The following is taken from an article published by Guancha on 30/07. It details an exercise conducted by two PLA combined arms brigades (CA-BDE). As usual, the format took that of a red and blue team facing off against each other. Blue team = a heavy CA-BDE. Red a medium CA-BDE.

Blue team is from the 76th Group Army (GA), it is equipped with the Type 96A MBT and ZBD-04A IFV shown below on the left and right respectively. It is located in the Western Military District and based in Gansu. The GA assists Tibet and the armed police.

The terrain is varied in the Western MD, including mountains and deserts. The GA has 3 heavy CA-BDEs, indicating it is intended to offer defence against a determined foe and used to support other theatres more so than defending its area - Mongolia isn't a threat anymore.

The Red team is formed by a medium CA-BDE from the 83rd GA. It is equipped with the ZBL-09 wheeled vehicles only, including the ZBL-09 IFV and ZTL-11 assault gun on the left and right respectively. Part of the Cntrl command and classed as an elite unit defending Beijing.

Like the Western command, it has varied terrain but strong road networks that make use of vehicles like the ZBL-09 family a compelling and effective solution. The Red team has also tested a fully digital C2 system, and has been trained in plateau operations according to Guancha.

First off, there is an obvious mismatch in firepower and mobility between the two teams. The drill started with an advance to contact, and the Blue team engaged Red, before it "adopted the method of encirclement and suppression to carry out precise strikes" on Red AFVs.

This led to an initial Blue victory, and a Red counter-attack with infantry that seized Blue's position. The use of IFVs outweighed Blue's and the infantry were able to take some high-ground and gain an advantage.

Worth noting that this would likely have been supported by ATGM strikes and arty on both sides. Numbers aren't provided for this engagement, but reference to Red using more IFVs indicates that a numerical advantage was enjoyed.

Blue responded with EW, recce UAVs and armoured recce units, which presumably coordinated some form of artillery strike on Red, which pre-empted a larger move by Blue's IFVs led by assault breacher vehicles and engineers. The image shows armoured recce and EW.

Red was inhabiting trenches by this time and Blue entered them using ATGMs and its tanks to gain the upper hand, winning the exercise overall. This is the first explicit mention of the Type 96 being used, so perhaps everything until now was IFVs.

Concluding notes of interest, the decision to trial a medium CA-BDE against a heavy may seem odd. Imagine the UK pitching its Strike Brigade against a heavy armour brigade and you get the picture. However, it makes sense when the role of medium CA-BDEs is considered.

They are road mobile and could be deployed first to slow an invading force whilst the heavies are gathered and prepared. The exercise showed that the defending Red team could inflict losses and slow an advance by tanks similar to a T-72.

It could also have been a test of the digital C2 system, designed to establish whether or not it is a force multiplier against a more powerful opponent. Either way, this gives a flavour of what the PLA means when it says "real combat conditions."

Below are some more images of the ZBL-09 combat engineer and ARV respectively, as well as a combat service support unit from the heavy CA-BDE. Thanks for taking the time to read this thread.