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Liu Zhen

Beijing has reinforced its military firepower facing the Taiwan Strait by deploying more 155mm PLZ-05 self-propelled howitzers, according to state media reports.
Replacing its older 122mm artillery, a heavy combined-arms brigade under the People’s Liberation Army’s 71st Group Army has been equipped with a batch of the 155mm self-propelled howitzers over the past two months and conducted its first live-fire test of the weapons, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Sunday.
The 71st Group Army belongs to the Eastern Theatre Command, which has the main responsibility for operations facing Taiwan, the East China Sea and Japan.
This marked the first time the PLZ-05 had been assigned at the brigade level. The powerful artillery system was originally operated at the group-army level as a long-range suppression weapon.
“For us, receiving 155mm self-propelled howitzers for the first time has significantly improved our overall combat effectiveness,” brigade officer Sun Xialong said.




Painted in brown desert camouflage, the batch of tracked howitzers appeared to have been relocated from the Western Theatre Command, which has instead received lighter, wheeled PCL-181 155mm self-propelled howitzers better suited to the plateau and mountainous terrain it covers.
The PLZ-05 is equipped with an autoloader that enables a maximum rate of fire of eight to 10 rounds per minute, with the crew always staying inside.
It can fire advanced 155mm ammunition, including the BeiDou-guided WS-35, which has a maximum range of up to 100km (62 miles).
The 71st Group Army is considered a frontline unit that always maintains a high state of combat readiness for a Taiwan contingency.
In an amphibious assault scenario, the firepower of its 155mm artillery would be capable of effectively destroying coastal defensive fortifications and enemy firing positions.
Once landed, the tracked self-propelled vehicles would also provide off-road mobility and deliver suppression-fire support in depth.
While the PLA is modernising its artillery forces through increased deployment of PLZ-05 and PCL-181 howitzers, the US Army’s efforts to replace its ageing M109-series tracked 155mm self-propelled howitzers with a new generation of systems have faced repeated setbacks.
In the wheeled 155mm artillery category, the US Army in August awarded Hanwha Defence USA, a subsidiary of South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace, a US$100.3 million contract for six wheeled 155mm K9A2 Mobile Howitzers, with an option for 12 more systems that could bring the total contract value to US$262.9 million.
The PLA Navy has also been testing a 155mm naval gun aboard an experimental ship, which was seen going on trials at sea earlier this year.
If formally adopted and made compatible with the Chinese army’s existing 155mm ammunition, the weapon could streamline the PLA’s logistics and allow the Chinese navy to draw on the ground force’s established inventory of advanced 155mm munitions.
Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary.
Most countries, including the United States and Japan, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-ruled island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.


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Upgrade for Eastern Theatre Command’s 71st Group Army streamlines PLA’s firepower across land and sea as US artillery programmes lag


Upgrade for Eastern Theatre Command’s 71st Group Army streamlines PLA’s firepower across land and sea as US artillery programmes lag.


Beijing boosts Taiwan-facing firepower with brigade-level 155mm howitzer deployment

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Upgrade for Eastern Theatre Command’s 71st Group Army streamlines PLA’s firepower across land and sea as US artillery programmes lag

Upgrade for Eastern Theatre Command’s 71st Group Army streamlines PLA’s firepower across land and sea as US artillery programmes lag