PART ONE: People’s Liberation Army Forces

Chinese Tactics > PART ONE: People’s Liberation Army Forces 

Part one describes the intellectual and philosophical framework of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), describes Chinese political objectives and strategy, provides an overview of PLA joint capabilities, and describes the PLA’s system warfare construct and unit structure in detail. The information in this section provides the theoretical structure necessary to fully understand the PLA’s tactical approach, and also provides detailed information necessary to create realistic variables as a part of building a Chinese threat model.

Chapter 1: People’s Liberation Army Fundamentals

• The Strategic Environment
• Chinese Political Objectives
• The New Chinese Grand Strategy
• Chinese Strategic Objectives
• Operational Environments
• The People’s Liberation Army—Overview
• PLA Principles—People’s War
• China’s Approach to Conflict
• Framework for PLA Operations
• PLA System Warfare

Chapter 2: PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY FORCE STRUCTURE

• China’s Security Apparatus
• Chinese National and Strategic-Level Organizations
• PLAA Operational-Level Organizations
• PLAA Tactical-Level Organizations

Chapter 3: PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY JOINT CAPABILITIES

• The People’s Liberation Army Air Force
• The People’s Liberation Army Navy
• The People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force
• The People’s Liberation Army Strategic Support Force

Chapter 4: TACTICAL SYSTEM WARFARE

• Tactical System Warfare Principles
• Planning and Organizing PLAA Operations
• Tactical System Warfare Methodology
• Tactical-Level Notional Operational System

Chapter 5: TACTICAL INFORMATION OPERATIONS

• Overview of PLA Information Operations
• Characteristics of Information Operations
• Principles of Information Operations
• Information Warfare Tactics
• Overview of PLA Psychological Warfare
• Characteristics of Psychological Warfare
• Principles of Psychological Warfare
• Psychological Warfare Tactics