THE military parade on the nation’s 70th birthday on Oct 1 will showcase the latest achievements from the modernization of the People’s Liberation Army as well as its stanch confidence in becoming a world-class military force, Major General Cai Zhijun, Deputy Director of the Leading Group Office of Military Parade, said on Tuesday. Cai said the parade in Beijing will demonstrate the PLA’s determination to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests as well as to maintain world peace and regional stability.
The military parade passing through Tian’anmen Square will be divided into four major categories: aerial flag bearing units, infantry formations, military hardware and aircraft. The showcase will include about 15,000 military personnel, 160 aircraft, 580 pieces of military hardware and 59 formations, making it the biggest military parade in recent history, Cai said.
For the 15 infantry battalions, troops will march in square formations representing various branches of the military, including researchers, female soldiers, military reserves, militia members and peacekeeping forces. The 32 military equipment groups will showcase such hardware as ground and maritime combat weapons as well as air defence and anti-missile, information and unmanned warfare, logistics and strategic equipment. The 12 aircraft groups will feature flyovers from early warning and control planes, bombers, carrier-born fighter jets, multirole fighter jets and helicopters. Cai, when asked how the parade reflects the PLA’s joint combat capability, said improving such ability has been the focus of China’s military reform, and the organizational and logistical efforts required to carry out a parade of this caliber is a manifestation of the PLA’s joint combat prowess.
The military hardware and aircraft will be divided into battle modules based on their roles and application in joint combat scenarios. Major General Tan Min, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the PLA Central Theater Command, said the weapons that will be featured in the parade are domestically made and in service and represent the innovation capability of Chinese defence research. The weapons are also highly modern, with greater precision, adaptability and overall combat effectiveness, he added.
(Courtesy: China Daily)
