Ladakh Flash Point

plawolf said:

significantly more efficient and effective than traditional methods, as that just allows you to gradually get used to the reducing oxygen levels without being able to do the intensive ‘sprint’ training of going out in actual full low oxygen conditions until you are at the deployment area itself.

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This is the part I have doubts about, would it really be more effecient than standard stepping up like they do during climbs?

silentlurker said:

This is the part I have doubts about, would it really be more effecient than standard stepping up like they do during climbs?

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It probably allows the soldiers to physically reach the frontlines a lot faster than the stepping up method. During the acclimation period the soldiers could familiarize with the weather and terrain.

siegecrossbow said:

It probably allows the soldiers to physically reach the frontlines a lot faster than the stepping up method. During the acclimation period the soldiers could familiarize with the weather and terrain.

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The Qinghai to Tibet train also provides oxygen enriched air supply to reduce the hazards brought by high attitude sickness (such as headaches, sleeping problem etc) . Such upgrade is no different from providing better protective equipment, food, shelter for the PLA soldiers etc.

silentlurker said:

This is the part I have doubts about, would it really be more effecient than standard stepping up like they do during climbs?

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With traditional stepping up, you are just literally going with the terrain, whereas with a controlled environment, you can scientifically tailor the oxygen reduction to be most efficient and effective.

Also with a controlled environment, you can literally step outside to expose the body to the low oxygen level conditions, which will shock the system into producing a rapid response. Again this can be scientifically tailored to produce maximum benefit while minimising risks as you can move back into the oxygen rich environment to let the body recover rather than staying in a low oxygen environment for prolonged periods, which is where the dangers of altitude sickness would start to kick in.

I watched a documentary on building Qinghai-Tibet railway. They had zero fatalities due to altitude sickness because they built extensive infrastructure for air pressure stabilization, iron lung, etc... for the construction workers along the entire railway as it was being built. Compare that to hundreds that died attempting to build a railway in 1960's due to altitude sickness.

China knows what it's doing.

silentlurker said:

would it really be more effecient than standard stepping up like they do during climbs?

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right... let's make entire infantry brigades do forced-marches for two weeks, because that's way more "efficient" lolz.

I didn't mean "stepping up" as in marches, I meant stepping up as in to go from lower altitude to higher altitude step by step, like how climbers do for mount everest

Those climbers travel in small groups, through small villages, which can support them.

We're talking about moving brigades dude...

You also have to ask, do they do that because it’s the best possible way or is it their only option? If there were pressurised oxygen cabins with a scientifically developed acclimation regiment available for Everest, how many climbers do you think would still bother with step up?

Mohsin77 said:

Those climbers travel in small groups, through small villages, which can support them.

We're talking about moving brigades dude...

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Also majority of the climbers have Sherpas that does majority of the work.