PLA battalion transforms into nimble fighting force

An infantry battalion of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force has been honing its ability to move quickly and efficiently for about four years in northeastern China to forge a new fighting force that is highly mobile and lightly armored.

On July 27, during a military exercise simulating rapid deployment, the battalion dispersed into smaller groups, on full combat alert and under camouflage, in just a few minutes.

"The new troop is compact, nimble and fast, meeting the demands of modern warfare," Senior Colonel Jia Xiaonan, a professor at the PLA's Army Infantry Academy, said.