GROUND FORCES TRAINING ACTIVITY PEKING MILITARY REGION FALL/WINTER TRAINING CYCLE (1974-75)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T05162A000400010092-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 14, 2011
• Sequence Number: 92
• Publication Date: July 1, 1975
• Content Type: REPORT

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NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC
INTERPRETATION CENTER
PHOTOGRAPHIC
NTERPRETATION
REPORT
GROUND FORCES TRAINING ACTIVITY
PEKING MILITARY REGION
FALL/WINTER TRAINING CYCLE
(1974-15)
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JULY 1975
Copy 21
PI R-026/75
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Warning Notice
Sensitive Intelligence Sources and Methods Involved
NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION
Unauthorized Disclosure Subject to Criminal Sanctions
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GROUND FORCES TRAINING ACTIVITY PEKING MILITARY
REGION FALL/WINTER TRAINING CYCLE (1974-1975)
1. This report summarizes the major ground forces training activity observed in the Peking
Military Region
Included are one map and six annotated photographs.
2. Extensive ground forces training was observed in Peking Military Region (MR) during the
fall/winter training cycle (1974/1975). Approximately 95 percent of the region was covered on nearly
cloud-free photography. Activity included armor, field artillery (FA), anti-aircraft artillery (AAA),
and combined arms training. The majority of the training took place in the Hopeh Military District
(MD); exercises were also noted in Shansi MD and in Inner Mongolia MD. Figure 1 shows the location
of the major training exercises discussed in this report.
3. Although the level of training activity in Peking MR was, in most instances, higher than
that seen in the other MRs in China, it did coincide with the countrywide fall/winter training cycle.
Similar training activity was occurring throughout China during these months. In addition to the
major ground forces training exercises described below, numerous small-scale exercises were also
observed during this timeframe.
Armor Training
Four armor training exercises were observed
we observed elements of an armor regiment training in an area extending approximately
21 nautical miles (nm) east and ten nm south of Ta-tung Training Area Shansi
MD (item 1, Figure 1). The equipment included 101 tank/assault guns, three probable tank/assault
guns, three armored vehicles, nine artillery pieces, 62 cargo trucks, and 51 probable cargo trucks.
The equipment was parked in villages throughout the area. Extensive trenching, track activity, and
numerous vehicles were also present.
5. A second armor training exercise was observed I I in a 42
square nm area approximately 8 nm southeast of Chi-ning Army Barracks and AL 4 Defense Area
Inner Mongolia MD (item 2, Figure 1). Again, the equipment noted was dispersed
in villages and included at least 18 tanks, 32 tank/assault guns, 59 tracked vehicles, 54 cargo trucks,
14 probable cargo trucks, and 15 vehicles/pieces of equipment.
6. A third armor training exercise was observed on at Ma-shen-chiao Army
Barracks Northeast AL 1 Hopeh MD (item 3, Figure 1). Equipment included 42
probable tanks and 26 probable armored vehicles. The equipment was parked at or near a live firing
range which showed signs of recent heavy use (Figure 2).
7. also revealed a smaller armor training exercise 33 nm south
of Shih-chia-chuang, Hopeh MD, at 37-21-OON 114-18-OOE (item 4, Figure 1). Ten probable Type-59
tanks, one probable M-1967 armored personnel carrier and 35 cargo trucks were dispersed throughout
the training area.
Field Artillery Training
8. Three FA exercises were observed) la rocket launcher and
FA excercise was observed approximately 35 nm south of Hsuan-hua, Hopeh MD, at 40-00-35N
115-00-OOE (item 5, Figure 1). Equipment included 25 BM-14/17 rocket launchers, four BM-13 rocket
launchers, 19 field guns, and 76 cargo trucks. The rocket launchers (Figure 3) and the FA were
dispersed separately.
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9. A regimental-size live firing artillery exercise was observed in progress 17 nm east of
Chi-hsien, Hopeh MD (item 6, Figure 1), on The firing area was between 40-02-30N
117-44-35E and 40-01-55N 117-44-30E and included 30 field guns dispersed in three groups nine,
ten, and 11 respectively (Figure 4). Some of the pieces were net covered. The impact area was centered
on a frozen reservoir 8.0 nm down range. At least 164 craters were counted in three major groupings
on the ice (Figure 4). This firing exercise took place in a densely populated area with at least 25
villages within 2 nm of the firing azimuth.
10. Another combined FA and rocket launcher exercise was observed approximately 8 nm east
of Ching-hai, Hopeh MD, at 38-51-OON 117-04-OOE (item 7, Figure 1). Equipment
included 18 BM 14/17 rocket launchers, three BM-13 rocket launchers, and 30 field guns. The field
guns were dispersed in or near three villages in groups of 12, 12, and six while the rocket launchers
were all near a fourth village.
Antiaircraft Artillery Training
11. The only AAA exercise in Pekin MR was observed at
the Ku-cheng Training Area in the vicinity of Ku-cheng Airfield
Hopeh MD (item 8, Figure 1). This exercise involved major elements of an AAA division. Equipment
included 68 medium and 29 light AA guns, 30 pieces of fire control equipment, and 168 trucks.
Several batteries were set up in firing positions and in some instances netting was used to camouflage
the guns and equipment (Figure 5).
Combined Arms Training
12. Three combined arms exercises were observed in Peking MP
combined arms training was observed 21 nm south of Shih-chia-chuang, Hopeh MD, at 37-42-20N
114-23-25E (item 9, Figure 1). The training area, 6 nm in diameter, contained a large tank training
course, extensive track activity, personnel trenches, and anti-tank trenching. The equipment which
was dispersed throughout the area included 17 Type-59 tanks, 35 FA pieces, and 110 cargo trucks.
13. a combined arms exercise was observed 10 nm north of Wu-ching, Hopeh
MD, at 39-32-OON 117-10-OOE (item 10, Figure 1). Equipment observed in this exercise included
25 tanks, 54 field guns, and one FRESCO aircraft. The FA was dispersed in five villages; however,
the majority of the FA (28 pieces) was parked in one village. All 25 tanks were parked on the
edge of one village. Bombing markers had been laid out, and a FRESCO appeared to be on an
approach run to the markers.
14. The third combined arms training was observed 4 nm northeast of I-hsin, Hopeh MD at
39-25-50N 115-33-OOE (item 11, Figure 1). provided post exercise coverage
of the training area and showed 11 six-gun FA positions, fortified infantry positions on hilltops,
and numerous tracked vehicle tracks extending over the hills (Figure 6). The hilltop positions were
numbered on the ground 12 FA pieces parked on the
south edge of a village in the training area. 20 tanks, 17 cargo trucks, and three
POL trucks were parked at a road junction in the same area.
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