HOW THEY FIGHT SERIES
(U) CHINA: PLAA COMBINED-ARMS BRIGADE’S OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS
(U) This infographic describes and depicts PLA Army (PLAA) Combined Arms-Brigade (CA-BDE) Offensive Operations. The PLAA considers offense to be the decisive form of warfare and uses a combination of information warfare, deception,
firepower, and maneuver to swiftly destroy an opponent during offensive operations. The PLAA seeks to offset U.S. and its allies’ capabilities through the integration of long-range weapons with precision guided munitions (PGM), electronic warfare (EW)
systems, and Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) sensors and information to support their offensive strategy.
(U) The PLAA’s offensive strategy is based on the concept of system warfare. System warfare emphasizes identifying critical or vulnerable system components, then targeting these vulnerabilities to degrade or destroy the effective use of larger systems they
belong to. At the tactical level, system warfare focuses on high-value battlefield systems such as radars, command and communication nodes, field artillery and air defense systems, and it can include select armored vehicles and critical logistics systems.
(U) PLAA COMBINED ARMS BRIGADE (U) ENVELOPMENT (U) PENETRATION (U) FIREPOWER ATTACK (U) PLAA CA-BDE OFFENSIVE ZONES
X
Medium CA-BDE
5,000 x Troops
II
30 x IFVs The Reserve zone
14 x 105-mm assault guns typically includes depth
6-9 x rapid-fire 120-mm attack groups, command
mortars/MANPADS/Crew-served wpns groups, firepower
II groups, and forward
18-27 x 122/155-mm Self-propelled Gun logistics bases. It also
9 x 122-mm Rocket Artillery serves as a defensive
9 x ATGM (U) Two primary envelopment methods are (U) Penetration operations use a mobile or (U) A firepower attack uses massed bastion against enemy
II used by the PLAA: simple envelopment and fast-moving element to defeat an enemy line firepower capabilities including field artillery, counterattacks.
18 x SPAAG complex envelopment—both of which occur of defense and continues to press forward ballistic or cruise missiles, air attack, anti-air
8 x SHORAD on enemy flanks. into the enemy’s rear area. attack, network attack, electromagnetic
1-2 x Radar Systems attack, and direct fire.
(U) CA-BDE OFFENSE HVT .
II
The Garrison zone
12-20 x light armored vehicles (U) PHL-81 122MM SP-MRLS (U) AMBUSH (U) RAID consists of rear areas
2-3 x UAS not actively occupied
by the offensive group.
II Logistics, EW, and
Operational Support long-range artillery
OS (Signals/Engineers/CBRN) reside here. The
People’s Armed Police
II (PAP) may handle
Service Support security here.
SS (Logistics/Maintenance/Transport/Medical)
(U) CA-BDE OFFENSE TRAINING Typically located in the Reserve zone. (U) A raid is designed to strike and surprise The Deep area is beyond
(U) An ambush is an operation in which a The main offensive action takes place
~3.5km range armed with a high explosive unit deploys to a location in advance, then an unsuspecting using a hit-and-run the capabilities of PLAA in the Frontline zone. The entire zone
or steel fragmentation warheads. strikes the enemy from a concealed approach. maneuver unit’s sensors should be within range organic fire
position in a surprise attack. and weapons, Group support. The forward edge contains a
Army/Theater enablers are security zone where reconnaissance
required. and counter-recon occurs.
PLAA Soldier attacking a mockup of
Taiwan’s Presidential Building at (U) PLA offense defensive typically consists of four areas: deep area, frontline zone, reserve zone, and garrison zone.
Zhurihe Training Center.
(U) The PLAA recognizes six types of offensive operations: envelopment, penetration, firepower attack, ambush, raid, and pursuit. Pursuit is not depicted above but is described as an offensive tactic wherein a friendly formation maintains constant
contact with an enemy formation in retrograde.
(U) PLAA’s equivalent to U.S. Army missions are referred to as campaigns. Unlike Western theater-level operations that are generally objective-based, PLAA campaigns are mission-based. PLAA campaigns often involve other services and are jointly
coordinated by a theater command. The PLAA’s campaign approach suits its doctrine and philosophy—it is more prescriptive, centralized, and narrow in scope, and consequently it requires less freedom of action from subordinates.
(U) Offensive Groups are the PLAA operational elements responsible for fixing, assaulting, and annihilating enemy forces. Offensive groups are deployed in such a way as to ensure substantial numerical and firepower advantage. PLAA guidelines suggest
offensive groups seek a four-to-one advantage in maneuver forces, a five-to-one to seven-to-one advantage in artillery firepower, and three PLAA antitank systems for each anticipated enemy armor system.
References:
ATP 7-100.3 Chinese Tactics, August 2021 GTA 20-10-002 People’s Liberation Army “Ground Forces” Quick Reference Guide Red Diamond Volume 10, Issue 3 Worldwide Equipment Guide
