Trans-MACs drills of PLA air defense force kick off

The "Firepower - 2014 Zhengzhou" command-and-confrontation drill of the air defense force was conducted at the Air Defense Force College of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Zhengzhou on the morning of June 25, 2014, unveiling the trans-MACs drills of the air defense force of the PLA Army that will last for three months in six consecutive rounds.

The "Red Army" made up of an air defense brigade of the PLA Lanzhou Military Area Command (MAC) and the "Blue Army" made up of the teachers and cadets of the PLA Air Defense Force College conducted the command-and-confrontation drill centering on reconnaissance and anti-reconnaissance, interference and anti-interference, strike and anti-strike, etc.

It is the first time for the PLA to conduct trans-MACs drill of air defense force based on a military academy, according to Zhao Tianxiang, chief director of the drills.

A command-and-confrontation drill by one air defense brigade, four tactical drills in unfamiliar environments by four air defense brigades, and a land-to-air confrontation drill by one air defense brigade will be successively conducted in three months.

Five air defense brigades from the Chengdu MAC, Shenyang MAC and Nanjing MAC will then conduct trans-regional tactical drills in Northwest China, North China and East China by maneuvering for thousands of kilometers.

The state-of-the-art equipment of the air defense force of the PLA Army will be unveiled in the drills, according to resources.