PLAN Exercises
Naval Training Methods
The PLA Navy uses three terms for training:
- Xunlian refers to training that occurs on a daily basis for individual training subjects
- Yanxi refers to an exercise
- Yanlian is a combination of the two terms above and usually refers to a training event by a unit that takes place during one or more days and incorporates several training subjects but is not at the scope of an exercise.
The PLAN organizes and conducts military training for naval personnel to gain naval knowledge, technical skills, and combat methods. Training is divided into theory and practical application. Theory training includes self-study, lectures, seminars, correspondence courses, and reports. Practical application occurs in a work environment to implement the theory. There are six types of training methods:
- Drills include the instruction, demonstration, and use of live weapons and equipment in a simulated combat situation.
- Practical application includes observation and hands-on use of equipment.
- Demonstrations occur after the officers and enlisted troops have a basic technical capability. These include deployment, battle, and support demonstrations by combining the individual skills learned up to that point. The goal is to become familiar with command and coordination functions, raise the skill level for weapons and equipment use, and train for combat support. Demonstrations can be divided into battle demonstrations and demonstrations for routine support.
- Exercises are the basic method for units to conduct actual combat training and include single-force, opposition-force, command and staff, combined-arms, joint, and live-munitions exercises.
- Live-weapons training includes: firing artillery; launching missiles, mines, and rockets; dropping depth charges; laying mines; and mine sweeping.
- At-sea training is conducted on single or multiple training subjects.
Exercise Plan
The exercise plan is the basis for organizing an exercise and guides its preparation and execution. The contents include the exercise tasks, goals, problems, participating forces, organization and leadership, exercise area, methods, start time and progression times, exercise phases and times, materials support, and safety measures.
Exercise Timing and Duration
The duration of an exercise is determined by the subject matter and scale as follows:
- A division- or brigade-scale maneuver exercise usually lasts about five days and nights
- A regiment-scale maneuver exercise lasts about three days and nights
Exercise Ratings
The General Staff Department assigns one of four performance ratings for exercises as follows:
- Grade 1 is excellent
- Grade 2 is good
- Grade 3 is pass
- Grade 4 is fail
Naval Exercise Goals
Naval exercises use scenarios to conduct unified training for campaigns and battles. The goals are to:
- Raise the capability for organizing and commanding during a real war
- Coordinate closely among all services and branches
- Evaluate weapons and equipment teaching materials
- Discuss combat methods
Naval Exercise Categories
Naval exercises are divided into the following seven categories and subcategories:
- Scale
- Strategic and campaign exercises
- Campaign exercises
- Tactical exercises
- The level targeted for training
- Unit training
- Command and staff exercises
- Organization form
- Single-force exercise
- Opposition-force exercise
- Organization level
- Single-level exercise
- Two-level exercise
- Multiple-level exercise
- The conditions
- Chart exercise
- Live-maneuver exercise
- Live-maneuver with live munitionsexercise
- Location
- Indoors exercise
- Field exercise
- In-port or on-shore exercise
- At-sea exercise
- Objective
- Inspection or evaluation exercise
- Demonstration exercise
- Trial exercise
- Research exercise
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