66TH ARMY, BEIJING MILITARY REGION, CHINA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81T00034R000100670001-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 15, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: December 1, 1980
• Content Type: REPORT

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NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER ~ I
Imagery analysis report
66th Army, Beijing Military Region, China
Top Secret
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IAN-0138/80
DECEMBER 1980 25X1
Copy 17 0
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66th ARMY, BEIJING MILITARY REGION, CHINA
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This report discusses the status of the 66th Army in Beijing Military Region, China, as of 25X1
It describes physical changes to the facilities and order-of-battle changes and fluctuations 25X1
from
from KEYHOLE imagery.
The functions and locations of these units were derived primarily 25X1
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2. ~ Most activity during the period was confined to the 197th Infantry Division where 25X1
extensive reconstruction has been taking place since the July 1976 Tangshan earthquake. Highlights
included the identification of a new tank regiment for the division and the relocation of the division
headquarters.
3. (U) This report contains two location maps, two photographs, one table, and four charts.
4. ~ The 66th Army is one of eight main force armies in the Beijing Military Region (MR; 25X1
Figure 1) and has the same general organizational structure as other People's Liberation Army (PLA)
units throughout China. The 66th Army, believed to be headquartered in the Yangliuqing area (39-08-OON
116-59-OOE) of Tianjin municipality, is bounded by the 24th Army 125 nautical miles (nm) to the north
and the 38th Army 75 nm to the west. All three of its divisions are within 45 rim of the Bo Hai Gulf and
are deployed along a northeast/southwest axis, suggesting a mission to protect the northeastern approach-
es into the MR.
5. (U) The numbered unit designators used in this report were acquired from referenced documents 1, 2,
and 3.
11J
1..
f \
J L _ lung ) f
4..f.
III \[I A A I jti
IRE 1. 66TH ARMY, BEIJING MILITARY REGION, CHINA
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6. ~ The 66th Army is made up of the army headquarters, the army-level support units, and
196th, the 197th, and the 198th Infantry Divisions (Figure 2, Chart 1, and Table 1).
Headquarters and Army-level Support
Units
7. ~ The 66th Army Headquarters has not been identified on imagery but is believed to be in
Yangliuqing. Yangliuqing Army Barracks Northeast AL-1 0 which houses an independent
ponton bridge regiment, is the closest major installation to the reported coordinates for the unlocated
headquarters. The known headquarters elements of the 66th Army are the 169th* Artillery Regiment and
an antiaircraft artillery (AAA) regiment. A rocket launcher battalion has not been identified with the
169th* nor are there barracks or vehicle sheds present to house such a unit. The AAA regiment appears to
be standardly organized.
196th Infantry Division
8. The 196th Infantry Division is headquartered at Wuqing Headquarters Infantry Division
and Army Barracks AL-l, 15 nautical miles north-northwest of Tianjin. This installation houses all known
entities of the 196th Infantry Division. These are the 586th Infantry Regiment, the 587th Infantry
Regiment, the 588th Infantry Regiment, the 476th Artillery Regiment, the 401st* Tank Regiment, an AAA
battalion, and an engineer battalion.
9. In early 1976, the 401st* Tank Regiment was credited as a tank/assault gun regiment.'
As a result of the Tangshan earthquake of 28 July 1976, all equipment was removed from the vehicle
sheds, revealing the presence of a sufficient number of tanks (32) to equip a battalion plus two additional
companies (20 tanks). No assault guns were observed. This sighting of tanks substantiates the fact that this
unit has been upgraded to a tank regiment although it is not up to full strength. As of there was
an insufficient number of barracks or vehicle sheds at this facility to accommodate a full 80-tank regiment.
Latest equipment sightings also indicate that this regiment is still using some of the older T-34 tanks.
10. The 476th Artillery Regiment is the only unit in the 66th Army known to be equipped
with multiple rocket launchers (MRLs). Post Tangshan earthquake coverage revealed that this is a full-
strength artillery regiment consisting of one battalion of antitank guns, two battalions of howitzers, and a
battalion of truck-mounted rocket launchers. The storage and maintenance capabilities of this regiment
have expanded since mid-1977 with the addition of seven vehicle storage buildings, a vehicle maintenance
building, and 11 support buildings.
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Top Secret RUFF ~I 25X1
0
Ponton
Bridge
1885/100MM FG
2X12 122MM HOW
Ponton
Bridge
18 BM-14/19 18 PROB
TPP/LPP
2POWERBOATS
1
xx
ARMY
1.1
DIVISION
? INFANTRY
EnREGIMENT
ANTIAIRCRAFT
ARTILLERY
MULTIPLE ROCKET
FR~
LAUNCHER
EnBATTALION
[m
EL1COMPANY
CHART 1. ARMY UNITS CONFIRMED FROM IMAGERY ANALYSIS
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Top Secret HUFFI
Table 1.
66th Army Units, Beijing Military Region, China, as Derived from All-Source Information
Iiiin table in its enrirerr is classified 101' SECRET RCh'f
2
tnid AAA
Rcgt
SF AL2
39-07-09N I17-00-27F
3
169th* Arts
Regt
Yangluiging Army Bks
S AI--3
39-05-42N I I7-00-28L
4
Hq-196th
Int Div
Wuqing Hq Inf Div
and Arms Bks AL-I
39-21-45N I 17-04-25F
ngr hn
Wuging Hq Inf Div
and Arms Bks AI.- I
39-21-45N I I7-04-25E
W uging Hq Inf Dix
and Arms Bks AL-I
39-21-45N I17-04-25E
7
476th Arty
Rcgl
Wuging Hq Inf Div
and Army Bks AL-I
39-21-45N 117-04-25L
8
586th Inf
Regt
Wuging Hq Inf Div
and Army Bks AL-I
39-21-45N I17-04-25E
587th Inf
Regt
Wuging Hq Inf Div
and Army Bks AL-I
39-21-45N II7-04-25F
10
S88th lilt'
Regt
Wuging Hq Inf Div
and Army Bks AL-I
39-21-45N I17-04-25F
II
401th* Tank
Regt
Wuging Hq Inf Div
and Arms Bks AI--I
39-2I-45N I17-04-25F
12
Hq - 197th
Inf Div
Tangshan Army Bks
AL-I
39-37-36N 118-09-18F
I3
Frig bri
Tangshan Army Bks
A L-I
39-37-36N 118-09-18E
14
AAA hn
Tangshan Army Bks
A[--]
39-37-36N I18-09-18F
15
477th Arty
Regt
Qinhuangdao Army
Bks AL-2
39-57-29N I19-35-22F
16
589th Inf
Regt
Tanggu Arms Bks
West AL-2
39-01-30N 117-35-SOF
17
590th Inf
Rcgt
Shanhaiguan Army
Bks AL-I
40-00-41 N 119-46-01 F
18
591st Inf
Regt
Chiu-feng-shun
Army Bks AL-I
39-49-01N 118-22-58E
19
402nd* tank
Regt
Gagjiafang Army Bks
N AL-I
20
Ilq-198th
lilt' Div
Tien-ching Hq Inf
Div A Arms Bks AL-I
2_1
MT hn
Wang-ysen-chuang Army
Bks AI.-I
22
AAA hn
Tien-ching Hq Inf
Div A Arms, Bks AL I
23
478th Arts
Rcgt
Ticnching Hq Inf
Div A Army Bks AL I
39-08-54N 117-14-54F
24
592nd Inf
Regt
Tangguantun Army
Bks SW AL-I
38-40-34N 116-51-IIE
593rd Inf Regt
(iegu Army Bks WNW
A[
-]
38-59-54N I I7-27-25L
26
594th Inf
Regt
-
Tien-ching Hq Inf Div A
Arms Bks AI--I
39-08-54N 117-14-54F
2
403rd*Tank
Rcgt
Tien-ching Hq Inf Div A
Army Bks AL-I
39-08-54N 117-14-54F
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Top Secret
I nlocated, but believed to he at
Yangliuging, Tianjin municipality
(39-08-OON / 1 16-59-00F )
Standard regiment
3 gun/gun-hoti bns
no rocket launcher hn identified
No significant activity
OnIs MRL
battalion in arms
No significant activits
No significant activity
No significant actisits
Appears to have 2 has at most
Relocated from Ihaogeihuang IIq lilt
DixA BksNAL-I
Ponton bridge company confirmed
256 semitrailer.
nathed. and cargo trucks
No significant actisits
Approx 70", of all buildings
destroyed by earthquake: recon-
struction externally complete
by
Tanks identified here
ippears to house
no more than 2 battalions
Added since NBRG,` 4 barracks (3 ss/
messhall), I messhall, I hks/storage
bldg, and I spt bldg
Truck park for Tien-ching
AAA Complex SSE
Barracks for this unit observed
ucon here on comhined-
arms range
Equipment sightings loss:
122mm hotsitver hn seen
No significant activits
Appears to he under strength
regiment housing no more than
2 battalions
IA R-0138/80
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197th Infantry Division
11. 0 The 197th Infantry Division is made up of headquarters elements, the 589th, 590th, and 25X1
591st Infantry Regiments, the 477th Artillery Regiment, the 402nd*Tank Regiment, an AAA battalion,
and an engineer battalion. The division headquarters is at Tangshan Army Barracks AL-I (Figure 3) along
with the division AAA battalion and engineer battalion. This installation was damaged extensively during
the earthquake and has been undergoing a complete reconstruction. The division headquarters had
previously been associated with Zhaogezhuang Headquarters Infantry Division and Barracks North AL-I
The relocation of division headquarters to the Tangshan facility leaves the subordination 25X1
of' this former headquarters facility in question.
extensively during the Tangshan earthquake. Approximately 70 percent of the buildings were either
heavily damaged or destroyed. When last seen on imagery of September 1979, reconstruction appeared to
be nearly complete.
13. The 589th Infantry Regiment, housed at Tanggu Army Barracks West AL-2, was 25X1
apparently being used as a transshipment storage area for large numbers of semitrailer, flatbed and cargo
trucks during a part of 1979. Over 250 were seen in April. The number had declined to between 80 and 85
when observed in May and August 1979.
14. 0 No unusual activity or change was observed in the 590th Infantry Regiment at 25X1
Shanhaiguan Army Barracks AL-I.
15. Artillery has not been seen with the 477th Artillery Regiment at Qinhuangdao Army 25X1
Barracks AL-2 since March 1978. However, there is sufficient covered storage at the installation for such
equipment. Additional elements of the regiment are possibly housed at Qinhuangdao Army Barracks AL-3
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where a battery of field guns have been regularly seen.
16. ~ The 402nd* Tank Regiment is housed at Gaojiafang Army Barracks North AL-I 25X1
(Figure 4). The regiment was previously associated with Tongxian Army Barracks North AL-2 ')FX'I
which was later reidentified as being associated with the Beijing Garrison Command. Tanks were 25X1
observed at Gaojiafang on imagery of representing the first sighting of armor at this facility 25X1
since 1974. Similar to the 401st* Tank Regiment at Wuqing, this regiment was originally a tank/assault
gun regiment with covered storage for 32 tanks and ten assault guns. Imagery of 1979 revealed the
presence of' Type-59 tanks and no assault guns. The barracks and covered vehicle storage facilities at this
installation appear to be inadequate to house a full-strength tank regiment.
198th Infantry Division
17. 0 The 198th Infantry Division is headquartered at Tien-ching Headquarters Infantry 25X1
Division and Army Barracks AL-l. Also housed at this installation are the 594th Infantry Regiment, the
478th Artillery Regiment, the 403rd* Tank Regiment, and an AAA battalion. The 592nd and 593rd
Infantry Regiments are housed at Tangguantun Army Barracks Southwest AL-I and Gegu Army Barracks
West-northwest AL-I, respectively. A motor transport battalion had been identified as a part of this
division at Wang-wen-chuang Army Barracks AL-l, but the facility appears to be a truck park for the
AAA units at Tien-ching AAA Complex South-southeast 25X1
18. Although an engineer battalion has not been confirmed with the division, large numbers 25X1
of ponton carriers were observed at the Tien-ching facility immediately following the 1976 Tangshan
earthquake. Their appearance with the 403rd* tank regiment and in the adjacent small-arms range appears
to have been a temporary deployment and the equipment has not been seen since.
19. 0 Equipment was infrequently observed at the 478th Artillery Regiment. Shed space is 25X1
adequate, however, for covered storage of equipment and a howitzer battalion was seen outside these
sheds in May 1979.
20. 0 Activity levels in the 403rd* Tank Regiment have also been low. Similar to the tank 25X1
regiments with the 196th and 197th Infantry Divisions, the 403rd* is probably made up of one to two
battalions since adequate storage and barracks facilities do not exist at present to support a full regiment.
21. (SAD) No unusual activity was observed at facilities housing the infantry regiments.
22. (SAD) Construction activity within the division included the addition at Tien-ching of a small
barracks to house the AAA battalion for the division. Construction was first noted in March 1978.
Imagery Analyst's Comments
23. The 66th Army appears to be a second-echelon main-force unit due to a relative lack of 25X1
equipment particularly in its artillery and armor units. The artillery regiments appear to be under
strengthed in all but one division as evidenced by the deficiency of truck-mounted rocket launchers. All
tank regiments in the army are under-equipped, containing, at most, two of their authorized three
battalions, possibly representing an interim status between the older tank/assault gun regiments and full
80-tank regiments. Furthermore, no upgrading of division AAA assets from battalions to regiments has
been observed as has been seen in selected Chinese divisions.
*Numerical unit designator is probable.
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24. Of particular note is the highly visible 196th Division assessed as being China's
"showcase division.",, Foreign dignitaries are taken here on tours. US Secretary of Defense, Harold
Browne, is among those who have visited here. One would expect to find in such a division the most up-to-
date equipment and organization. The fact that its tank regiment is still under strength and its AAA has
not been upgraded gives further support that the 66th Army is probably a second-echelon unit.
25. 0 By virtue of its geographic location away from the northern defensive perimeter
(assuming the major perceived threat to be from the north by the Soviets) and/or a perceived need to fill
out main-force units elsewhere in the military region, the 66th Army has not been allocated its full
allowance of equipment and, thus, is assessed to have a secondary role within the military region.
(TSR) All applicable KEYHOLE imagery acquired through
preparation of this report.
4. DIA. RDA-07/0209/70,
70 (TOP SECRET R)
5. DIA. NDA-07/5273/77 through NDA-07/5291/77, National Basic Rc'lerence Graphic, 12 Sep 77 (SECRET)
6. NSA. 3/0(34905-74 (CCM). Chinese Peoples' Liberation Arote: Ground Forces, Vol 4, Part III, Chapter 9, TOP
SECRET
RELATED DOCUMENTS
DIA. DD13-1100-209-79, Tables of Organization and Equipment, People's Republic of China, Sep 79 (SECRET)
(S) Comments and queries regarding this report are welcome. They may be directed to
Forces Division, Imagery Exploitation Group, NPIC,
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