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MAJOR PAP AND PLA SOF UNITS HIGHER HEADQUARTERS Central Military Commission
Northern Theater Command Eastern Theater Command Southern Theater Command
Western Theater Command
Central Theater Command
UNIT
UNIT NAME
People’s Armed Police 78th Group Army SOF BDE 79th Group Army SOF BDE 80th Group Army SOF BDE 71st Group Army SOF BDE 72nd Group Army SOF BDE 73rd Group Army SOF BDE 74th Group Army SOF BDE 75th Group Army SOF BDE PLA Navy Marine Corps SOF BDE 76th Group Army SOF BDE 77th Group Army SOF BDE Xinjiang Military District SOF BDE Tibet Military District SOF BDE PLA Rocket Force Reconnaissance Regiment PLA Air Force Airborne Corps SOF BDE 81st Group Army SOF BDE 82nd Group Army SOF BDE 83rd Group Army SOF BDE
Snow Leopards Commando Unit Falcon Commando Unit Mountain Eagle Commando Unit Tigers of the Northeast Lions Falcons Sharks Thunderbolts Dragons of the East Sea Unknown Sword of the South Sea Dragons Sirius Cheetahs Snowy Owls Sharp Blade of the Kunlun Snow Leopards of the Plateau Sharp Blade Thunder Gods Sacred Sword of the East Whistling Arrows Ferocious Tigers of the Central Plain
Internal Training and Exercises. The PRC’s SOF focus on individual and squad-level training; however, they have participated in larger combined arms and joint exercises. SOF training entails physical fitness training, close quarters combat, individual and team survival, camouflage, weapons proficiency, land navigation, and communication. All PRC SOF units are airborne and air assault capable.
The recent reforms under Xi gave theater commanders authority over a wider range of forces including PLA SOF and also emphasized joint training. However, these reforms did not create joint task forces which might encourage increased coordination between the services. The restructuring to theater commands has not resulted in increased integration of PLA SOF into joint training. There is scant evidence of PRC’s SOF units from different services training together or
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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China
