ORBAT - USMC Marine Rifle Battalion

This post is part of a series that will examine the constituent components of a Marine Expeditionary Unit how they might evolve in the near future and their representation on the wargames table.  The capabilities and organisation of each will be presented in separate posts and the series will conclude with a look at the overall task organisation of the MEU. A MEU is a Marine Air Ground Task Force, the concepts associated with which are covered here.

The Marine Rifle Battalion forms the core of a Battalion Landing Team which is the Ground Component of a Marine Expeditionary Unit. The Battalion is also a key building block of the Ground Component in a Marine Expeditionary Brigade. As such it is probably an excellent place to start exploring the capabilities of a MEU in detail.

 The Organisation of the unit is covered in a number of USMC publications:

• MCRP 1-10.1 Organisation of the United States Marine Corps, May 2019
• MCRP 3-10A.2 Infantry Company Operations, Feb 2018
• MCRP 3-10A.4 Marine Rifle Squad, Out of Date

MCRP 1-10.1 contains a High Level outline of the organisation with organisational charts that document the structure to section level but does not include detailed composition. Detailed Composition and Organisational patterns for the task organisation of both the rifle companies and weapons company are contained within MCRP 3-10A.2. I have not managed to find useful detail on the H&S company although there is broad information available on the web on the Scout/Sniper platoon. Whilst MCTP 3-10A covers the Infantry Battalion it is significantly out of date and does not appear to be maintained as is MCRP 3-10A.4 the Marine rifle squad.

All USMC Publications can be downloaded for free from the USMCs own website from the Publications Electronic Library which is worth a browse.

I am currently building my forces for present day to near future operations with a focus on the Pacific. I  use  the  Cold War Commander rule set with 6mm figures and vehicles.  There is an excellent review of the rules here if you are unfamiliar with them.

These rules can represent units at 1:1 or at a more abstract Platoon level for larger games. I have used  a single base and single vehicle for Infantry and tank platoon. For support weapons I have used a group of 3-4 weapons which is generally a section but in some case needs a bit of interpretation as the USMC uses a number of concepts including, squads, sections and teams to describe these groups.

The fighting elements of the unit are contained within the 3 Rifle Companies and the Weapons Company. In addition there is a Headquaters and Supply Company which has some elements that are worth considering.

Headquaters and Supply Company.  The Wargames components of this organisation that need  representation are:

• Bn HQ
• Scout Sniper Platoon. 
• Medical Platoon

The Bn HQ and the Medical platoon are each represented by a single stand.  The Scout/Sniper Platoon is more of a challenge to tie down organisationally. MCRP 5-12D notes that it exists, MCRP 2-10A.6 Ground Reconnaissance Operations sets out its primary role to provide timely surveillance, tactical data and coordinate supporting arms and close air support whilst providing the Unit with Extended area observation underlining the reconnaissance aspects of the platoon.

A 1999 TOE identifies a small head quarters and 4 4 man scout/sniper teams each capable of deploying 2 Sniper Pairs. The platoon is generally commanded by the assistant intelligence officer and is part of the intelligence section.  A variety of insertion methods can be supported, from Rotary wing aircraft to small boats, or wheels. Vehicles are not organic to the platoon but are provided as needed from Battalion MT or Logistic Units.  The Platoon can be tasked directly by the battalion or task organised with the companies and other elements of the battalion.

In addition to providing a reconnaissance capability they can act as snipers in both the anti material or anti personnel role using any of the in service sniper rifles:

• M40A5 bolt action rifle being replaced by the Mk 13
• M107 Barrett anti materiel rifle
• Mk 13 Mod 7 Sniper Rifle

For game representation I am treating the sniper capability as a support weapon and will use them as two sections of 4 snipers.  I mount Support weapons on two figure bases and I am using two 2 man support weapons bases to represent the platoon and depending on scenario and task organisation will provide them 2 HMMWV for transport.

Marine Rifle Companies.  The Battalion has 3 Marine Rifle Companies each  organised as outlined below.

The Marine Rifle Company is essentially a light Infantry organisation. It can be task organised with a variety of transport assets provided by other units to enhance both its protection and mobility these include:

• AAVP 7 or ACV 1.2 from the Divisions Assault Amphibious Regiments
• MTVR from  the Transport & Support Companies of Combat Logistic Battalions
• Small Boats from Navel CORIVRON units, Ship RHIBs or Marine CRRC
• Rotary Wing inserted by Marine OV-22, CH53 or UH-1Y Venoms

I have represented the rifle platoon using a triple slota base carrying three bases of 4 figures, effectively representing each squad. This offers the flexibility to play at a lower level or use a smaller footprint to represent the platoon in denser terrain such as urban environments where I could reduce to a single 4 man base, and of course they look good. 

The weapons platoon can be task organized to the platoons or grouped centrally  depending on the mission need. I have represented each section with a single base of 2 figures and have them mounted in double slota bases with the company HQ primarily for ease of movement.  A Double slota bases is illustrated below.

Weapons Company.  The Weapons Company provides an HQ and 3 Support Weapons Platoons, Mortars, Machine Guns and Anti Tank. Some battalions also include the Scout Sniper Platoon within the weapons company.

The USMC have a number of standard patterns for task organising the Weapons Company outlined in MCRP 3-10A.2 these are:

Combined Anti Armour Platoon. This organisation combines the Anti Tank Platoon and The HMG platoon and creates a CAAT Platoon out of the HMG, AGL and TOW Sections.  The Platoon is made up of two Combined Anti Armour Teams. The CAAT organisation is flexible and can be evenly split between anti tank and HMG/AGL sections or biased to one capability or the other creating light and heavy versions of the CAAT Platoon. 

Mobile Assault Company. This task organised group converts a Mortar section into 2 HMMWV mounted maneuver squads each with 3 HMMWV. This can then be combined with an HMG/AGL Section and One or More TOW Squads to form a Mobile Assault Platoon. The Company can then be formed as Two Mobile Assault Platoons and a Fire Support Platoon of the remaining Mortar section.  This formation may be used when the Battalion needs a 4th maneuver company and is also useful for convoy escort.  Whilst vehicle mounted Scout/Sniper platoons are not covered in the Doctrine they would be an interesting addition to this concept.

The Company can also task organise CAAT Teams or AT Squads and HMG/AGL Sections with the rifle companies depending on mission need. The Javelin Squads tend to be task organised with the Companies as a matter of course. 

As can be seen the task organisation of the battalion is highly flexible allowing a wide variety of task organised mission groups to be created from the baseline organisation.

For the Wargames representation of the Weapons company I have stuck with the idea that 4 weapons represent a section as such I have represented the platoons as follows

•  HMG Platoon with two 2 fig bases and 2 HMMWV, 
• AT Platoon 
• Javelin section as two 2 fig bases 
• TOW section as two TOW Armed HMMWV, I have yet to find a dismounted TOW
• Mortar Platoon as two 2 fig Mortar Bases and a 2 Figure OP Base and 3 HMMWV. (4 HMMWV if MAPs are created)

At this level both the Mobile assault company and the CAAT Platoon can be represented.

Future Developments:  I have been looking at the future development programs that impact the battalion and will deliver in the near future as I want to game using near future scenarios.  Of these programs it's a case of picking the ones that make an impact at a gaming level the following are of interest:

• New Company and Squad Organisation, Equipment & Weapons.  The USMC are working through the restructuring of the Rifle Company and the squad this has yet to settle down in terms of numbers but has clear direction in terms of capability for both the company and the squad  and includes:
• Operations and Intelligence Section in Company HQ
• Systems Operators for Robotic Systems at Company and Squad Level,
• New Equipment at Squad level including Quad Copters, Range Finders, Upgraded Night Vision, Ruggedised Tablets
• New personal equipment Body armour and communications
• New Weapon Systems, M27 Rifles, M3 MAAWS, UGLs, Designated Marksman Rifle

• J- ATV. The Introduction of J-ATV to replace a proportion of the HMMWV fleet.  The hot question is, which bit? I am playing with a couple of assumptions, the first will be everything in the battalion and the second will be HMG and TOW only.

• Robotics. The restructuring of the Marine Rifle Squad to 15 Men to include a Systems Operator and additional Systems operator roles in the Company HQ point to the increasing importance of  Robotics with UAV, Counter UAV and UGV being considered.  Of these the UGV will be difficult to represent as concepts are immature. UGV roles include heavy weapons, observation, load carriers, and sentries.  The Rheinmetall defence mission master platform below is an interesting example.

• Anti Armour Restructuring. Phasing out of TOW Sabre and replacement with Javelin. This ones quite easy, the question mark here is how they will employ the Javelin teams mounted with a vehicle mount system or dismounted, I think I will go with the additional teams mounted on J-ATV.
• More Electronic and Networked Functions moving further forward. an example of this is grouping EW Teams with Sniper teams.  Whilst the article discussed use with Scout/Sniper Platoons it would also work with Force Recon or the Recon Battalion. Game concepts would need to be developed but this typifies the way that different capabilities might be task organised in the future.
• Representation of Network Centric Capability. Networked Sensors and precision guided munitions have proliferated dramatically in the early part of the 21st Century. The challenge really sits with up-dateing game rules and mechanisms to accommodate the technology.  This is fairly critical for the light weight force who will be relying heavily on the effects this can deliver.

There are a lot more forward looking program efforts and experiments being pursued by the Marines and I will be reviewing more as I examine the other capability areas.

Figures and Vehicles. Everything needed for a USMC battalion is available from the major 6mm manufacturers. I have built this unit from GHQ figures using a mix of their current and cold war infantry packs. The only things that I have yet to find are:

• Dismounted TOW (not a significant issue) 
• 60mm Mortar (so my 81mm Mortars and 60mm Mortars all look the same)
• SMAW figure, I am using a chinese infantry man carrying a PF89 on his back

The bulk of the modelling challenges come with pushing the unit into the near future such as creating UGVs and the specifics of TOW mounts on J-ATVs for example but I have yet to get stuck into that.

References:

Marine, Tom Clancy, 1997
MCRP 5-12D Organisation of the United States Marine Corps, Feb 2018
MCRP 3-10A.2 Infantry Company Operations, Feb 2018

MCRP 3-10A.4 Marine Rifle Squad, Feb 2019
MCRP 3-10A.6 Ground Reconnaissance Operations
MCWP 3-10 MAGTF Ground Operations
MCRP 3-30.1 Raid Operations
Amphibious Ready Group and Marine Expeditionary Unit
22nd Annual Expeditionary Conference
Cold War Commander Rules

ORBAT - USMC MAGTF

The purpose of this post was really to understand how the MAGTF concept worked at the high level and the overall forces that would be drawn from to bring that capability together before examining in detail the structure and composition of a Marine Expeditionary Unit in a later post.  The post looks at:

• The MAGTF concept including the air and ground units that supply combat elements
• Sealift and Naval support 
• Aspects of the operational challenge in the Pacific
• High level view of model scale and availability for Gaming

MAGTF Concept. The United States Marine Corps organises for Combat into Marine Air Ground Task Forces (MAGTF). whilst the MAGTF is built around USMC components and can stretch from a Platoon to a Joint USMC/Army Force or a Coalition force essentially it is described at three different organisational levels:

• Marine Expeditionary Unit where a Marine Rifle Battalion is the lead component of a task organised combined arms Battalion Landing Team that forms the core
• Marine Expeditionary Brigade where a Marine Rifle Regiment is the lead component of a task organised  combined arms Brigade Landing Team that forms the core 
• Marine Expeditionary Force where a Marine Division is the lead component of a task organised joint combined arms or coalition ground force that forms the core.

Task organised Combined Arms forces include attached elements to the core units from other arms such as Armour, Armoured Recce, Combat Engineer, Artillery, and Assault amphibian.  Joint forces include other Services such as an Army Stryker Brigade, Coalition Forces include elements of allied nations forces.

MAGTFs are task organised from components held within the Marine division and Marine Air Wings, whilst these can vary, generally they comprise:

• Marine Division

• Marine Air Wing

Regardless of the unit or formation it is based on the MAGTF is an integrated expeditionary combined arms force and is formed of four task organised force components.

• Command Element
• Ground Combat Element
• Aviation Combat Element
• Logistic Combat Element

The MAGTFs Components fulfil the following functions:

Command Element. Is the MAGTFs HQ it organises a holistic battle involving the integration of all three components to achieve the mission aim. It will plan and execute missions based  on the USMCs doctrine which is essentially manouverist and will therefore tend to focus on the destruction of the enemy rather than taking and holding ground.

Ground Combat Element.  Is a task organised force that provides the capability to undertake Ground combined arms manoeuvre. It works as an integrated component of the MAGTF not a separate entity. It covers amphibious, offensive, defensive and stabilisation operations. Its key capabilities are:

• Ground and Amphibious Reconnaissance, 
• Combined Arms Ground Manoeuvre and security
• Massed Firepower
• Close Combat
• Seizing and Holding Key Terrain

Aviation Combat Element. Provides all 6 functions of USMC Aviation and varies in size from an aircraft detachment to multiple Marine Air Wings.  It works as an integrated component of the MAGTF. The 6 Functions provided are:

• Offensive Air Support
• Anti Air Warfare
• Assault Support
• Air Reconnaissance
• Electronic Warfare
• Control of Aircraft and Missiles

Logistic Combat Element.  Provides the Combat Service Support Function it can vary in size from a platoon to multiple logistic groups and covers;

• Supply 
• Maintenance, 
• Transportation, 
• General engineering, 
• Health services 

The MAGTF strikes me as one of the most tightly coupled joint forces in existence, with dedicated land and Air components in a single unified command, that the level of task organisation and the potential to model a variety of Naval assets is what really grabs my imagination.  

Sealift and Naval Support.   The Sea lift and Naval support assets provide a degree of context during the game and selected elements of the Naval engagement could be played out. Like air landing operations these need to be controlled if the main event is to happen.  Although there are a variety of deployment options with varying components of sea lift I am primarily interested in over the beach operations. At the battalion level the Sea Lift component of this is an Amphibious Ready Group comprising:

• An Amphibious Assault Ship LHA/LHD
• An Amphibious Transport Dock LPD
• A Dock Landing Ship LSD
• Its embarked MEU

This can be task organised with a Surface Action Group and or a Littoral Combat Group to form an Expeditionary Strike Group which in turn can work under an umbrella provided by a Carrier strike group.  When working in conjunction with a Carrier Strike Group you would expect that a greater component of the MAGTFs embarked air assets could focus on the ground mission whilst the CSG focuses on the Air Superiority and Force protection aspects.

If deploying a Marine Expeditionary Force, it seems likely that  the fleet elements would need to be supplemented with components provided by the Maritime Pre Positioning Force from the various MPSRONs. The numbers of LHA/D required to put a MEB over the beach being 50% of the current fleet of 8 LHDs and 2 soon to be 3 LHAs this fleet would seem to give a potential maximum deployment capacity of 2 MEBs. Given the number of permanently deployed MEUs and maintenance cycles this would be interesting to achieve and would take planing and time. If the division has more than two Brigade Landing Teams then it seems likely that the 3rd would have to call upon an MPSRON, the pre conditions for that would be a degree of security or a port I suppose. The alternatives are getting imaginative around Ships Taken Up From Trade in a manner similar to Op Corporate.

The US Navy is currently aiming to have a fleet of 36 Amphibious ships by 2021, with a number of 38 being identifies as that required to land 2 MEBs and allow for maintenance, whilst 50+ is the number talked about to land an MEF with 3 Brigade Landing Teams.

Operational Challenges Of course concentrating this level of force in order to undertake landing operations forms what many would call a large target. Given China's evolving Anti Access Area Denial (A2/AD) capabilities covering the South and East China Seas which include;

• Island Bases
• Land based Ballistic Anti Ship missile capabilities, 
• Missile Attack boats
• Expanding Diesel Attack Submarine fleet
• Land Based Aircraft

These A2/AD capabilities pose increased challenges to landing operations in contested littoral environments around these areas, however like the Cold War ATGW threat the balance of capability and advantage will probably see saw around this one for a while.

The Map below illustrates the challenge quite nicely. Traditional Landing operations are conducted from upto 12 Miles offshore, concepts for high speed ship to objective maneuver talk to 100 miles neither of which really tackles the issues illustrated which suggest a need to:

• Target and engage the land based assets effectively with either Kinetic effects or disruptive attacks such as EW.
• Provide adequate defence of the landing platforms. 
• Increase the stand off and dispersion.

Wargames Goal  So my goal is to create a  6mm 1/300 force focused on a MEU MAGTF but that could stretch to a MEB at a more representational level, 1 Vehicle represents a platoon, 1 Ship a group of ships. Currently I am looking to build out the;

• Ground Combat Element, 
• Air Combat Element 
• Naval support Elements probably to the level of the ESG, although a Carrier strike group would be nice, it might be a step to far and pose a major storage challenge.

This force will be used for current and near future games set in the Pacific with the Chinese initially providing the principal opposition. Over time I fancy it could open up to include US Army and Coalition partners of which the most interesting are the Australians although I have yet to really examine any of the other coalition partner options in the region. 

Model Availability

I think of the scale as around 1/300 as to get full coverage of the force components I am looking at:

• Ground forces 1/285 (Primarily GHQ)
• Air Forces 1/350 (Primarily Trumpeter)
• Naval Forces 1/350 (Primarily Trumpeter)

The aspiration on the Naval side would be something that looks like the image below from Jeff Heads 1/350 Scale Model Building and Defence Youtube Channel but waterlined, I will need to work out how they play into the game other than as a sea base and potentially some novel ideas for submarines.

The next articles in this series will examine the composition of a Marine Division and a Marine Air Wing in a little more detail in order to understand the range of components that could be task organised for a USMC MEU, before looking at a representative MEU in detail.

References:

MCRP 1-10.1 Organisation of the United States Marine Corps
MCWP 3 -10 MAGTF Ground Operations
MCWP 3 - 20 MAGTF Aviation Operations
MCPT 13-10D Maritime Prepositioning Force Operations

Amphibious Ready Group and Marine Expeditionary Unit

Expeditionary Strike Force a Practical Solution in The Littoral Domain

LCS CONOPS
Littoral Operations In Contested Environments
Set up to Fail, Marines dont have enough amphibious ships to train

ORBAT - US Expeditionary Units, Stryker Battalion

The Stryker Battalion Orbat is covered by a lot of material on the web but converting them to useable wargames units can be a little challenging if your not operating at 1:1 because of the mix of capability available in the Sub Unit. The Stryker Battalion and Brigade Combat Team are a couple of my favourite Units from a number perspectives:

• The vehicles look great.
• The number of variants provides a bit of a modelling challenge.
• The Organisation is interesting and quite different to anything else.
• The intended use as a Mid-weight follow on force to early entry forces offers interesting scenarios and task org, in conjunction with USMC, Airborne and Heavy Weight Forces.
• The Rising effectiveness of the digitised Mid-weight force against traditional Heavy weight forces is an interesting area to explore in the context of the Air/Land Air/Sea and Littoral Manoeuvre war-fighting doctrines that have emerged since the end of the Cold War.
• The use of Expeditionary Forces in the Pacific and Africa.

Organisationally I believe the US Army has been imaginative in composing the Brigade and the Battalion, I think you would have to go back to world war 2 and German Reconnaissance units to see such structures in a single unit. The mix of capability integral to the unit and subunit when used in conjunction with US Air, Aviation and the Brigades RISTA and Anti Armour capability creates a very credible mid weight force for rapid deployment and intervention operations.

The evolving US Maritime deployment concepts that include the new high speed Spearhead Class HSVs makes Rapid deployment and Littoral manoeuvre far mor credible particularly around the Pacific and Africa.

Capable of carrying a Company and their vehicles the HSVs offer a Sea Landing alternative to current Air Landing capability into:

• Low capability third world ports.
• Over secured beaches
• On to floating docks as operated by the MPSRONS

All this allows a potent Mid Weight follow on force to rapidly support the early entry USMC and US Airborne elements. The numbers procured would probably allow up to 2 Stryker Brigade Combat Teams to manoeuvre in a Littoral environment. USPACOMS 25 Infantry Division is composed of 2 SBCT, 1 Light Infantry Brigade, 1 Parachute Infantry Brigade and 1 Aviation Brigade, making for an interesting expeditionary configuration.

The SBCT's Combat elements include 3 Stryker Battalions, a Cavelry Squadron (Recceconaisance Battalion) an Artillery Battalion equipped with the M777A2 towed 155mm gun and an Anti Tank Company. the RISTA Squadron being the component that builds UAVs in with 3 Troops equipped with Stryker Reconaisance variants and MGS.

The top level Orbat of the Stryker battalion with 3 Infantry Companies, a Morter Platoon and a headquarter s looks less than inspiring but it's when you look into the Infantry Company that it gets interesting.

Each of the battalions 3 sub units are composed of 3 Infantry Platoons a Weapons Platoon and an HQ.

whilst not a task organised unit it is composed to fight within the context of its basic organisation with organic direct and indirect fire support including a Fire Support Team, Snipers and Weapons Squads within the platoons equipped with M240s.

However you scale your vehicles in your Wargames orbits and I have variously used 1:5 or 1:3 in Rapid fire type games, you need the mix of capability in these subunits to come through. USMC Light Armoured Battalions and Companies pose similar challenges and are probably derived from the same wheeled experimental units from the 80s and 90s.

I originally organised my Stryker units at 1:5 and try to keep to the general approach of 1 APC or truck per infantry company, although given the importance of the firepower deployed on Modern APCs find that I increasingly have to bend this rule. The conundrum with the Stryker battalion comes in trying to generate a representation of the company with a limited number of vehicles. I decided to look at the problem from a battalion perspective. effectively the Battalion deploys:

• 9 MGS
• 10 Morters, 6 In Companies 4 in Morter Platoon
• 4 Fire Support Teams?
• 4 Recce Vehicles
• 42 + Lots of APCs

@ 1:5

With that in mind I designed the Companies to have two vehicles 1 APC, and either an MGS or a Morter vehicle . The Morter and Recce Platoons to have a Vehicle each and Bn HQ to be a command variant and a HMMWV. Each company then has, an M240 Team, Javalin, Sniper and a few rifle men and SAW Gunners for a total of around 9 Figures.

@ 1:3

It's a lot easier, each Company gets an MGS a Morter and an APC, with the remainder of the Battalion being as Before.

In addition to the Battalions organic assets I have also Produced a GW Stryker, attached from the Brigade Anti Armour Patoon. And represent a UAV from the Cav Squadron. Although I may increase the Cavelry representation to bulk out the Recce element a bit.

References:

The Brigade: A History, Its Organisation and Employment in the US Army

FM-3-21.31 The Stryker Brigade Combat Team

FM 3-20.96 (Cavalry Squadron – RSTA, dated December 2002)

FM 3-21.9 (SBCT Infantry Rifle Platoon & Squad, dated December 2002)

FM 3-21.11 (SBCT Infantry Rifle Company, dated January 2003)FM 3-21.21 (SBCT Infantry Battalion, dated April 2003)

FM 3-21.31 (Stryker Brigade Combat Team, dated March 2003)

FM 3-21.92 (Tactical Employment of Anti-Armor Platoons & Companies, dated December 2002)

FM 3-34.221 (Engineer Operations – SBCT, dated January 2005)

Stryker Combat Vehicles (New Vanguard) @ Amazon

Posted with Blogsy

Equipment - PLA Infantry, Principal Weapon Systems

Before examining the orbat of PLA infantry units it is probably worth running through the weapons they deploy. I needed to do this to get the whole thing straight in my mind. The scale of the PLA like the Soviet army defeats instantaneous introduction of new equipment. Whilst the Class A units generally have the latest uniforms and equipment the Class B and Class C units are generally working with older equipment. Within the Class A units there is a concept of a Rapid Deployment Force element, I am assuming this has more to do with training standards but inevitably it probably has an impact in the initial period of system deployment. Equaly there is variability between light and heavy forces.

I have assumed that forces deployed in power projection will be Cass A and the Class B and C units are more likly to be used for home defence or less complex opperations such as power projection over land boundaries. Whilst there is a considerable amount of information on line, there is no one source that really covers the breadth of Infantry equipments across Small Arms, Anti Tank, Anti Aircraft, Mortars, Machine Guns and Grenade Launchers.

Inevitably the historic record of weapons the pace of recent development and the number of prototypes and export versions, together with factory, western and PLA designations creates a morass of confusion.  I have tried to confine this post to things one might reasonably expect to encounter.

Of the references consulted Sino Defence is probably the best of the English language resources and Military Weapons of Japan's Neighbors is the best overal, with considerable detail on the weapons, their evolution and deployment, in addition the references used are quoted. Working with the google translation of the original Japanese is workable. World Guns is very good for the Machine Guns.

Rifles, Carbines and Light Support Weapons

Type 81 Chinese designed variant of the AKM incorporating features of the AKM, SKS and Dragurnov sniper rifle. Deployed in 3 principal variants, Rifle, SAW and folding stock rifle all chambered to 7.62mm. the principal difference between this and the type 56 is the short stroke recoil mechanism that improved accuracy. principal PLA, small arms system from 1980 - 1995, now only found in lower readiness units.

Type 95 Replacement for the Type 81 first observed in 1997. The weapon system is a Bulpup design of 5.8mm calibre. In addition to the basic rifle QBZ 95 a carbine is produced QBZ95B and light support weapon QBB95 are also produced. The rifle and carbine are capable of being fitted with a 35mm UGL. An export version chambered to 5.56mm is also produced.

Type 03. The QBZ 03 series of small arms is a 5.8mm assault rifle designed to replace the Type 81 in units where personnel do not need to acheive the levels of proficiency requiered to effectively handle the QBZ 95 weapons and where the expense of the QBZ 95 is not warrented. As such it provides a platform that allows the Militia and elements of the reserves to get on to a common calibre and munition type with the rest of the PLA.

Sniper Rifles

In my euphoria at completing the mortar section I failed to realise I had not covered Sniper rifles, I have yet to work out exactly what fits where orbat wise.

QBU-88.  The QBU-88 is a sharp shooter weapon rather than a sniper rifle per se.  The weapon can fire either the standard 5.8mm round or the extended 5.8mm x 42 round.  The rifle is a semi-automatic gas operated weapon with an extended barrel and bipod.  Whilst equipped with Iron sites it is routinely used with either optical or night sites,

FY-JS.  The FY-JS 5.58mm bolt action sniper rifle is issued in relativly low numbers to units of the PAP and PLA.  I am a little unclear as to weather this is in service or not although it would appear to fill a gap and is rated with a higher accuracy than the QBU-88.

QBU-10   The QBU 10 is the PLAs anti materiel Sniper Rifle, whilst performance of the weapon and the round falls short of western capability it remains effective in this role.  According to Chinese literature it is effective to 1000m and is a gas operated semi automatic weapon of 12.7mm calibre.  The sighting unit provides a x8 optical, Night sight and Laser Range finder capability.

Medium Machine Gun/SAW

Type 67. The QJY 67 is a 7.62mm belt fed GPMG, it is capable of operation in the light or sustained fire role. I assume this will be used in units where the Type 81 small arms systems are still deployed as the SAW.

Type 88. the QJY 88 is a 5.8mm Belt Fed gas operated GPMG capable of being deployed in the light or sustained fire roles, more commonly deployed InThe SAW role it is unpopular due to weight and relative stopping power although firing a heavier round than the QBZ 95 family of weapons. Effective range is reported as 800-1000m. it is also capable of being deployed on vehicles and has been seen on a remote weapons mount.

Heavy Machine Guns

Type 77. Gas operated air cooled 12.7mm belt fed machine gun is a Chinese design incorporating elements of the Soviet DshK, Operated from either a tripod or vehicle mount. Still in service with lower readiness units. Will probably phase out as Reserve, Militia and auxiliary units equip with the QBZ03, one source quotes it as being out of service.

Type 89. The QJZ89 is a 12.7mm belt fed heavy machine gun generally deployed triopod mounted in the ground role. The Tripod can be used to mount the gun in either the high or low positions. The QJZ89 is also used deployed on a vehicle mount. It is used for fire support at Company and Battalion level.

Type 02. The QJG 02 14.5mm Heavy Machine Is an indigenous Chinese design currently only available on a low mount AA ground configuration, It is replacing the Type 58 that was primarily used in Chinese service as an AAMG on single, twin and quad mounts.

Grenade Launchers

Type 87. The QLZ87 is the PLAs automatic grenade launcher, it can be used in either the light role from a bipod mount or the sustained fire role from a tripod mount. The weapon fires 35mm Grenades to a range of 600m (light role) and (1750m Sustained Fire role)

Light Anti Tank Weapons.

Type 69/70. 40mm RPG reloadable Light anti tank weapon, it together with the Type 70 62mm rocket provide the LAW capability to the PLA through to the 1990. It is functionally similar to the soviet RPG 7. Probably still deployed to lower readiness units.

Type 89. The PF89 fire Arrow, is the standard squad anti tank weapon. it is an 80mm one shot disposable light anti tank weapon introduced into the PLA in the 1990s. Effective range is reported as 200m maximum range 400m. It has the following variants:

• PF89A was an upgrade with a range of 180m -1000m optimised against defended positions/concrete and light armour, this is probably a HEAT MP round with the longer ranges being achievable against soft skin and infantry targets primarily as it is a bursting weapon with a 25m damage radius.

• PF 89-1 and 2 introduced in 2002/3 included a therma-barick war head with a range of 25m-850m.

Medium Anti Tank Weapons

Type 65/78 82mm Recoiless Rifle still used in lower readiness units as the company level Anti Tank System. In light units it can form both the company and Battalion level anti armour system.  In service across the majority of infantry units until the 1990s

Type 75 100mm Recoiless Rifle usually deployed as a vehicle mounted system in a BJ212 jeep, it is variously reported as 105mm and 100mm, widely deployed, still in use with low readiness units as the Battalion level Anti Tank System. All the Recoilless Rifle systems have limited utility against modern armour but remain effective against light armour and Personel. Also used extensively with airborne forces

Type 98. The PF 98 120mm Rocket system is deployed with anti tank detachments at Company and Battalion level, it has largely replaced the Recoilless Rifles in higher readiness units.. It is used in two distinct configurations and has a variety of different warheads available.

• The system deployed at company level is a reload able launcher, hand controlled with a small forward bipod to assist controlling the weapon to fire the HEAT round to a maximum effective range of 400m.

• The battalion deployed system can be tripod mounted and includes computer assisted lay and a day night site. It can deploy the standard HEAT round against targets out to 800m and the Heat MP round out to 1800m. The weapon can also be mounted on the LYT 2021 combat buggy. The HEAT MP round is an anti Personel/structures/light round with optimised for fragmentation with a 25m burst effect radius.

Anti Tank Guided Weapons

Unusually the Chinese currently field multiple generations of ATGW across high readiness formations, with the older HJ-73 being deployed on IFV turrets and the HJ8 and HJ9 equipping AT units within formations. My current understanding is that the PF fire arrow systems are used at squad, company and Battalion level, whilst the Hong Jung Red Arrow systems are used at regimental level. it is currently not clear to me if guided missile systems are used in the Battalion AT platoons in mechanised units.  Number of sources report ATGW platoons in battalions, though the evidence is contradictory.

HJ-73 the proverbial suitcase sagger can be deployed as a vehicle mounted system primarily off the Type 85 and 86 IFVs.  Also used as a dismounted system.  considerably extended lifecycle through the HJ 73B and C which have improved guidance systems reported as SACLOS, range is reported as 1,000m - 3,000m however warhead performance has not been addressed which limits performance against modern armour.

HJ-8. The HJ8 missile system has been significantly upgraded over its lifetime. It can be ground mounted or deployed from a range of platforms. Weight precludes it from being described as truly man portable. The missile is a 120mm, Semi Automatic Command to Line of Sight System, available as single or Tandom warheads allowing penetration of 800mm and 1000mm of RHA repectivly out to a maximum range for later versions of 4000m (initially 3000m). It has been identified as being deployed on:

• Type 85 APC
• Type 92/90 APC
• Z9, Z10 and SA342L Gazelle
• Ground Mounted

HJ-9. The HJ9 missile system is available only as a vehicle deployed system. Currently mounted on either the WZ550 or NJ2046 high mobility truck. The missile is a 152mm Tandom warhead design capable of penetrating 1200mm of RHA equivalent out to 5,000m, The guidance system is described as SACLOS with a laser rather than a wire providing the transmission medium. The sighting system includes TI.  A number of sources have a ground mounted variant available which is described as being not easily re-deployable without a vehicle so somewhat like TOW.

Mortars

The chinese deploy quite a wide range of Light medium and heavy mortars,  because of time I was pretty much going to pick one from each type in order to illustrate the capability.

mortars include a 60-mm. hand-held system used by infantry and special forces. This is most probably deployed at platoon level.

Type 93 60-mm. f mortar weighs fires 20 rounds/min. to 5.5 km.  This is a light weight weapon and most likely found in Airborne and Light units.  Depending on unit structure this is probably used at company level.

I suspect that the 81/82 such as the W91 and W87 81-mm. mortars that fire to 8 km. and 5.6 km, respectively these weapons probably equip company level support elements in mechanised and armoured units

81Auto/100/120 range of mortars are most likely found at Battalion level or potential regimental level for certain airborne and light units. The PLA's version of Russia’s Vasiliyek 81-mm. automatic mortar, called the W99 or SM-4, which comes in a towed version or mounted in a Hummer-like vehicle. It fires four rounds in 2 sec. out to 6.2 km.

The Type 89 100mm Morter is used as a heavy battalion level mortar in units where weight is an issue, airborne mountain, light etc.  In mechanised units my understanding is that the 120mm mortar is more commonly deployed.

Mortar Carriers come from a variety of APCs here are the Type 89 which is used to mount 120mm and 82mm mortars and the Type 63.  Whilst the ZSL 92 has mortar variants its not clear if these are export only versions.

The W86 120-mm. towed mortar weighs 206 kg. and fires 20 rounds/min. to 4.7 km.

AAGM

HY-6 The designation of the main manpad is very confused, variously reported as HY-6 or FN-6, the Pinyin name is Hong Ying 6 which has a level of consistency. This is a SAM-7 looky liky, its a digital IR seeker capable of engagement from all angles out to 6,000m or a maximum altitude of 3,500m.  It is deployed within air-defence platoons at unit level.  Searching for imagery of something that translates as Red Tassel should not be done in front of small children.

I think that pretty much rounds it up, this has been quite hard work but a fairly solid view of what goes where.  If any one has any more information or photos particularly of things like Dismounted HJ9s I am always interested in improving the accuracy of whats written.

Updated:

09 March 2013 added Sniper Rifles and New 60mm Mortar images.

References:

China Defence Mash Up a good list no real information other than names and pictures, but it tells you what you are looking for.
Military Weapons of Japan's Neighbours, Chinese Army PF-98 Japanese site with some interesting detail not found elsewhere, working with the translations is difficult but worthwhile. This link references the Japanese language site.
PF 98 Sino Defence
Sino Defence Army good descriptions of most current crew served weapon systems, does not cover mortars, LAWS, GPMGS, incoming or outgoing systems.
Military Weapons of Japan's Neighbours Chinese Army
The Chinese Army Today, Tradition and Transformation for the 21st Centuary, DJ Blasko
Weapon Systems.Net

Related Posts:

Equipment - PLA Vehicles, Tanks

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