The term “Blue Army” is often 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 the Nanjing Military Region (MR) in 1985. Since then, a number of "Blue Army" units using 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. Upon their return to China, they immediately made suggestion to the Chinese policymakers that the PLA should also have its own OPFOR. The idea was backed by the then Chinese premier Zhou Enlai, and the “Project 741” to develop a OPFOR unit was issued to the PLA’s General Staff Department (GSD). However, the plan eventually did not go ahead, possibly due to political reasons.
The "Blue Army" unit of the Nanjing Military Region in exercise (Source: Chinese Internet)
In the mid-1980s, with China’s military modernisation programme underway, the idea of the specialist OPFOR unit was revived. The PLA built its first combined-arms tactical training centre in the Nanjing MR, using the U.S. Army National Training Centre (NTC) in Fort Irwin, California as a model. A dedicated OPFOR unit modelling the U.S. Army OPFOR was also formed in the 1st Group Army (GA). At the same time, the PLA established various research institutes to study the techniques, tactics and procedures of foreign armed forces.
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 “Blue Army” are meant to replicate, but not surprisingly its first “Blue Army” unit was clearly mimicking the TO&E and doctrines of the Soviet Army. Since the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the USSR, the PLA “Blue Army” have become more flexible to represent a wider range of opponents, mostly Western forces, as well as the Taiwanese armed force which also features Westernised order of battle, doctrines, tactics and weapon equipments.
The special operations soldiers of the "Blue Army Brigade" in the Beijing Military Region (Source: Chinese Internet)
At least three dedicated “Blue Army” units have been identified in the PLA so far. The oldest OPFOR 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.
Training exercises between the “Red Army” (friendly forces) and “Blue Army” 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 the “Blue Army” 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 “Blue Army”. In one particular case, an infantry regiment of the PLA’s most elite 38th GA had its headquarters destroyed by the “Blue Army” special forces within few hours after the battle began.
