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

[SpicySichuan]

China depends on imported para-aramid fiber for 36.3% of its needs.

I am sure body armor is made from para-aramid fiber and not meta. Kevlar is para.

So just like China's dependence on imported chips, Chinese body armors still depend on imported Kevlar and other materials? If such dependence were the case, is this the reason why we don't see ordinary Chinese infantry with body armors?

 

[broadsword]

So just like China's dependence on imported chips, Chinese body armors still depend on imported Kevlar and other materials? If such dependence were the case, is this the reason why we don't see ordinary Chinese infantry with body armors?

We don't really know since China makes its own para-Aramid fibers as well. But I'd rather assume they use local made while the imported goes into goods like tires.

 

[Biscuits]

So just like China's dependence on imported chips, Chinese body armors still depend on imported Kevlar and other materials? If such dependence were the case, is this the reason why we don't see ordinary Chinese infantry with body armors?

What are you talking about??

The body armor market isn’t military only. A minority share like 30% most likely comes from private contractors who imported because of price concerns. The army itself is bound by law not to use anything not made by themselves unless approved by the government first.

Body armor is standard equipment. In situations where mobility is the greatest concern, soldiers might choose to drop pieces of it

 

[by78]

IR521 thermal binocular...

 

[yuxiaochen]

China has never produced kevlar, that's a western trade name for aramid fiber. PLA first introduced aramid fiber helmets in 1994 (QGF-02). For reference, France introduced theirs in 1992 and Canada in 1997.

I used to work for DuPont( the creator of Kevlar fiber) in China, when I was there, I had a chat with a co-worker working in the Kevlar department, he said there were some companies that produced aramid fiber on par with Kevlar.

 

[AZaz09dude]

Said to be the new pattern

 

[MwRYum]

Said to be the new pattern

Hmm...doesn't look digital, this one...blend multicam with Type 07 pattern?

Also...*sigh* high-vis insignia. Enemy snipers sent their "Thank-You" note for that one.

 

[Blitzo]

Hmm...doesn't look digital, this one...blend multicam with Type 07 pattern?

Also...*sigh* high-vis insignia. Enemy snipers sent their "Thank-You" note for that one.

Considering the uniform shows its of someone from the joint staff department I suspect they're probably not working in the field and more in office buildings where the threat of snipers is somewhat lower.

as important is that we know they've trialled low vis patches with at least one of the uniform sets that have been issued on a limited basis before so it's not like they're unaware of its relevance when appropriate

 

[by78]

Said to be the new pattern

A return to shoulder-mounted rank insignia? I find this somehow not very credible.

 

[TerraN_EmpirE]

Said to be the new pattern

About damn time.

Hmm...doesn't look digital, this one...blend multicam with Type 07 pattern?

Digital is a poor term as all modern camel age patterns are digital as they are enervated by a computer. Pixilated is a better term.
The standard type 07 pattern set is based directly off the early generation patterns adopted by the US and Canada based off what could be called gen 3 pixilated pattern... you know what I’ll just quote myself.

The Start of this seems to date back to 2003 when the PLA experimented by Cloning USMC MARPAT. woodland.
Now MARPAT is it's self a modification and a Clone of CADPAT which is Canada's camouflage pattern dating back to 1996. CADPAT is based on Work done by the US Army back in the 70's with Dual-Tex which is the forerunner of all the modern Pixilated patterns although as far back as World war 2 there were pixelated patterns trailed and issued by the USSR. Dual-Tex proved that that still worked in the West and caused others to take notice. although it was little more then painted on with a Roller. The Canadans saw the data which showed a 50% improvement vs more traditional patterns in the 70's trails. The Canadians mated the pixels to the rise of the PC creating the Digital pattern, they then blended in the colors of there choice and created CADPAT. The Marines impressed by it took a rejected version modified it and created MARPAT. The Chinese did the same for MARPAT into type 03 and then more so into Type 07. The Same screen different settings.

MARPAT and CADPAT are Mono-patterns. It's a simple grid with 2 dominate colors and maybe a few secondaries. But it's only going to be a basic Grid that has been filled in. It's a more complex program.

After the Mono patterns other makers stepped in to expand things the next type was the Duo-pattern this is more seen in use commercially with patterns like Pen cott And Hyperstealth.
They changed from the basic grid to a more complex form by using a Micro pattern ( very busy lots of detail) and Macro pattern ( empty space) and by having some Bluring and blending of colors and shapes. They also change Orientation or the way the pattern is spaced either Vertically or horizontally. using these alteration Changing of color can result in a more efficient camouflage. Some makers have have produced catalogs of patterns for commercial use or government licencing based on the same screens with altered values of colors, micro to macro values and orientation.
updating such values into the Type 07 colorways as well as adding a Multicam based color set variation would I think be a smart move for a Future PLA

And that bottom line if this is the real deal seems to be what we see above. Adoption of a macro and micro pattern blended in the type 07 color way.

A return to shoulder-mounted rank insignia? I find this somehow not very credible.

I kinda do. Because if we track back to last year we saw a ton of new patterns and types emerge. What it seem to me to be happening is a Prototype spin up. We are I suspect witnessing the PLA wear testing new prototype uniforms by units. We saw the same thing for a period before launch of the type 07 standardized. Where from 03-06 it seemed like they had new uniforms coming out of the wood work. The Same thing was done by the US army before the ACU and OCP.
Basically the PLA uniform board is looking around and saying “Type 07 was Okay but it’s now 12 years old. Time to update ideas people.” So you have ACU clones like the ones in Blitzo’s post. You have Multiclone, AOR Desert clones and now this. Each one is trying not just different patterns but different styles. Some may want to return shoulder ensignia others may want chest or collar. It could be that this form of uniform is only meant for some types of wear.
The US today has basically a uniform for the Garrison and one for the field. The garrison set is more traditional BDU style well the field uniform is designed to be optimized for wear with body armor. Well shoulder ensignia are fine for traditional BDU garrison duties.