China's Artillery Force: Capabilities, Challenges, and Future Prospects

The Rise of China's Artillery Force

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) claims to have the world's largest artillery force, with open-source intelligence estimating their arsenal at around 9,500 cannons. But how capable is this hardware, how well-trained are their soldiers, and what does this mean for China's military power?

According to a 2019 report by the United States Defense Intelligence Agency, artillery is key to understanding the entire PLA Ground Force. This is because over one-third of their entire military is based around artillery, making it a critical component of China's military strategy.

Historical Development

When the PLA was first established in 1927, its artillery capabilities were limited. They primarily used mountain guns or "packers" that could be disassembled for easier transport over mountainous terrain. However, this provided minimal firepower.

After World War II, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) issued a directive to soldiers and citizens to collect shells left behind by the Japanese Army. This grassroots campaign resulted in the collection of 700 artillery pieces and 500,000 artillery shells.

During their second civil war with the Kuomintang, the CCP captured more artillery, resulting in an eclectic mix of Japanese, German, and American hardware. By this point, they had become adept at using various types of artillery systems.

Establishment of the Artillery Branch

In August 1950, the PLA officially established its separate artillery branch. The following year, Mao Zedong wrote an inscription for them stating, "Strive to build the powerful people's artillery." This marked the beginning of a focused effort to develop China's artillery capabilities.

Soviet Influence and Domestic Production

China began developing its own domestic cannon production with assistance from the Soviet Union. This collaboration led to the licensed production of Soviet howitzers like the M46, D20, and D30.

A declassified CIA document reveals that in 1949, over 1,000 Soviet and other foreign engineers aided in the production of munitions in China. This technical assistance was instrumental in building up the capacity of the industry. The document outlines in detail the exact location and capacity of 12 major and 58 minor production facilities in China for artillery munitions.

Beyond hardware, China also adopted Soviet artillery doctrine, tactics, and strategy. Unlike Western powers, China and the Soviet Union didn't favor air power, making artillery their primary source of firepower.

Caliber Adoption

Initially, the PLA adopted Soviet 122mm and 152mm calibers for most of their gun-tubed artillery during the Cold War. This standardization allowed for easier production and logistics.

Artillery in Conflict

Korean War

During the Korean War, China's artillery assets were still limited. According to Mark Clodfelter of the National War College, in just the last three months of 1952, US and UN forces fired 3.5 million field gun shells, while the Communists fired 370,000 - a more than 12-to-1 disadvantage in firepower. This vulnerability prompted China to double down on cannon production after the war.

Vietnam War

By the 1970s, China's artillery industry had grown exponentially. During the Vietnam War, they had the means to donate 2 million shells and 64,500 artillery pieces to North Vietnam. However, this would later backfire when China attempted to invade Vietnam in 1979, facing their own weapons.

Sino-Vietnamese War

The poor performance of PLA ground forces in the Sino-Vietnamese War of 1979 spurred major modernization efforts in the PLA artillery branch. This conflict highlighted the need for more advanced and effective artillery systems.

Modern Tactics and Doctrine

According to a 252-page study titled "Chinese Tactics" by the US Army, the PLA traditionally preferred to centralize fires to maximize the effects of mass. Broadly speaking, Chinese fire support missions are conducted by tube artillery units, while annihilation, suppression, and counterfire missions are conducted by rocket artillery units.

China heavily depends on rocket artillery, which differs somewhat from American artillery philosophy. There's a major focus on longer-range capabilities, out to 500 km. However, this article focuses primarily on tubed artillery capabilities.

Reforms and Western Influence

During the PLA's artillery reforms in the 1980s, they worked with Canadian defense engineer Gerald Bull to improve their artillery ammunition. This marked the first hint of a shift from Soviet to Western-inspired artillery doctrine, emphasizing precision and range.

China purchased extended range ammunition technology from Bull for thousands of dollars. This collaboration led to experimentation with switching from Soviet 152mm shells to the NATO standard 155mm round.

Shift to 155mm

In 2005, China made a significant move towards adopting the 155mm standard, revealing their new PLZ-05 in 2008. This shift aligned them more closely with Western artillery systems, potentially allowing for easier copying of Western dimensions and GPS precision ammunition.

The switch to 155mm doesn't necessarily indicate superiority over the Soviet 152mm - they're essentially the same for practical purposes. However, it does suggest a strategic decision to align more closely with Western artillery standards.

Long-Range Artillery Development

A unique tactical requirement for the PLA is the desire to create extremely long-range artillery pieces. This is primarily driven by the potential need to reach Taiwan's shores from the mainland, a distance of about 130 km or 81 miles.

While this range is typically beyond the capabilities of modern tubed artillery (usually the domain of rocket artillery), the PLA has been experimenting with giant tubed cannons. A publicly released contract, since deleted, indicated interest in testing 203mm (8-inch) artillery.

The contract specified requirements for firing an 85 kg (187 lb) projectile at 920 m/s. Interestingly, the project was overseen by the PLA Strategic Support Force, suggesting a potential effort to develop nuclear-capable artillery.

Potential Nuclear Capability

Historically, 203mm cannons have been used by Russia (2S7 Pion) and the United States (M110), both capable of launching tactical nuclear warheads. While unconfirmed, this development could indicate China's interest in tactical nuclear artillery capabilities.

Extended Range Munitions

There have been rumors about China's ability to hit targets at 100 km range with the WSB-35 munition. While unconfirmed, this would put their capabilities on par with the American ERCA prototype.

The WS-35 is a GPS-guided shell that China has had since 2012. It uses base bleed technology, which increases ranges by about 20-35% (and potentially up to 50% for some artillery systems). This technology works by expelling gas into a low-pressure area behind the shell to reduce base drag.

While there are theories about how China might have achieved such extended ranges, possibly by using smaller submunitions, there have been no official reports from China's military on the matter.

Autonomous and Digital Integration

In March 2024, China showcased their fully tracked autonomous artillery with the SH16. This system features an auto-loader that automatically loads shells, with the gunner responsible for firing. These systems are also working on new digital integration capabilities.

Like the United States, the PLA uses artillery reconnaissance vehicles to scout for and designate targets. However, one area where China (and Russia) seem to lag behind Western countries is in developing artillery systems that can shoot while on the move, a capability recently showcased by Germany with their RCH 155.

Current Artillery Inventory

Since 2010, the PLA has been phasing out their towed artillery in favor of more mobile wheeled artillery. According to the Military Balance report from 2023, the PLA has:

• 3,180 self-propelled guns
• 900 towed guns

The PLA currently has nine different models of self-propelled artillery: four tracked and five wheeled. However, a significant portion of their equipment (about two-thirds) still consists of obsolete 122mm cannons with a maximum range of around 18 km, less than the 30 km standard for 155mm cannons.

Towed Artillery

Despite the trend towards self-propelled systems, towed artillery may still have a place in modern warfare. Some experts argue that towed artillery positions, when properly dug in and protected, may have a better chance of surviving FPV drone hits and counter-battery fire.

Ammunition Production and Stockpiles

Unlike the United States, which publicly releases production numbers, China's artillery shell production capacity remains largely a mystery. Based on historical data and China's current manufacturing capabilities, it's estimated that Beijing might be able to produce over a million artillery shells per year.

China has become a global manufacturing powerhouse, producing 28% of global manufacturing output. With ample stockpiles of steel and nitrocellulose, they have the raw materials necessary for large-scale artillery ammunition production.

Regional Deployment

China's artillery is strategically deployed across different theater commands:

1. Eastern Theater: Equipped with amphibious artillery vehicles like the PLZ-07B and wheeled PCL-171, primarily for potential Taiwan operations.

2. Western Theater: Facing India, this region has many wheeled self-propelled vehicles suited for rough terrain. Towed artillery is also useful here as it can be airlifted into remote mountainous areas.

3. Northern Theater: Houses three artillery brigades, including the 78th, 79th, and 80th divisions.

Challenges and Future Prospects

While China's military is investing heavily in air and naval power, it still maintains an artillery-centric force structure. However, despite some top-tier units claiming impressive capabilities, a majority of China's artillery systems are older and less capable compared to their American counterparts.

Both China and the United States are currently in the process of revolutionizing their artillery capabilities. The next few years, leading up to 2030, will be crucial in determining how these developments play out.

Conclusion

China's artillery force has come a long way since its humble beginnings, evolving from a collection of disparate captured weapons to a vast, modernizing force. While it faces challenges in terms of outdated equipment and the need for further technological advancements, the sheer size of China's artillery force and its ongoing modernization efforts make it a significant factor in global military considerations.

As both China and the United States continue to invest in and develop their artillery capabilities, the balance of power in this domain remains dynamic. The coming years will be crucial in determining the effectiveness and relevance of artillery in modern warfare, particularly in the context of emerging technologies and changing geopolitical landscapes.

Ultimately, while China's artillery force is formidable in size, questions remain about its overall effectiveness, especially when compared to more technologically advanced Western systems. As military technology continues to evolve, China's ability to innovate and adapt its artillery force will be key to maintaining its position as a major military power.

Article created from: https://youtu.be/vbRxJ8NOPF0?feature=shared