The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Tuesday launched its largest-ever tactical military exercise, involving the deployment of about 50,000 heavily-armored troops over thousands of miles to test the PLA's long-distance mobility.

According to the PLA General Staff Headquarters, in charge of organizing the exercise "Stride-2009," one army division from each of the military commands of Shenyang, Lanzhou, Jinan and Guangzhou, will participate in a series of live-fire drills lasting for two months.

Unlike previous annual tactical exercises, the army divisions and their air units will be deployed in unfamiliar areas far from their garrison training bases by civilian rail and air transport.

The division from northeast Shenyang Military Command will be transported to northwest Lanzhou Military Command. Troops from east Jinan Military Command and south Guangzhou Military Command will be exchanged.

In the unprecedented exercise, one of the PLA's major objectives will be to improve its capacity of long-range projection.

The General Staff Headquarters, which have been preparing for the exercise for three months, will coordinate with China's civilian airlines to use passenger and cargo flights to complement Air Force transport.

All heavy weapon systems, such as tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, will be carried by rail, and lightly armored troops deployed to Jinan Military Command will go by China Railway High-speed (CRH) trains traveling at up to 350 kilometers per hour.

Although the PLA's logistic capacities have been greatly improved, it still requires greater coordination and efforts for joint operations and long-range force projection.

Source:Xinhua