User:Abovfold/Sandbox/Brigadization of the People's Liberation Army

The brigadization of the People's Liberation Army is an ongoing program of reforms conducted by the People's Republic of China to reorganize its military force structure from primarily division and regiment formations to one comprised primarily of bases (a type of PLA unit, not a facility) and brigades. Beginning in 2011, the process has taken place across the Army (PLAGF), Navy (PLAN), Air Force (PLAAF), Rocket Force (PLARF), and Strategic Support Force (PLASSF). For unknown reasons, brigadization of the PLAAF was paused from mid-2011 to 2017, resuming upon implementation of the 2016 'above the neck' reforms (reforms of echelons above corps).^[1]

Thus far, much of the units based in the far-western Xinjiang region have remained untouched by brigadization, as have the PLAAF's three conventional bomber divisions (the 8th, 10th, and 36th) and special mission aircraft divisions.^[1]

Air Force

Brigadization in the PLAAF began in 2011, with the creation of air brigades (航空兵旅; hángkōngbīng lǚ) in its combat aircraft units by upgrading 14 existing air regiment (航空兵团; hángkōng bīngtuán) headquarters and abolishing at least four air division headquarters (航空兵师; hángkōngbīng shī).^[1]

The brigades were all subordinated to one of the four corps deputy leader-grade Bases (基地) that were created from two existing division leader-grade and two corps deputy leader-grade command posts (指挥所) under the Shenyang, Lanzhou, Nanjing, and Guangzhou Military Region Air Force (MRAF) headquarters. As such, the command structure for fighter aircraft (歼击机) and ground attack aircraft (强击机) began changing from a 7-tiered structure (PLAAF HQ –MRAF HQ – command post – air division – air regiment – flight group – flight squadron) that was created in 2004, to a 6-tiered structure (PLAAF HQ – TCAF HQ – Base – air brigade – flight group – flight squadron); such that no combat fighter or ground attack brigades are subordinate to a division, and no air regiments are subordinate to a brigade.

Bomber, transport, and special mission aircraft air divisions remained directly subordinate to either PLAAF headquarters or a TCAF headquarters

Army

For the PLAGF, brigadization has restructured the entire organization by mostly abandoning the Soviet model it had previously used, and seeks to make the combined arms battalion the “basic combat unit” capable of independent actions on the battlefield. It has radically refined its training program to make exercises more realistic to develop both modern combined arms and joint capabilities that have never been tested in battle. It has also eliminated the regiment from the chain of command down to maneuver battalions, requiring battalions to plan and conduct operations on their own, independent of a higher chain of command.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Trevethan, Lawrence (2018). "Brigadization" of the PLA Air Force (PDF). Montgomery: China Aerospace Studies Institute. ISBN 978-1718721159.
^ Blasko, Dennis J. "The Biggest Loser in Chinese Military Reforms: The PLA Army". In Saunders, Phillip C.; Ding, Arthur S.; Scobell, Andrew; Yang, Andrew N.D.; Wuthnow, Joel (eds.). Chairman Xi Remakes the PLA: Assessing Chinese Military Reforms. Washington, D.C.: National Defense University Press.

[:0-1] Trevethan, Lawrence (2018). "Brigadization" of the PLA Air Force (PDF). Montgomery: China Aerospace Studies Institute. ISBN 978-1718721159.

[2] Blasko, Dennis J. "The Biggest Loser in Chinese Military Reforms: The PLA Army". In Saunders, Phillip C.; Ding, Arthur S.; Scobell, Andrew; Yang, Andrew N.D.; Wuthnow, Joel (eds.). Chairman Xi Remakes the PLA: Assessing Chinese Military Reforms. Washington, D.C.: National Defense University Press.

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