PLAAF JL-10 10001's maiden flight

China, Russia to hold joint military drills

China, Russia to hold joint military drills(Source: Xinhua)   2013-07-02　　MOSCOW, July 1 (Xinhua) -- China and Russia will hold two joint military drills in the coming two months, military officials from both countries said here Monday.　　Fang Fenghui, chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People' s Liberation Army (PLA), together with his Russian counterpart Valery Gerasimov, ratified

Photo of the day: PLAAF JL-10 10001

PLAAF JL-10 10001(first JL-10 serial version)  finished its maiden flight today.   http://www.cjdby.net/junbeidongtai/2013-07-01/military-4448.html

Update courtesy of "J-10"

Here comes the stick, where is the carrot?

China Boosts Security in Xinjiang After Bloodshed

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/china-boosts-security-xinjiang-bloodshed-19535318?singlePage=true#.Uc_J2230dqM





By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN Associated Press


BEIJING June 30, 2013 (AP)






Chinese paramilitary troops began conducting round-the-clock patrols
Sunday in the northwestern region of Xinjiang following a series

A little PLAN update

It's been a while since I posted due to work and personal commitments. Things haven't really stopped moving in the world of Chinese military, but it also hasn't been the most hectic spring season.

The biggest news from the past while is probably CV-16 (formerly Varyag) going on its first training exercise of the year out in the oceans. Since the take-off and landing tests in November of last year, they've been busy making preparations and training crew members in the naval aviation training facility close to Tianjin. There is a really nice thread here talking about the facility. From what we can see, the take-off and landing exercises in this second trip are done by the same two J-15 prototype aircraft that did the first one. Since J-15 has reportedly begun serial production, I was hoping to see more J-15 aircraft out in the ocean this time.

Other than that, Type 056 continues to be launched and commissioned into PLAN at a very fast pace. There have been at least 12 of them launched with at least 5 being commissioned. They are mostly replacing Type 037 currently in service with PLAN.

The production of Type 054A seems to be winding down. At least 15 have being commissioned now, with 3 more in HD shipyard that are in various stage of completion.

We are also seeing the unified Maritime Police fleet taking shape. Many of the larger cutters from CMS and FLEC have now been repainted and numbered into the new agency's colours.

And finally, I think one of the better articles I have read recently is this one by James Bussert. It's something I have been saying for a long time. You can see the scope of PLAN modernization by works done on their three weapon trial ships. For PLAN followers, this is the best place to look for what PLAN has in store.

China commits combat troops to Mali

After weeks of speculations,  China has officially committed combat troops to Mali today.

You can read a good summary from today's FT.com


 http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/e46f3e42-defe-11e2-881f-00144feab7de.html#axzz2XRWBsxTX

June 27, 2013 2:14 pm
China commits combat troops to Mali

By Kathrin Hille in Beijing

China
has publicly committed combat troops on a UN peacekeeping mission for
the

Photo of the day: PLA's Arty spotter UAVs

According the Chinese edition of the same report, those An-209 tactical UAVs are organic to artillery regiments for reconnaissance and target positioning purposes.  



Training for key operators of new-type UAV concludes

A 30-day training for the key operators of the new-type reconnaissance UAV concluded successfully recently. The reconnaissance UAVs have been used in the artillery troops in