The live-ammunition test exercise codenamed "Iron Fist 2007" in complex electromagnetic environment was unveiled in a combined tactical training base of the Jinan Military Area Command on October 27.

　　In the 7-day-long exercise, more than 10,000 troops and 1000 vehicles of a Red Army Division of the Jinan Military Area Command traveled long distance to a combined tactical training base in Henan Province to stage a mountain offensive operation exercise in complex electromagnetic environment.

　　"In this exercise the exercise evaluation system will be adopted and the exercise will proceed according to following five stages: switch of the degrees of combat readiness, long-range mobility, combat deployment, conduct of combat, and exercise appraisal." Tan Min, deputy chief director of the exercise and head of the Military Training and Arms Department of the Jinan Military Area Command, told the reporters: "The purpose of the exercise is to test in an all-round way the training result of the troops and enhance the command & control, long-range mobility, fire strike, overall protection and comprehensive support capabilities of its troops in complex electromagnetic environment." The Red Army Division of the Jinan Military Area Command is a heroic unit with the longest history in the PLA. Its predecessor is the main force of the Fourth Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army formed by the "Ye Ting's Independent Regiment" which was dubbed an "iron army" during the Northern Expedition and some armed forces taking part in the Autumn Harvest Uprising. Several years ago, it was reorganized into a light mechanized infantry division from a motorized infantry division.

　　The "Iron Fist 2007" exercise also shoulders the mission of exploring actual troops' exercise in complex electromagnetic environment." According to Xin Wei, deputy head of the Military Training and Arms Department of the Jinan Military Area Command, the year 2007 is the first year for the PLA to carry out training practice in complex electromagnetic environment. In light of the unified arrangements made by the Central Military Commission and the PLA general headquarters /departments, a Red Army Division of the Jinan Military Area Command has been assigned the mission of carrying out trial training in complex electromagnetic environment and trial communication training in complex electromagnetic environment.

　　As a troop unit which has taken part in over 3,000 battles, the officers and men of the division have actively created conditions in the past year through bold innovations, and obtained a series of achievements in trial training in complex electromagnetic environment. Red Army Division Commander Yang Jian, who was organizing switch of the degrees of combat readiness of its troops, told the reporters: "We will make full use of the exercise to find problems in our training and do everything possible to solve these problems so as to truly enhance the fighting capability of the troops in the future complex electromagnetic environment."

　　By Zhang Yuqing and Huang Shubo

　　(Oct 31, PLA Daily)