Monday, October 18, 2021

Chinese Navy Practices Cross-Sea Troop Transport With Large Civilian Ferries

A combined arms brigade affiliated with the PLA 81st Group Army uses the Chinese Rejuvenation ferry to transport troops and vehicles, including Type 96 main battle tanks, in a military-civilian integrated, cross-sea troop maneuvering exercise in October 2021. Photo: Screenshot from CCTV  

Global Times: PLA practices cross-sea troop transport with large civilian ferry 

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) recently held an integrated military-civilian cross-sea troop maneuvering exercise using a large civilian ferry with a displacement of 45,000 tons, much larger than similar vessels used in previous practices. 

The move aimed to enhance the troops' transport efficiency in future battlefields, analysts said on Sunday. 

More than 1,000 personnel and vehicles traveled more than 1,000 kilometers at sea on the Chinese Rejuvenation ferry in the drill organized by a combined arms brigade affiliated with the PLA 81st Group Army, state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Friday.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: It was earlier this year that China started to explore how to use its civilian ferries to transport an army (see below):  

Chinese Navy Using Commercial Car Ferries to Launch Amphibious Landing Craft -- USNI News 

China reportedly converted civilian ferries for amphibious assault operations -- Defense News  

China's Navy is Exploring Ways to Use Ferries for Military Landings -- Maritime Executive 

Chinese Navy Practices Cross-Sea Troop Transport with Asia’s Largest Ro-Ro Passenger Ship -- Defense World  

China Converts Car Ferries For Amphibious Assault (Forbes)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is unwise to take this as a bluff. Taiwan will either cave or be invaded.

Nicolas Darkwater said...

Interesting, but it takes a lot more than just a ship to effect an amphibious assault.

Caecus said...

it wouldn't take part in an amphibious assault. dedicated landing craft are used for the initial waves of the assault, but once a beach head is secured larger ships are used to deliver greater amounts of troops and vehicles, and carry away wounded.

converted cruise liners and transport ships were also involved on and after D-day in WII

Jac said...

It is a quick solution but really fragile in our time.