Amid Taiwan Possible Invasion. with ZBD-05 and ZTD-05 Vehicles Amid Taiwan Possible Invasion.
15 Jul, 2024 - 16:09
Recent reports suggest China is escalating its amphibious operations in preparation for a potential invasion of Taiwan. (Picture source: China MoD)
Recent reports indicate that China is intensifying its amphibious operations in preparation for a potential invasion of Taiwan. The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has been conducting large-scale amphibious drills, now including the use of civilian ferries to augment their military capabilities.
- This approach involves repurposing roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) ferries to transport a significant number of troops and vehicles, enhancing China's sealift capacity.
- These ferries have been observed practicing the launch of amphibious assault vehicles directly into the water, a new tactic compared to the previous requirement to secure ports first.
The naval capabilities of the Chinese armed forces, particularly the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), have been significantly enhanced to support large-scale amphibious operations.
China's naval force includes advanced amphibious assault ships, such as the Type 075 and the forthcoming Type 076. The Type 075 is one of the largest and most sophisticated amphibious assault ships in China's fleet, capable of carrying helicopters, troops, and landing craft, which are essential for executing large-scale amphibious assaults. The Type 076 is expected to further enhance these capabilities by supporting drone operations, providing additional tactical advantages.
- These units are organized into combined arms battalions, which include heavy, medium, and light battalions, as well as specialized units for air assault, artillery, air defense, reconnaissance, and combat support (Wikipedia).
Despite these advancements, there are still challenges to China's amphibious assault capabilities.
- Analysts point out that the number of shipborne helicopters is currently insufficient, and the hovercraft may face limitations in crossing the Taiwan Strait under combat conditions.
- Nevertheless, the innovative use of civilian ferries to augment military operations has significantly increased China's sealift capacity, allowing for the rapid transport of troops and equipment.
The ZBD-05 is a Chinese amphibious infantry fighting vehicle designed for rapid beach landings and supporting marine infantry during amphibious operations. (Picture source China MoD)
- This vehicle is specifically designed for rapid deployment from sea to land, providing both firepower and mobility to marine infantry units.
- One of the key features of the ZBD-05 is its exceptional amphibious capability. Equipped with high-speed water jets, it can travel at speeds up to 28 km/h on water, making it highly effective for beach landings and river crossings.
- This allows marine forces to swiftly transition from naval operations to ground combat.
- The vehicle features composite armor, which provides a robust defense against small arms fire and shell splinters.
- To ensure survivability in various combat environments, it is also equipped with a nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) protection system.
The ZTD-05 is a Chinese amphibious assault vehicle equipped with a 105mm gun, designed to support marine forces during beach landings and amphibious assaults. (Picture China MoD)
- This vehicle is specifically tailored for amphibious operations, providing strong firepower and mobility to support marine forces during beach landings and other amphibious assaults.
- The vehicle is equipped with a 105mm rifled gun, which is capable of firing a variety of ammunition types, including high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) rounds, high-explosive (HE) shells, and armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS) rounds.
- This main gun gives the ZTD-05 the capability to engage a wide range of targets, including armored vehicles, fortifications, and personnel.
- It is equipped with powerful water jets that enable it to travel at speeds of up to 28 km/h on water, allowing for rapid transitions from sea to land.
- This makes the ZTD-05 highly effective in amphibious assault scenarios, where speed and versatility are crucial.
- The vehicle also incorporates an NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) protection system, ensuring the crew's survivability in contaminated environments.
Crisis in the Taiwan Strait likely in 2024, experts say - in a new CSIS survey of 87 U.S. and Taiwanese experts, most said that China has the “capabilities to execute a law enforcement led-quarantine [or] a People’s Liberation Army (PLA)-led blockade of Taiwan”
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China Converts Car Ferries For Amphibious Assault
David Hambling Senior Contributor
I'm a South London-based technology journalist, consultant and author
China is adapting commercial car ferries into vessels capable of carrying and launching amphibious assault craft into the water. This will fill a crucial gap in China’s capability to carry out an invasion of Taiwan.
The program was turned up by a brilliant piece of open source intelligence by Conor Kennedy, who published his findings at the Jamestown Foundation’s global security website.
- This means it could potentially carry at least 50 amphibious vehicles, enough for an entire amphibious mechanized infantry battalion.
Taiwan is undoubtedly a hard target for an invasion. It only has about 14 beaches suitable for landings. Inland the terrain is rugged and extremely well-defended, including regular nationwide drills to practice fighting off invaders with tanks blending into the urban scenery. China has explored many possible avenues of attack, such as approaching from multiple directions at once, supported by a massive assault in cyberspace.
Clearly, much of China’s apparent determination to invade Taiwan may simply be posturing, and it plays well with the domestic political audience. Giant military exercises may be there more for PR than practicality. But quiet, pragmatic measures like adapting ferries look decidedly more threatening.
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