Zhurihe Combined Tactic Training Base

Zhurihe Combined Tactic Training Base

Zhurihe Combined Tactic Training Base is a large People's Liberation Army training complex in Inner Mongolia, noted for high-intensity exercises and combined-arms maneuvers. It hosts major drills involving the PLA Ground Force, PLA Rocket Force, and PLA Air Force and has hosted international observers from Russia, Pakistan, and the United States. The base has been featured in state media during large-scale exercises and reforms tied to defense modernization.

History

Zhurihe began as a military training area in the 1950s during the tenure of leaders such as Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, expanded through the Cold War in the era of Sino-Soviet relations and the Korean War aftermath, and was developed further following the reforms of Deng Xiaoping. Reorganization in the 1990s reflected the influence of military thinkers like Chi Haotian and shifts associated with the People's Liberation Army Navy and Central Military Commission restructuring. In the 21st century, reform initiatives under Xi Jinping and doctrines influenced by analysts referencing United States Department of Defense assessments led to upgrades and the introduction of combined-arms training influenced by exercises similar to Vostok 2018 and Red Flag (exercise). Notable events at the base have been publicized alongside anniversaries of the People's Republic of China and during bilateral dialogues with delegations linked to Ministry of National Defense (PRC) and foreign counterparts.

Location and Facilities

Located in the Xilin Gol League of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the complex occupies an expanse comparable to major training areas such as Nellis Air Force Base training ranges and Grafenwoehr Training Area, with desert-steppe terrain used for maneuver warfare and live-fire exercises. Facilities include mock urban villages modeled on principles seen in Urban warfare training at Fort Irwin, combined-arms ranges comparable to those used by Russian Ground Forces, and integrated command centers reflecting doctrines promoted by the Central Military Commission. The base features airstrips utilized by assets from the People's Liberation Army Air Force, artillery ranges supporting systems analogous to Type 99 tank deployments, and ranges for elements of the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force akin to missile exercises observed by NATO analysts.

Organization and Training Activities

The training complex supports units from the PLA Ground Force, armored brigades reminiscent of formations operating ZTZ-99, mechanized infantry with equipment paralleling ZBD-04, and aviation elements flying types comparable to Chengdu J-10 and Shenyang J-11. Training activities emphasize combined-arms maneuver, live-fire coordination similar to scenarios in Strategic Support Force exercises, electronic warfare integration seen in studies involving United States Cyber Command, and logistical simulations referencing doctrines from People's Liberation Army Logistics reforms. Cadre from institutions such as the PLA National Defense University and academies tied to the People's Liberation Army Academy of Military Science conduct doctrinal experiments and war-gaming exercises comparable to those hosted by the NATO Allied Command Transformation and observed by delegations from militaries like Russia Armed Forces and Pakistan Armed Forces.

International Visits and Exercises

Zhurihe has hosted foreign delegations and observers from countries including Russia, Pakistan, and delegations tied to think tanks in the United States, mirroring patterns of military diplomacy seen in exercises like Peace Mission (CSTO exercises) and bilateral drills such as Druzhba. Visits have included embassy military attaches from nations represented at the United Nations and military delegations from regional partners such as Mongolia and Kazakhstan. The base has been showcased during high-profile national display events, attracting media coverage akin to that surrounding the Beijing Military Parade and joint exercises that evoke the scale of Exercise Shatok-style multinational engagements.

Strategic Significance and Role in PLA Modernization

Zhurihe functions as a proving ground for PLA modernization initiatives associated with reforms overseen by the Central Military Commission and directives from leadership figures such as Xi Jinping. It contributes to force transformation efforts emphasizing "informatized" and "intelligentized" warfare paralleling analyses by the RAND Corporation and doctrinal shifts compared against United States Army modernization programs. The base's role in testing combined-arms tactics and training rapid-reaction units impacts regional military balances involving neighbors like Japan and South Korea and figures in strategic assessments by organizations such as the International Institute for Strategic Studies and commentators in Jane's Defence Weekly. As China continues to professionalize forces and integrate advanced platforms similar to Type 15 tank and next-generation information systems, the training complex remains central to implementing reforms shaping the future capabilities of the People's Liberation Army.

Category:People's Liberation Army bases