
BranchNaval ensign of China.svg  People's Liberation Army Navy
Type Naval infantry
Role Amphibious warfare
VBSS
Size40,000 personnel [1]
Part ofPeople's Liberation Army Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  People's Liberation Army
Garrison/HQ Chaozhou, 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. The marine corps also includes a brigade-level special operations unit called the "Jiaolong Commando Unit" (Chinese :蛟龙突击队) [6] [4] , officially known as the 7th Marine Brigade  [ zh ].

Contents

History

The founding of the PLANMC in 1953. PLAMC 1953 Establishment.jpg
The founding of the PLANMC in 1953.
An amphibious landing exercise by marines in 1962. PLAMC Amphibious drill.jpg
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 the Republic of China (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 (CMC) re-established the Marine Corps and organized it under the PLAN. On 5 May 1980, the 1st Marine Brigade was activated on Hainan.

The PLANMC was expanded in the 1990s because of the growing tensions between China and Taiwan. The 1st Marine Brigade was reinforced and rearmed. In July 1998, the 164th Motorized Infantry Division of the PLA Ground Force's (PLAGF) 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 PLANMC participated in multiple international exercises, including participation in RIMPAC, and engaged with United States Marine Corps 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 PLAN 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

PLA marines based in Zhanjiang stand at attention during a visit by a U.S. admiral in 2006. Marines of the People's Liberation Army (Navy).jpg
PLA marines based in Zhanjiang stand at attention during a visit by a U.S. admiral in 2006.

The PLANMC is subordinate to Navy Headquarters, the Joint Staff Department and the 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 Seven brigades are as follows:

There is additionally a marine corps aviation unit known as the Marine Separate Aviation Brigade  [ zh ] [12] stationed in Mingguang, Chuzhou, Anhui. It was founded in 2017.

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

The PLA has additional amphibious assault capabilities in the PLAGF amphibious combined-arms brigades. [13]

Equipment

PLAN marines of the 1st Marine Brigade and U.S. Marines fire the Type 95 Assault Rifle during an exchange exercise in 2006. Shooting range at 1st Marine Brigade in Zhanjiang, China..jpg
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. US Navy 061116-M-9827H-076 A marine with the People's Liberation Army (Navy) (PLA (N)) marine regiment, fights through a combat obstacle course at a naval base as part of a day of marine capability demonstrations.jpg
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. RIMPAC 160720-N-KM939-138.jpg
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. 140716-G-HN254-571 (14714332244).jpg
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
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. [14] The Type 07 Oceanic Camouflage used by the marines is likewise scheduled to be replaced by the Xingkong camouflage pattern. [15] 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

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References

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