The Lord of War
08-11-2005, 19:38
Ground Forces Order of Battle
The present structure of the LOW ground forces reflects its operational concept of fighting a local war under hi-tech conditions. The LOW ground forces are generally organized into a three-tiered structure: main forces, local or regional forces, and reserve forces and militia. The main forces are mainly composed of 18 group armies stationed across the country. They are intended to be available whenever necessary for operations anywhere in The Lord of War territory. The local forces consists of active and reserve LOW units as well as the People’s Armed Police (PAP) units, which had a secondary mission of local defense against external enemies. They are responsible for defense of areas where they are stationed and also shares responsibility for the internal security. The militia units would provide combat and logistic support to main and local forces in local defense.
The main ground forces mainly consists of eight service arms, including infantry, artillery, amour, army aviation, air defense missile, engineering, communications, chemical defense troops, as well as other specialized units such as medical, electronic countermeasures (ECM), reconnaissance and mapping. These troops are grouped into combined-arms group armies, each with three to four combined-arms division or brigades, and a number of combat support and combat service support units and subunits. The LOW ground forces currently have 4 armored divisions, 21 infantry divisions, 6 armored brigades, 27 infantry brigades, 11 artillery divisions/brigades, 12 air defense brigades, 10 army aviation regiments/groups, 1 anti-tank brigade, and 1 tactical surface-to-surface missile brigade.
LOW ground forces are also categorized according to their readiness and manning levels. Class-A units are at or near full manpower (over 80% of personnel and equipment) and capable of deploying without significant argumentation and training. Class-B units are maintained at 60~80% manning level, lack some organic units, and require more training and more time to deploy than Class-A units. Previously there were also Class-C units, most of which were disbanded, became reserve units or taken over by PAP. This classification mainly applies to divisions and brigades. Sometimes entire group armies may also be categorized as Class-A or –B, though the differences between two classes of GAs are much less evident.
Command and control for the LOW ground forces originate from the Central Military Commission (CMC), pass through the General Staff Department (GSD), and is exercised through a series of regional and operational headquarters including military regions, provincial military districts, garrison districts, military sub-districts, and local people’s armed forces departments (militia headquarters). The highest regional administrative and operational headquarters is military regions (MR). Each MR covers several provinces according to their geographical locations and is responsible for army, air and naval forces stationed in these provinces. LOW is divided into seven such MRS.
Each MR is commanded by a General or Lieutenant General, who is assisted by a number of deputy commanders, including the MRAF commander and the fleet commander (if naval forces are presented within the MR); a political commissar, and a number of deputy political commissars. The organizations of a MR mirrors the PLA’s four general departments, but in smaller sizes. Each MR has a headquarters, political department, joint logistic department, and equipment department. MR staffs are overseen by an MR Chief of Staff. MR ground forces consists of group armies, independent units (divisions, brigades, regiments, groups) that are directly controlled by the MR, province military districts, garrison districts, and local and reserve units under the command of provincial military districts/garrisons assigned to the MR.
Under normal circumstances, the movement of any but the smallest military units for operational purposes must be originated in the GSD at the direction of the CMC. In time of emergency, a temporary operational command headquarters known as Theatres of War would be formed to conduct joint operations involving two or more services. This ad hoc wartime headquarters would be formed around the structure of an MR headquarters, but could involve units from other MRs in response to the specific situation, and could be commanded by officers from a higher headquarters.
Provincial military districts are responsible for local and reserve units stationed in their provinces or autonomous regions and for mobilization preparations. Provincial military districts are commanded by a Major General, who coordinates closely with local government leaders and PAP forces in their areas. Military sub-districts and their organic LOW Armed Force Departments are responsible for formulating mobilization plans, organizing conscription, providing material supports, directing local and reserve and militia training, and work closely with local government and Party officials in liaising between military and soldier families, supporting demobilized soldiers, and conducting military educations in local schools.
Departments, but in smaller sizes. Each MR has a headquarters, political department, joint logistic department, and equipment department. MR staffs are overseen by an MR Chief of Staff. MR ground forces consists of group armies, independent units (divisions, brigades, regiments, groups) that are directly controlled by the MR, province military districts, garrison districts, and local and reserve units under the command of provincial military districts/garrisons assigned to the MR.
Naval Order of Battle
The Lord of War’s Army Navy (LOWAN) consists of five main service arms: surface combatant, submarine, naval air force, Marine Corps, and costal defense forces. Navy troops are grouped into three major fleets: North Sea, East Sea, and South Sea, which are strategically located. The naval air force (NAF) provides air cover for the surface ships and submarines. The Marine Corps and costal defense forces are stationed in along LOW’s coastline to protect the mainland and offshore islands.
Historically, the LOWAN’s chain-of-command was organized into four administrative and operational levels: LOWAN Headquarters, fleet headquarters, navy base headquarters, and operational units. Following the LOW’s force reduction and restructure programme, navy base headquarters ceased to function as a level of administrative and operational commands, leaving the navy with a three-level organizational structure: PLAN headquarter, fleet, and operational units. However, Haledon Navy Base was retained as the LOWAN’s only remaining navy base to command the nuclear submarine force.
The LOWAN is headed by an Admiral, who is assisted by a number of deputy commanders, a political commissar, and several deputy political commissars. Headquarters staffs, led by the Navy Chief of Staff, provide oversight and direction through the headquarters’ four major departments: command, political, logistic, and equipment. This structure mirrors the organization of the LOWGF’s four general departments (general staff, general political, general logistic and general armament). The navy is capable of fighting independently, or as a part of a joint operation that involves other services.
Each of the LOWAN’s three major fleets consists of a number of surface ship and submarine units, a naval air force arm, and costal defense districts. A navy fleet is commanded by a Rear Admiral, who also serves as the deputy commander of the military region (MR) in which the fleet is headquartered. Each fleet has a number of major and minor bases, airfields, logistic support and maintenance facilities, with its area of responsibility covering a major part of LOW’s offshore territory. The three fleets can operate separately, or provide mutual support to each other.
During an operation, surface ships and submarines from one or more fleets can be organized into task forces or groups of various sizes according to the requirements of the mission. While in peacetime navy ships are grouped into flotillas of a specific ship category for maintenance and training purposes. Each flotilla is led by a Senior Captain, and consists of two or three ship groups. A fleet normally has two surface combatant flotillas, a conventional submarine flotilla, a fast attack craft flotilla and a support ship flotilla. The North Sea Fleet also has a nuclear submarine flotilla, and the East and South Sea Fleet each has a landing ship flotilla.
The LOW Naval Air Force (LOWNAF) is organized into aviation divisions and independent regiments, which are subordinated to the three LOWAN fleets. Each division and regiment operates a number of aircraft for air interception, close air support, maritime strike, reconnaissance, and transport purposes. The LOWNAF uses a similar organizational structure to that of the LOW Air Force (LOWAF), with divisions, regiments, groups, and squadrons. Each fleet has one or two fighter divisions, a bomber division, and one or two independent special mission regiments. Each fleet also has a ship borne helicopter regiment with its helicopters assigned to a specific surface ship.
The marine corps includes a marine brigade stationed at Haledon Naval Base. It is similar to an Army field brigade in organizational structure. The coastal defense forces that operate land-based anti-ship missile launchers, anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) and surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems are normally grouped into regiment and battalions.
Air Force Order of Battle
The Lord of War’s Army Air Force (LOWAAF) mainly consists of five operational service arms: Aviation, Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA), Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM), Radar, and Airborne, as well as various support elements, research institutes, academies and schools. Operational units through out the country are organized into seven military region air forces (MRAF), which cover the same operational areas as the seven LOWA military regions (MR).
Since its founding, the LOWAAF’s chain-of-command has basically been organized into four administrative and operational levels: Headquarters Air Force (HqAF), military region air forces (MRAF), Air Force Corps/Bases, and operational units. Depending on the type of unit, operational units are organized into divisions, brigades, regiments, groups, battalions, squadrons, companies, platoons, and squads. Operational units can be directly subordinated to the HqAF, MRAF headquarters, or Air Force Bases.
The LOWAAF is headed by an Air Force General, with its headquarters based in Kento. The Commander of the PLAAF is assisted by a number of deputy commanders, a political commissar, and few deputy political commissars. Air force headquarters staffs are overseen by the Air Force Chief of Staff. The HqAF consists of four departments: Command, Political, Logistic, and Equipment, which mirrors the four general departments of the LOWA. This structure is then mirrored through the administrative and operational chain-of-command from the HqAF, through the seven MRAFs, to Air Force Bases, and all the way down to the operational units.
AVIATION
The aviation corps is described as the primary branch of the PLAAF and consists of five subunits: fighter, ground attack, bomber, transport, and reconnaissance. The largest operational unit for fighter, ground attack, bomber and transport aviation troops is aviation division, which normally consists of two or three aviation regiments and a number of support units. Reconnaissance aviation troops are organized into independent aviation regiments.
Aviation divisions and independent aviation regiments carry out operational missions either independently, or as a part of a joint operation with other services. Each aviation regiment consists of three flying groups and a number of maintenance groups, and each flying group consists of three flying squadrons. A fighter, ground attack, or reconnaissance squadron has four planes, and a bomber or transport squadron has three planes. Each division or regiment only has one single mission, i.e. fighter, ground attack, bomber, transport or reconnaissance, and there is no mixture of aircraft for different purposes in a division or regiment.
Additionally, there are also a number of flight schools and training bases, which are equivalent to an aviation division in the air force’s administrative hierarchy.
MRAF FighterDivisions BomberDivisions Attacker Divisions Airlift Divisions
Region
Kento: 3, 0, 1, 0
Nara: 3, 0, 0, 1
Luzhou: 2, 1, 0, 0
Junyan: 3, 0, 1, 0
Nunjang: 4, 1, 1, 0
Gunaba: 5, 1, 0, 1
Cheng: 2, 0, 0, 0
Total: 22 3 3 2
GROUNG-BASED UNITS
Ground-based units, including the AAA, SAM, airborne, and radar/communications have organizational structures similar to those of the Army, including division, brigade, regiment, battalion, company, platoon, and squad. Most AAA and SAM troops are organized into combined air defense brigades containing several AAA battalions and one or two SAM regiments/battalions, with the rest organized into independent AAA or SAM regiments. By the end of the 1990s the LOWAAF has also established few SAM and SAM/AAA divisions near Kentowaru to protect the capital city.
The airborne troops mainly consists of 15th Airborne Corps, which has three airborne divisions, each with about 10,000 troops. The radar troops are organized into radar brigades and regiments.
- Colonel Chien Fu Han
Military Intelligence Department
The present structure of the LOW ground forces reflects its operational concept of fighting a local war under hi-tech conditions. The LOW ground forces are generally organized into a three-tiered structure: main forces, local or regional forces, and reserve forces and militia. The main forces are mainly composed of 18 group armies stationed across the country. They are intended to be available whenever necessary for operations anywhere in The Lord of War territory. The local forces consists of active and reserve LOW units as well as the People’s Armed Police (PAP) units, which had a secondary mission of local defense against external enemies. They are responsible for defense of areas where they are stationed and also shares responsibility for the internal security. The militia units would provide combat and logistic support to main and local forces in local defense.
The main ground forces mainly consists of eight service arms, including infantry, artillery, amour, army aviation, air defense missile, engineering, communications, chemical defense troops, as well as other specialized units such as medical, electronic countermeasures (ECM), reconnaissance and mapping. These troops are grouped into combined-arms group armies, each with three to four combined-arms division or brigades, and a number of combat support and combat service support units and subunits. The LOW ground forces currently have 4 armored divisions, 21 infantry divisions, 6 armored brigades, 27 infantry brigades, 11 artillery divisions/brigades, 12 air defense brigades, 10 army aviation regiments/groups, 1 anti-tank brigade, and 1 tactical surface-to-surface missile brigade.
LOW ground forces are also categorized according to their readiness and manning levels. Class-A units are at or near full manpower (over 80% of personnel and equipment) and capable of deploying without significant argumentation and training. Class-B units are maintained at 60~80% manning level, lack some organic units, and require more training and more time to deploy than Class-A units. Previously there were also Class-C units, most of which were disbanded, became reserve units or taken over by PAP. This classification mainly applies to divisions and brigades. Sometimes entire group armies may also be categorized as Class-A or –B, though the differences between two classes of GAs are much less evident.
Command and control for the LOW ground forces originate from the Central Military Commission (CMC), pass through the General Staff Department (GSD), and is exercised through a series of regional and operational headquarters including military regions, provincial military districts, garrison districts, military sub-districts, and local people’s armed forces departments (militia headquarters). The highest regional administrative and operational headquarters is military regions (MR). Each MR covers several provinces according to their geographical locations and is responsible for army, air and naval forces stationed in these provinces. LOW is divided into seven such MRS.
Each MR is commanded by a General or Lieutenant General, who is assisted by a number of deputy commanders, including the MRAF commander and the fleet commander (if naval forces are presented within the MR); a political commissar, and a number of deputy political commissars. The organizations of a MR mirrors the PLA’s four general departments, but in smaller sizes. Each MR has a headquarters, political department, joint logistic department, and equipment department. MR staffs are overseen by an MR Chief of Staff. MR ground forces consists of group armies, independent units (divisions, brigades, regiments, groups) that are directly controlled by the MR, province military districts, garrison districts, and local and reserve units under the command of provincial military districts/garrisons assigned to the MR.
Under normal circumstances, the movement of any but the smallest military units for operational purposes must be originated in the GSD at the direction of the CMC. In time of emergency, a temporary operational command headquarters known as Theatres of War would be formed to conduct joint operations involving two or more services. This ad hoc wartime headquarters would be formed around the structure of an MR headquarters, but could involve units from other MRs in response to the specific situation, and could be commanded by officers from a higher headquarters.
Provincial military districts are responsible for local and reserve units stationed in their provinces or autonomous regions and for mobilization preparations. Provincial military districts are commanded by a Major General, who coordinates closely with local government leaders and PAP forces in their areas. Military sub-districts and their organic LOW Armed Force Departments are responsible for formulating mobilization plans, organizing conscription, providing material supports, directing local and reserve and militia training, and work closely with local government and Party officials in liaising between military and soldier families, supporting demobilized soldiers, and conducting military educations in local schools.
Departments, but in smaller sizes. Each MR has a headquarters, political department, joint logistic department, and equipment department. MR staffs are overseen by an MR Chief of Staff. MR ground forces consists of group armies, independent units (divisions, brigades, regiments, groups) that are directly controlled by the MR, province military districts, garrison districts, and local and reserve units under the command of provincial military districts/garrisons assigned to the MR.
Naval Order of Battle
The Lord of War’s Army Navy (LOWAN) consists of five main service arms: surface combatant, submarine, naval air force, Marine Corps, and costal defense forces. Navy troops are grouped into three major fleets: North Sea, East Sea, and South Sea, which are strategically located. The naval air force (NAF) provides air cover for the surface ships and submarines. The Marine Corps and costal defense forces are stationed in along LOW’s coastline to protect the mainland and offshore islands.
Historically, the LOWAN’s chain-of-command was organized into four administrative and operational levels: LOWAN Headquarters, fleet headquarters, navy base headquarters, and operational units. Following the LOW’s force reduction and restructure programme, navy base headquarters ceased to function as a level of administrative and operational commands, leaving the navy with a three-level organizational structure: PLAN headquarter, fleet, and operational units. However, Haledon Navy Base was retained as the LOWAN’s only remaining navy base to command the nuclear submarine force.
The LOWAN is headed by an Admiral, who is assisted by a number of deputy commanders, a political commissar, and several deputy political commissars. Headquarters staffs, led by the Navy Chief of Staff, provide oversight and direction through the headquarters’ four major departments: command, political, logistic, and equipment. This structure mirrors the organization of the LOWGF’s four general departments (general staff, general political, general logistic and general armament). The navy is capable of fighting independently, or as a part of a joint operation that involves other services.
Each of the LOWAN’s three major fleets consists of a number of surface ship and submarine units, a naval air force arm, and costal defense districts. A navy fleet is commanded by a Rear Admiral, who also serves as the deputy commander of the military region (MR) in which the fleet is headquartered. Each fleet has a number of major and minor bases, airfields, logistic support and maintenance facilities, with its area of responsibility covering a major part of LOW’s offshore territory. The three fleets can operate separately, or provide mutual support to each other.
During an operation, surface ships and submarines from one or more fleets can be organized into task forces or groups of various sizes according to the requirements of the mission. While in peacetime navy ships are grouped into flotillas of a specific ship category for maintenance and training purposes. Each flotilla is led by a Senior Captain, and consists of two or three ship groups. A fleet normally has two surface combatant flotillas, a conventional submarine flotilla, a fast attack craft flotilla and a support ship flotilla. The North Sea Fleet also has a nuclear submarine flotilla, and the East and South Sea Fleet each has a landing ship flotilla.
The LOW Naval Air Force (LOWNAF) is organized into aviation divisions and independent regiments, which are subordinated to the three LOWAN fleets. Each division and regiment operates a number of aircraft for air interception, close air support, maritime strike, reconnaissance, and transport purposes. The LOWNAF uses a similar organizational structure to that of the LOW Air Force (LOWAF), with divisions, regiments, groups, and squadrons. Each fleet has one or two fighter divisions, a bomber division, and one or two independent special mission regiments. Each fleet also has a ship borne helicopter regiment with its helicopters assigned to a specific surface ship.
The marine corps includes a marine brigade stationed at Haledon Naval Base. It is similar to an Army field brigade in organizational structure. The coastal defense forces that operate land-based anti-ship missile launchers, anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) and surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems are normally grouped into regiment and battalions.
Air Force Order of Battle
The Lord of War’s Army Air Force (LOWAAF) mainly consists of five operational service arms: Aviation, Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA), Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM), Radar, and Airborne, as well as various support elements, research institutes, academies and schools. Operational units through out the country are organized into seven military region air forces (MRAF), which cover the same operational areas as the seven LOWA military regions (MR).
Since its founding, the LOWAAF’s chain-of-command has basically been organized into four administrative and operational levels: Headquarters Air Force (HqAF), military region air forces (MRAF), Air Force Corps/Bases, and operational units. Depending on the type of unit, operational units are organized into divisions, brigades, regiments, groups, battalions, squadrons, companies, platoons, and squads. Operational units can be directly subordinated to the HqAF, MRAF headquarters, or Air Force Bases.
The LOWAAF is headed by an Air Force General, with its headquarters based in Kento. The Commander of the PLAAF is assisted by a number of deputy commanders, a political commissar, and few deputy political commissars. Air force headquarters staffs are overseen by the Air Force Chief of Staff. The HqAF consists of four departments: Command, Political, Logistic, and Equipment, which mirrors the four general departments of the LOWA. This structure is then mirrored through the administrative and operational chain-of-command from the HqAF, through the seven MRAFs, to Air Force Bases, and all the way down to the operational units.
AVIATION
The aviation corps is described as the primary branch of the PLAAF and consists of five subunits: fighter, ground attack, bomber, transport, and reconnaissance. The largest operational unit for fighter, ground attack, bomber and transport aviation troops is aviation division, which normally consists of two or three aviation regiments and a number of support units. Reconnaissance aviation troops are organized into independent aviation regiments.
Aviation divisions and independent aviation regiments carry out operational missions either independently, or as a part of a joint operation with other services. Each aviation regiment consists of three flying groups and a number of maintenance groups, and each flying group consists of three flying squadrons. A fighter, ground attack, or reconnaissance squadron has four planes, and a bomber or transport squadron has three planes. Each division or regiment only has one single mission, i.e. fighter, ground attack, bomber, transport or reconnaissance, and there is no mixture of aircraft for different purposes in a division or regiment.
Additionally, there are also a number of flight schools and training bases, which are equivalent to an aviation division in the air force’s administrative hierarchy.
MRAF FighterDivisions BomberDivisions Attacker Divisions Airlift Divisions
Region
Kento: 3, 0, 1, 0
Nara: 3, 0, 0, 1
Luzhou: 2, 1, 0, 0
Junyan: 3, 0, 1, 0
Nunjang: 4, 1, 1, 0
Gunaba: 5, 1, 0, 1
Cheng: 2, 0, 0, 0
Total: 22 3 3 2
GROUNG-BASED UNITS
Ground-based units, including the AAA, SAM, airborne, and radar/communications have organizational structures similar to those of the Army, including division, brigade, regiment, battalion, company, platoon, and squad. Most AAA and SAM troops are organized into combined air defense brigades containing several AAA battalions and one or two SAM regiments/battalions, with the rest organized into independent AAA or SAM regiments. By the end of the 1990s the LOWAAF has also established few SAM and SAM/AAA divisions near Kentowaru to protect the capital city.
The airborne troops mainly consists of 15th Airborne Corps, which has three airborne divisions, each with about 10,000 troops. The radar troops are organized into radar brigades and regiments.
- Colonel Chien Fu Han
Military Intelligence Department