Source: PLA Daily

07-25-2007 18:32

"10 years ago, we were proud of the fact that on an average every three officers and men in the PLA had one telephone. Today, the PLA's communication modernization drive has developed so fast that it is impossible to adequately describe it by using figures from a single field!" said a leader of the Communication Department of the PLA General Staff Headquarters when he briefed the reporters on the great changes of the PLA's communication facilities.

These earth-shaking changes are underpinned by solid, sophisticated communication infrastructure of the PLA. At present, the PLA has successively built and put into operation internationally advanced digital communication, scatter communication, optical fiber communication, and mobile communication as well as satellite communication equipment, and digital and intelligent communication equipment have increasingly become the mainstream communication equipment of the PLA.

Along with the command automation system embracing the whole PLA with computers as its main body, the PLA signal troops have involved in many military actions from beginning to end, such as military exercises, combats, duty-performance, emergency rescue and disaster relief operations, with its functions infiltrating into every aspect and every link of the modernization drive of the PLA.

The rapid informationization of communication system has also brought about a series of significant new changes to the PLA. With the improvement of functions of strategic communication network and field tactical communication network, the command structure of the PLA has gradually become "flatter", making it possible for the supreme command to exercise direct command over the fighting units and weapon systems; along with the change of modern communication network from being scattered to integrated, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the Second Artillery Force of the PLA have embarked on an "information expressway", laying a solid foundation for the integrated joint command of the PLA.

 

Editor:Chen Ge