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Since 1990s, the PLA logistic supply departments improved the first and second generation military rations.
In addition to the personal combat rations, collective food was also developed for a squad or an element.
Besides the simple compressed biscuits together with cans and hot pickled mustard tuber, the self-heating food, namely food equipped with a heater, also appeared in the PLA's food menu.
If water was available, the sealed rice and noodles could be heated, marking that the age of PLA's individual combat rations with only compressed biscuits had gone.
Currently, the PLA have formed four main categories of military rations, namely field operation food, long voyage food, lifesaving food and general food.
The field operation food is the so-called field ration. After the No. 90 compressed solid food, the No. 05 and No. 09 single solder instant foods were successively developed for PLA troops in the 21st century, which contain some additives according to different taste requirements.
The long voyage food is classified into long flight food for air-force personnel and long ocean navigation food for naval personnel on surface warships and in submarines.
The long flight food is for pilots with a long flight time (over three hours). The most prominent features of the long flight food for pilots are that it can be conveniently and quickly prepared and eaten by pilots with only one hand, and the sealed water bag with a straw for pilots' water drinking is adopted to avoid affecting pilots' flying.
During the long ocean navigation, the naval members are apt to suffering serious illnesses including night blindness and sepsis if they cannot get vitamins supplement from vegetables in time. Therefore, the most important thing for long ocean navigation is to meet the military members' nutrition balance requirement.
The lifesaving food is mainly used by soldiers waiting for rescuing when in danger, which is mainly distributed to flight personnel and warship personnel. The lifesaving food features high concentration, light weight, high calories and tight package.
The general food is the strategic supply for troops in the period of supply difficulty. A large quantity of military cans and dehydrated vegetables belong to this category.
In addition, there are anti-radiation food for missile troops and nuclear submarine troops, and plateau anti-hypoxia food.
