Blue Army (OPFOR) Units

The term “Blue Army” is unofficially used by the PLA to refer to the specialist opposing force (OPFOR) units tasked with representing enemy troops during exercises. The PLA formed its first OPFOR unit in 1985. Since then, a number of "Blue Army" units organised along foreign doctrines and tactics have been formed in order to provide realistic training experience for their training opponents.

The PLA first came across the concept of OPFOR in 1972, when two PLA generals witnessed an exercise between a U.S. Army unit and a Soviet unit simulated by the U.S. OPFOR during their visit to the National Training Centre (NTC) at Fort Irwin, CA. After returning to China, they immediately suggested to the Chinese leadership that the PLA should also have its own OPFOR. This proposal was backed by the then Chinese premier Zhou Enlai and a order was issued by the General Staff Department to develop a OPFOR unit. However, the plan could not be implemented due to political reasons.

PLA blue army soldiers of the 1980s in the Soviet-style uniform (PLA Daily)

The idea of the specialised OPFOR unit was revived In the mid-1980s, with China’s military modernisation programme underway. The PLA established its first combined-arms tactical training centre in the Nanjing Military Region, modelled after the U.S. Army NTC. A dedicated OPFOR unit was created within the 1st Group Army (GA) to simulate enemy troops in exercise. At the same time, the PLA established various research institutes to study the strategy, tactics and doctrines of foreign armies.

Like most OPFOR units around the world, the PLA blue army units use the likely enemy’s doctrines, organisational structure and simulated weapon equipments to provide a more realistic experience for their training opponents. Soldiers of the blue army unit wear special uniforms and insignia that are distinctively dissimilar to those of regular PLA units. A Chinese report revealed that to enhance training realism, the “Blue Army” troops were even asked to use knife and fork instead of chopsticks when dinning.

The PLA never confirmed exactly which enemy force(s) its OPFOR units intend to replicate, but there have been publicity photos in the 1980s/90s showing blue army soldiers in the uniforms similar to those of the Soviet Army and Taiwanese (ROC) Army. In more recent years, the PLA blue army units were seen organised along Western order of battle, doctrines, tactics and their equipments replicated those of Western armies.

PLA blue army soldiers with special uniform and insignia (PLA Daily)

At least three dedicated blue army units have been identified in the PLA so far. The oldest blue army unit in the Nanjing MR is basically an armoured infantry regiment, which can replicate an opponent armoured unit of brigade or division size.

In the late 1990s, the Beijing MR established a “Blue Army Brigade”, which is a combined-arms mechanised infantry unit consisting of armour, helicopter, artillery, electronic warfare, and special operations forces. The brigade was said to be able to replicate armed forces of many different countries.

Jinan MR also has a small-size specialist blue army unit, featuring special uniform, weapon equipments, documentation, and even military terminology. Members of the unit have all received university education, with strong training experience under information warfare condition.

Additionally, many other military regions and group armies have also formed their own "Blue Army" units, mostly undertaken by a regular army unit on a temporary basis.

Blue army special operations forces (Chinese Internet)

Training exercises between the “Red Army” (friendly forces) and “Blue Army” (OPFOR) are often highly realistic and confrontational. Blank ammunition, smoke grenade and laser engagement simulation systems are often employed.

All PLA ground forces units are rotated to go to one of the training centres for a confrontational training exercise with OPFOR units on a regular basis. Such training provides regular PLA units with invaluable experience and useful lessons to fight in the modern battlefield. This is particularly important since the PLA has not been involved in any major conflict since 1979. Several reports by Chinese media revealed how unprepared most PLA units were when they first encountered the OPFOR. In one particular case, an infantry regiment of the PLA’s most elite 38th Group Army had its headquarters destroyed by the blue army’s special forces within few hours after the battle began.

Last update: 20 March 2009