Defense/Military - 3. page

Starting March 1, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) began issuing a new unified identity document — the “PLA Reserve Personnel Certificate” — following approval from the Central Military Commission.

According to China Central Television’s military channel, the new certificate serves as an official form of identification for reserve personnel. Each card carries a unique, system-generated identity number and is issued to reserve officers, sergeants, and soldiers who are serving in the PLA under the country’s Reserve Personnel Law.

Zhang Yaokui, a professor at the PLA’s National Defense University Joint Operations College, explained that the new certificate formally recognizes the status of reserve personnel by both the Chinese government and military. It provides unified proof of enrollment in reserve forces and replaces the previously issued “PLA Reserve Officers Certificate,” which has now been officially abolished.

Zhang noted the certificate serves practical purposes in both peacetime and wartime. In peacetime, it facilitates participation in military training, readiness duties, and non-combat military operations. In wartime, it enables the swift mobilization and deployment of reserve personnel. It also helps reserve members access relevant welfare benefits, compensation, and preferential treatment as provided by law.

Zhang further emphasized that PLA reserve personnel hold a dual identity — they are both civilians and soldiers. In ordinary times, they work across various sectors of society as regular citizens. However, when called upon, they are required to put on their uniforms and fulfill their military obligations.

The rollout of this new credential is seen by analysts as a meaningful step in streamlining the mobilization process and strengthening the institutional framework governing China’s reserve forces.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), March 3, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202603030108.aspx

Among the aircraft carriers currently in service worldwide, no conventionally powered vessel has been equipped with an electromagnetic catapult system. Why, then, did China’s Fujian bypass steam catapults and move straight to electromagnetic launch technology?

According to military expert Zhang Junshe, the breakthrough lies in the innovative application of a medium-voltage direct current (MVDC) integrated power system combined with advanced energy storage technology.

Adoption of a Medium-Voltage DC System

The Fujian is equipped with a highly efficient medium-voltage DC integrated electric power system. This system can directly power the electromagnetic catapult tracks, eliminating the need for mechanical energy conversion. As a result, the overall structure is simplified and the failure rate is significantly reduced.

Supercapacitors Overcome the Pulsed Power Challenge

Conventional carriers have long been questioned about whether they could meet the instantaneous high energy demands required by electromagnetic catapults. The Fujian addresses this challenge through the innovative use of supercapacitor energy storage technology. With extremely short charging times, the system can independently handle pulsed power loads, preventing strain or disruption to the ship’s main propulsion power system.

Source: CCTV, February 21, 2026
https://military.cctv.com/2026/02/21/ARTIRWfUdYlwFVZuRQPpgtmI260221.shtml

The assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei by a joint U.S.-Israeli operation has sent shockwaves through Beijing, prompting China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to issue a series of stark warnings about the dangers of foreign infiltration and espionage.

On March 2, the PLA Daily‘s official commentary studio, “Junzhengping,” published a piece on Weibo titled “The Silent Shadow War: Everyone Must Stay Vigilant.” The commentary argued that as global competition intensifies, methods such as infiltration, intelligence theft, and subversion have become standard tools of “certain forces” seeking to sow instability from within. The piece drew a direct lesson from Iran’s downfall, stating that “the most fortified strongholds are often breached from the inside.”

The commentary warned Chinese citizens against complacency in everyday interactions, noting that casually mentioning sensitive information could hand adversaries the missing piece of an intelligence puzzle, accepting minor gifts or favors could open the door to manipulation, and taking seemingly friendly conversation at face value could allow bad actors to map out vulnerabilities.

China’s Ministry of State Security, the piece noted, publishes new cases of foreign espionage activity almost daily. The article urged every citizen to “stay alert, hold the line, and distinguish right from wrong,” so as to weave a security network that is “round-the-clock and without blind spots,” leaving no room for infiltration or subversion to take hold.

This followed an earlier PLA Daily commentary published on February 28, which called on “every Chinese son and daughter” to internalize the principle of never forgetting danger in times of peace. Only by “staying attuned to risk and preparing before the storm arrives,” it said, can China safeguard the hard-won stability it has achieved.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), March 3, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202603030295.aspx

A recent report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) reveals that China has significantly accelerated its nuclear submarine production over the past five years, with its annual launch numbers surpassing those of the United States for the first time. However, analysts caution that whether this rapid expansion translates into genuine operational and strategic advantage depends largely on China’s ability to break through the First Island Chain and conduct quiet, reliable, large-scale operations across the broader Pacific.

According to the IISS report, China is expanding its Bohai Shipbuilding Heavy Industry facility in Huludao and increasing submarine construction to reinforce its emerging nuclear triad. The number of submarines launched between 2021 and 2025 exceeded the total from the previous decade, including the seventh and eighth Jin-class (Type 094) nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) identified via commercial satellite imagery. Construction of the Type 093B nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs), equipped with vertical launch systems, is also accelerating, with satellite imagery suggesting up to nine have been launched since 2022 — a production rate of roughly two per year.

While China’s submarine design and quality still lags behind the United States and Europe, the sheer and growing number of vessels presents an increasingly serious challenge. SSBN patrols remain largely confined to the South China Sea, though China is extending its strike range by introducing the longer-range JL-3 missile. The next-generation Type 096 submarine is expected to enter production before 2030, underscoring China’s strategic push to strengthen sea-based nuclear deterrence.

As of January 2026, the U.S. leads globally with 71 nuclear submarines, while China ranks second with 32. Yet the fundamental geographic challenge remains: to reach open Pacific waters, Chinese submarines must transit sensor-dense chokepoints such as the Miyako Strait and Luzon Strait. Whether China’s stealth technology and command-and-control systems are advanced enough for that task remains an open question.

Source: Deutsche Welle, February 20, 2026
https://p.dw.com/p/59838

China has achieved a significant breakthrough with its TPG1000C high-power microwave weapon system, successfully miniaturizing the drive source while maintaining pulse emission capability for up to one minute. According to Chinese military expert Qiu Shiqing, this advancement will provide China with crucial means to secure “spectrum dominance” on complex electromagnetic battlefields, enabling the weapon to not only disrupt or destroy low-earth orbit satellites but also demonstrate tremendous combat potential against drone swarms and the United States’ full-spectrum warfare systems.

Developed by the Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, the TPG1000C has become the world’s first high-power microwave weapon capable of continuously emitting pulses for one minute. This compact device measures only four meters in length and weighs five tons, capable of releasing up to 20 gigawatts of power over sixty seconds. It can be mounted on trucks, warships, aircraft, or even satellites, and can interfere with or damage low-earth orbit satellites, including Starlink satellites. The system can fire up to 3,000 high-energy pulses per session, significantly outperforming similar systems that previously operated for no more than three seconds.

The breakthrough centers on miniaturizing the drive source using a compact Tesla transformer capable of achieving 20GW maximum output power with minimal pulse fluctuation and a maximum repetition frequency of 50Hz. Qiu emphasizes this achievement is highly significant for China’s ability to establish spectrum dominance on the battlefield. High-power microwave weapons offer cost-effective, reusable advantages in electronic warfare and counter-drone operations. Experts believe these weapons possess enormous potential for future warfare, particularly in countering American full-spectrum warfare systems by disrupting battlefield perception, command, and communication capabilities.

Source: Sputnik News, February 10, 2026
https://sputniknews.cn/20260210/1069712975.html