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OPINION NOVEMBER 11, 2022 | The Indian Eye 9

Why China’s PLA Western

Theatre Command Lays Stress

on Joint Operations Capabilities

The lessons learnt from the 2020 military standoff would inevitably be applied to the PLA’s combat
training and more probing of the Indian defenses would be incorporated to their battlefield capability

M.S. PRATHIBHA ties such as early warning, air defense mented joint operational command strikes, and air defenses to protect its
and reconnaissance, has strength- that can reduce the time required to military assets.
he PLA Western Theatre ened the WTC’s ability to conduct communicate orders to the troops. In The WTC’s joint operations be-
Command (WTC) military ex- joint operations as the information terms of combat training, the theatre tween the PLA Army and PLA Air
Tercises highlight their efforts system of various services and units commands, especially the WTC, fo- Force, while enhancing their air ca-
at integrating information command are now integrated. Overall, these ef- cused on integrated joint operations pabilities, has aided the use of Spe-
between services, to enhance the forts aim to increase the PLA’s capa- capability to improve the perceived cial Forces to improve their joint
capabilities of different operational bility to conduct assault operations. disadvantages it felt against the In- strike capabilities. For instance, in
and support units to achieve assault One of the drawbacks in the PLA dian military forces. Not only do the one of the exercises conducted in
options. The PLA’s army aviation WTC was the lack of air superiority forces have to cover a large border January 2019, the 62nd combined
units are being increasingly used to when facing the Indian forces. After area, but the terrain is very hostile arms brigade conducted joint op-
conduct operations near the border military reforms were implemented to the equipment and physical health erations, where various units in the
areas. There is an increased emphasis in 2015, the theatre commands were of the troops. In addition, the air ca- WTC were involved, including the
on short and targeted operations by tasked to develop joint capability ac- pability of the adversary in the PLA’s SF brigade, army aviation units and
the WTC alongside defensive tactics cording to the actual combat condi- mind made it difficult to have com- support units directly affiliated to the
such as air defense, early warning and tions that they faced in the theatre, plete dominance in the theatre. theatre (SSFs) to showcase their joint
reconnaissance. taking into account the adversary’s As a result, integrated training in strike capabilities. In this particular
The PLA Western Theatre military strength. The PLA in the the WTC was to focus on capabilities exercise, the Reconnaissance Battal-
Command (WTC) has been con- 2015 military reforms gave emphasis that can help in sharing the capabil- ion of the Special Forces Brigade of
ducting military exercises that show to achieve an effective air capability. ities of the military services with one the 76th Group Army entered in ad-
a marked preference for enhancing Assessments of the PLA’s strength another, which can improve joint vance and used information system,
joint operations capability. Through would have made it clear that they did combat capabilities. For instance, which the PLA considers similar to
joint training exercises, the PLA in- not have air superiority in the WTC. maintaining air superiority in the the Joint Fire Support System (JFSS)
tends to increase combat capability In the Chinese parlance, air superi- plateau conditions would mean that JASMINE system, to ascertain the
of its operational units, especially of ority is not just about offensive capa- along with air strike capabilities, the adversary’s forward position, thereby
Special Forces. In addition, the WTC bility but also includes air defenses, PLA would have to develop recon- increasing the situational awareness
believes that air superiority is needed early warning and reconnaissance ca- naissance and early warning capa- of the unit.
to win wars in its theatre and there- pabilities. To achieve air superiority, bilities as well. The PLA understood Typically, the units are supposed
fore gives it a special preference with joint integrated capabilities, in their that air superiority was not just about to call for air-to-ground strikes from
respect to integration operations. As view, were the way forward. having the fire power, but about bat- the Air Force, as in the case with the
a result, increased air combat capa- Since the PLA reforms in 2015, tlefield awareness of the situation, US. However, the PLA Air Force
bility, including defensive capabili- the theatre commands have imple- early warning of the adversary’s Continued at next page... >>

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