At a recent exercise, a brigade of the Jinan Military Area Command changed the former coordinated drill mode for its elements and organized the officers and men of these elements to conduct battle formation practice in vast complex terrain conditions. As a result, the coordinated combat capability of the troops under various complex terrain conditions, such as mountainous areas, sea beaches and islands, villages and town streets, were greatly boosted.

　　The brigade commanders realized when they analyzed the characteristics of the future war that the artillery elements not only needed the close cooperation of specialized arms, such as signal communication element and reconnaissance element if it wanted to accomplish its tasks smoothly. In addition, it had to build up the capability of quick occupation of position, quick strike and quick withdrawal. Thus, the brigade led its troops to unfamiliar areas, such as deep in the mountain, jungles and coastal regions to conduct coordinated drills. In the drill, brigade also set all kinds of complex situation close to real combat in light of annual drill task and based on the demand of training outline. According to the task it shouldered and the terrain and environmental conditions, the brigade organized elements to practice quick reconnaissance, communications support, position protection, joint defense and rush repair of damaged vehicles and artilleries, and provided first aid to the wounded so as to check in a comprehensive way the combat capabilities and quick reaction ability of the elements.

　　During the coverage, the reporter saw the elements engaged in fighting practice training during the movement: artillery element was quick to occupy the positions and the accuracy of its fire power was greatly enhanced; the repair element was able to accomplish its repair mission timely; the communication element was able to transmit the orders timely, correctly and efficiently. In a word, the overall coordinated combat capability of various elements of the brigade under complex conditions have been greatly upgraded.

　　By Wang Huigang and Jia Yu

　　(November 3, PLA Daily)