Infantry Combat Equipment (non-firearm): Vests, Body Armor, NVGs, etc.

[AZaz09dude]

Forget FPVs, their kit layout is already an explosive snag hazard lol. TBH, it does take a decent amount of force to pull out the pin but still, a very questionable practice.

Overall poorly laid out kit setup, toy red dots, Type-21 boots still in full use. When better options exist on the market inside China too, and for cheap. All signs of a deeply unserious fighting force. At best this is a hastily put together demo to convince higher ups that they are "taking lessons" from ongoing conflicts.

Yes, some of the most capable units the PLA has to offer (in terms of infantry skills) are physically located inside of the WTC. The one pictured is absolutely not one of them. That this is even noteworthy to others in a positive way shows just how rock bottom the standards are for the PLA right now. I know some may see these as lessons to be eventually learned by the PLA in a future fight, but at this rate and combined with their institutional culture of glorifying hardship and sacrifice, I doubt any significant change will occur in the short to medium term unless they sustain a politically humiliating number of casualties in that scenario.

 

[Blitzo]

Forget FPVs, their kit layout is already an explosive snag hazard lol. TBH, it does take a signifcant amount of force to pull out the pin but still, a very questionable practice.

Overall poorly laid out kit setup, toy red dots, Type-21 boots still in full use. When better options exist on the market inside China too, and for cheap. All signs of a deeply unserious fighting force. At best this is a hastily put together demo to convince higher ups that they are "taking lessons" from ongoing conflicts.

Yes, some of the most capable units the PLA has to offer (in terms of infantry skills) are physically located inside of the WTC. The one pictured is absolutely not one of them. That this is even noteworthy to others in a positive way shows just how rock bottom the standards are for the PLA right now. I know some may see these as lessons to be eventually learned by the PLA, but at this rate and combined with their institutional culture of glorifying hardship and sacrifice, I doubt any significant change will occur in the short to medium term unless they sustain a politically humiliating number of casualties in that scenario.

In many ways, infantry gear and training remains one of the final areas of overall PLA modernisation where vibes like self sacrifice and human spirit take excess precedence over the scientific prosecution of war.

In a way it is somewhat understandable why it's the last significant holdout, but even within the PLAGF domains like armour, artillery, logistics, and EW/ISR show a fairly good understanding of the direction of necessity. It is fortunate for the PLA that those are also the highest yield domains of ground warfare.

 

[LawLeadsToPeace]

Forget FPVs, their kit layout is already an explosive snag hazard lol. TBH, it does take a decent amount of force to pull out the pin but still, a very questionable practice.

Overall poorly laid out kit setup, toy red dots, Type-21 boots still in full use. When better options exist on the market inside China too, and for cheap. All signs of a deeply unserious fighting force. At best this is a hastily put together demo to convince higher ups that they are "taking lessons" from ongoing conflicts.

Yes, some of the most capable units the PLA has to offer (in terms of infantry skills) are physically located inside of the WTC. The one pictured is absolutely not one of them. That this is even noteworthy to others in a positive way shows just how rock bottom the standards are for the PLA right now. I know some may see these as lessons to be eventually learned by the PLA in a future fight, but at this rate and combined with their institutional culture of glorifying hardship and sacrifice, I doubt any significant change will occur in the short to medium term unless they sustain a politically humiliating number of casualties in that scenario.

I’d argue it’s in the positive direction despite these errors since it shows that they are testing their kits. Here in the US, there are infantry NCO’s who forbade their left handed soldiers from adjusting their gear to make it user friendly out of “uniformity”. If you analyze some of the images of Marine infantrymen, they are wearing slick helmets and a minimalist plate carrier when they are supposed to be carrying a sustainment loadout in the middle of a jungle. You’d be surprised how inept a chunk of the US’s NCO’s and officers are. Other NATO nations’ infantry are significantly worse. The PLA infantrymen in these photos are definitely trying and will most likely analyze and critique their kits.

Remember that some of the PLAGF infantry is starting to finally be allowed to adjust their kits to meet the demands of future conflicts. So, some mistakes will occur.

 

[AZaz09dude]

In many ways, infantry gear and training remains one of the final areas of overall PLA modernisation where vibes like self sacrifice and human spirit take excess precedence over the scientific prosecution of war.

In a way it is somewhat understandable why it's the last significant holdout, but even within the PLAGF domains like armour, artillery, logistics, and EW/ISR show a fairly good understanding of the direction of necessity. It is fortunate for the PLA that those are also the highest yield domains of ground warfare.

At the end of the day, it's just tragic to see. Majority of the current issues could be easily addressed in terms of material and without outrageous increases in spending. And yet, all these little things will add up and lives will be lost through events that are easily preventable, or at the very least mitigated. Many such cases in other forces and throughout history, obviously.

 

[Blitzo]

At the end of the day, it's just tragic to see. Majority of the current issues could be easily addressed in terms of material and without outrageous increases in spending. And yet, all these little things will add up and lives will be lost through events that are easily preventable, or at the very least mitigated. Many such cases in other forces and throughout history, obviously.

Ultimately I don't think it's a funding issue at this stage so much as a deficit in viewing infantry as high value; if they were seen as more valued in the same manner as say, fighter pilots were, with the same care to getting the right equipment (not even necessarily more expensive per se) and being fit out for it for each mission as a proper sortie, that would be closer to a more modern view of infantry.

 

[AndrewS]

In many ways, infantry gear and training remains one of the final areas of overall PLA modernisation where vibes like self sacrifice and human spirit take excess precedence over the scientific prosecution of war.

In a way it is somewhat understandable why it's the last significant holdout, but even within the PLAGF domains like armour, artillery, logistics, and EW/ISR show a fairly good understanding of the direction of necessity. It is fortunate for the PLA that those are also the highest yield domains of ground warfare.

I think what matters even more is FPV drones these days.

In Ukraine, they account for 70% of all casualties.
And self-targeting FPV drones are still to come.

 

[RoastGooseHKer]

Forget FPVs, their kit layout is already an explosive snag hazard lol. TBH, it does take a decent amount of force to pull out the pin but still, a very questionable practice.

Overall poorly laid out kit setup, toy red dots, Type-21 boots still in full use. When better options exist on the market inside China too, and for cheap. All signs of a deeply unserious fighting force. At best this is a hastily put together demo to convince higher ups that they are "taking lessons" from ongoing conflicts.

Yes, some of the most capable units the PLA has to offer (in terms of infantry skills) are physically located inside of the WTC. The one pictured is absolutely not one of them. That this is even noteworthy to others in a positive way shows just how rock bottom the standards are for the PLA right now. I know some may see these as lessons to be eventually learned by the PLA in a future fight, but at this rate and combined with their institutional culture of glorifying hardship and sacrifice, I doubt any significant change will occur in the short to medium term unless they sustain a politically humiliating number of casualties in that scenario.

Just tuck the pin back into the grenade pouch.

 

[totenchan]

Just tuck the pin back into the grenade pouch.

Those are practice grenades that might not fit well into the pouches. The ones that come with the vest are sized for popper style grenades.

 

[James Zhen]

Those are practice grenades that might not fit well into the pouches. The ones that come with the vest are sized for popper style grenades.

Not really, the standard grenade pouch from the 1224 series is a single size pouch with complaints about the awkward squeeze when fitted with the two frag grenades the PLA currently fields (82-2 and 161).

 

[Blitzo]

I think what matters even more is FPV drones these days.

In Ukraine, they account for 70% of all casualties.
And self-targeting FPV drones are still to come.

You really manage to ignore the whole point of a discussion don't you.