The PLA at Home and Abroad - Strategic Studies Institute - U.S. Army

After the air forces had attained dominance in the
air, naval forces sought to blockade Country S from
the sea on first day of the exercise (August 23). This
prepared the battlefield for an amphibious assault
conducted by elements of the PLA Navy’s 1st Marine
Brigade supported by airborne and SOF operations
on the second day. (Russian ground forces included
naval infantry and airborne forces of the same size as
Chinese Marine and Airborne units involved.) On the
third day, a PLA Air Force (PLAAF) airborne mechanized
infantry company dropped with 12 armored
fighting vehicles and helicopter-inserted SOF forces
linked up with elements of the “Ye Ting” Regiment of
127th Light Mechanized Infantry Division. The exercise
culminated in a live-fire ground and air pounding
of the enemy who had retreated to defensive positions
in what was termed a “forced isolation” drill. 23
Exercise artificialities in timing and locations were
imposed upon this exercise as they are on most such
events, so that visiting dignitaries from both countries
could watch the events from viewing stands along the
side of the battlefield. The approximately 8,000 PLA
Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel who took part in
“Peace Mission-2005” were the largest number of PLA
troops yet to participate in a combined exercise. (No
Second Artillery units were involved.) Though other
significant events occurred in 2005, such as the joint
Army-Air Force “North Sword-2005” which allowed
40 military observers from 24 countries to attend the
final phase, “Peace Mission-2005” was the highpoint
of the PLA’s training year.
A full year would pass before the next combined
exercises. The first of three combined exercises in 2006
featured Xinjiang PAP border troops and a PAP Anti-Terror
Reconnaissance Unit in what was billed as
389