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Amphibious Warfare Capabilities of the People's Liberation Army:
An Assessment on Recent Modernizations[1]

Despite a number of weaknesses, the PLA Amphibious forces do possess some fire support elements. Their updated and up-gunned Type 63A ALT's 105mm tank gun is fully stabilized and offers high hit probability even on the move, and can also fire a long range ATGM from its gun tube. Like other tanks of the world, they will have a hard time spotting ATGM teams hiding in fortified positions but are still valuable.

The PLA has also experimented with armed civilian cargo ships to provide shore party fire and PGM support. For more information, see Capt Stephen Miles’s PLA Experimentation with armed cargo ships [9].

The PLA might gain a new organic indirect fire weapon, the new Type 89 Self Propelled (SP) 122mm Howitzer. It has been observed on at least one occasion with large floats outboard of the tracks and attached at the top of the hull. Those floats are likely to increase the freeboard of the howitzer and increase its capability to swim. Virtually any waves would likely swamp the Type 89 not fitted with this enhancement, especially if the howitzer were carrying a full combat load of ammunition. It is not known if the howitzer observed was an experiment, or if it's part of the standard equipment for the Type-89.

PLA researchers call for self-propelled instead of the towed artillery during an amphibious operation. [10] Towed artillery require too much beach real estate and too long of setup time to be used during the early phase of amphibious assault.

Once ashore with a beachhead established, the PLA fire support situation will be greatly improved. As the Russians calculated, a 120mm mortar round has about 75 percent of the effectiveness of a 152mm artillery HE round. Given the history of heavy mortar use, compact in size and man portable, it is likely that PLA will continue to employ mortars as their main indirect fire support in an amphibious operation on the beach and beyond.

Massive fires will be provided by divisional Type 89 122m rocket launchers, attached to LSTs or units detached from artillery brigades, but for close support regiments and the divisional elements will rely on the 122mm howitzers or 122mm mortars. NORINCO currently offers a wide range of ammunition for 122mm howitzer systems, including DPICM, base bleed ammunition to extend range, and advanced proximity and time fuses for high explosive, cargo and smoke ammunition. Laser guided projectiles such as Kitolov 2M made by KBP Tula of Russian would provide a high efficiency projectile that would significantly lower logistics requirements, a serious issue for amphibious forces that may have to operate for some time without resupply or reinforcement.

PLA assault infantry are much more heavily armed than just a few years ago. The old RPGs are slowly being replaced by PF-89 fuel air-explosive rocket launchers which are more suitable for urban or built-up area assaults. In addition, PF98 120mm Queen Bee type rocket launchers add considerable punch for the PLA infantry. Since PLA infantry is now transported by AAPC, they will have a greater range of ammunition and weapons available for them.

Given PLA’s weakness of fire support at sea, it is critical that the beach be secure for fire support in order to maintain the tempo of the operation.