The cost to equip a People's Liberation Army soldier for the battlefield is as little as two iPhone 6 smartphones, reports the state-run Xinhua News Network.
Even though China's military budget is considered the world's second largest behind the United States, the money the PLA invests into developing individual gear for its soldiers is only 7% of the US military. A Chinese soldier only needs to spend US$4,556 to purchase all the gear he or she needs on the battlefield, according to the Guangzhou-based Southern Weekly.
In contrast, gear for the common US soldier or marine rings up to about US$65,086. In other words, its two iPhone 6s (China's market price) versus the Mercedes-Benz of soldier equipment. The PLA invests its time comparatively in training its soldiers to defeat their enemy with political spirit instead of gear.The border conflict with Vietnam in 1979 demonstrated the importance of individual gear to Chinese soldiers and was one of the catalysts for the development of helmets. During the battle of Faka Mountain on the Vietnamese border, the GK80 helmets were reportedly effective in reducing casualties and began the trend of investing resources into individual gear.
Overall, China's military modernization program focuses more on the development of modern warships, ballistic missile submarines, aircraft carriers, fifth-generation fighters and high-speed glide vehicles instead of individual gear, said the report. Modern gear would not only enhance the chances of survival for PLA soldiers, but also boost their public image. With advanced helmets like the QGF02, PLA soldiers look more like professional warriors instead of "undisciplined peasants," said the report.
No comments:
Post a Comment