Tactical-Level Notional Operational System

Chinese Tactics > PART ONE: People’s Liberation Army Forces > Chapter 4: Tactical System Warfare > Tactical-Level Notional Operational System

 

4-61. This section describes one possible construction of a tactical-level operational system, also called a combat group. Since operational systems are, by definition, ad hoc and task oriented, there is not one single or correct way to assemble them. Each operational system is different due to battlefield characteristics, the nature of the enemy, and the preferences of the commander. This section is intended to demonstrate the building-block nature of the operational system and how a system of systems is created.

4-62. The example combat group is assembled by a group army, using a medium CA-BDE and a heavy CA-BDE as the two main force providers. The group army’s artillery, air defense, aviation, and special operations forces (SOF) brigades provide additional forces to the combat group. The group is assembled in order to conduct an attack against a fortified enemy. The group army command and staff build a single, coherent combat group, minimizing ad hoc or unnecessary reorganization and maintaining the cohesion of subordinate battalions wherever possible.

4-63. The force pool that the combat group is built from consists of all the organic units of the two CA-BDEs, plus augmentation from the group army. Available forces to build the combat group, with units in italics being reinforcements from the group army, include—

• Four medium CA-BNs.
• Four heavy CA-BNs.
• Two reconnaissance battalions.
• One unmanned aircraft system (UAS) reconnaissance section.
• One SOF company.
• One scout helicopter company.
• One UAS targeting section.
• Two artillery battalions.
• One heavy multiple rocket launcher (MRL) battery.
• One light MRL battery.
• One attack helicopter company.
• One medium lift helicopter company.
• Two air defense artillery battalions, consisting of three SPAAG batteries and one SHORAD battery each.
• One heavy SPAAG or missile battery.
• One medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) battery.
• One electronic air defense battery. 

(See figure 4-4 on page 4-14 for a graphic depiction of an operational system force pool.)

Figure 4-4. Operational system force pool (example)

4-64. The final combat group structure consists of— 

• Command group: reconnaissance and intelligence group. It includes— 
• One reconnaissance battalion. 
• One scout helicopter company.
• One UAS section (reconnaissance).
• Offensive group: advance group. It includes—  
• One reconnaissance battalion.  
• One SOF company. 
• Offensive group: frontline attack group. It includes—  
• Two mechanized CA-BNs.  
• One 122-mm self-propelled gun (SPG) battery.  
• One SPAAG battery.

(See figure 4-5 on page 4-15 for a graphic depiction of a frontline attack group.)

Figure 4-5. Frontline attack group (example)

• Offensive group: depth attack group. It includes— 
• Two armored CA-BNs.  
• One mechanized CA-BN.  
• One 122-mm SPG battery.
• One SPAAG battery.

(See figure 4-6 for a graphic depiction of a depth attack group.)

Figure 4-6. Depth attack group (example)

• Offensive group: thrust maneuvering group. It includes— 
• Two armored CA-BNs.  
• One 122-mm SPG battery.  
• One SPAAG battery. 

(See figure 4-7 on page 4-16 for a graphic depiction of a thrust maneuvering group.)

Figure 4-7. Thrust maneuvering group (example)

• Offensive group: reserve group. It includes— 
• One mechanized CA-BN.  
• One SPAAG battery.
• Firepower strike group: artillery group. It includes— 
• One 155-mm SPG battery.  
• One heavy MRL battery.  
• One light MRL battery.  
• One UAS section (targeting). 

(See figure 4-8 for a graphic depiction of an artillery group.) 

Figure 4-8. Artillery group (example)

 

• Firepower strike group: air group. It includes—
• One attack helicopter company.
• One medium lift helicopter company. 
• Firepower strike group: mobile artillery group. It includes two 155-mm SPG batteries.
• Firepower strike group: air defense group. It includes—  
• One medium-range surface-to-air missile battery.  
• Two SHORAD batteries.  
• Two SPAAG batteries.  
• One heavy SPAAG or missile battery.  
• One electronic air defense battery.