The 47th Group Army (GA), headquartered in Lintong, Shaanxi Province, is one of the two group armies subordinated to the Lanzhou Military Region (MR). In the Cold War-era, the group army was tasked with stopping (or slowing down) the Soviet invasion from the western in China’s northwest region should a major conflict broke out between the two countries. Nowadays the group army serves as a strategic reserve in the region, ready to be deployed when crisis emerges.
The 47th GA was formed in 1985 on the basis of the PLA 47th Corps, which originally consisted of three infantry divisions 139th, 140th, and 141st). Upon its establishment, the group army received the 56th Infantry Division previously organic to the 19th Corps, a tank brigade, an artillery brigade, and an AAA brigade, but lost its 140th Division.
In 1998, the 56th Motorised Infantry Division was downsized to a brigade, and the group army’s tank brigade was reorganised into an armoured brigade. The 141st Motorised Infantry Division was deactivated to reserve force.
In 2003, the 55th Motorised Infantry Brigade previously organic to the 21st GA was reassigned to the 47th GA.
