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Recently an airborne unit conducted an airdrop training exercise in northern Hubei Province. Many boxes of materials needed for logistics command, quartermaster, medical support, POL and military transport, field camping, etc. were safely airdropped to the designated airdrop area. Before long, the field command post, field hospital and field refueling station etc. were miraculously emerged from a dried-up flood-land.
Airborne troops are supposed to undertake the special tasks of capturing and holding key targets in the depth of enemy's defense. Thus necessitated by its unique operational pattern, its logistics equipment must be good in mobility and adaptability. In early 2003, under the guidance of the higher level, the related department of the PLA Air Force allocated a new generation of logistics support equipment to its airborne units in order to enable them to meet the needs of future high-tech wars. The reporter saw at an airdrop ground that the airborne battlefield command vehicles are rather small in size, but very good in mobility with high degree of automation. The logistics support command post can be swiftly set up right after airdropping; airborne water containers, multifunctional water purification vehicles, and refueling tankers and other special logistics support equipment have provided a strong logistics support to airborne units in terms of field survival, POL and other material supply; special binding and loading devices have solved the binding and loading problems for airdrop operation. With the availability of above-mentioned equipment, the transportation of personnel, collection of material and forward delivery of airborne troops have been greatly boosted.
By Gu Wei and Wang Heshan
(May 13, PLA Daily)
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