# People's Liberation Army Special Operations Forces

In the People's Republic of China, the special operations forces of the People's Liberation Army (PLA SOF) are units that conduct direct action and reconnaissance, including in enemy rear areas, to prepare the advance of friendly forces; they also perform counter-terrorism operations, although that mission is formally assigned to People's Armed Police. PLA SOF does not control, but may support, psychological warfare operations.
Each theater command controls their own SOF units. The units rely on external support to conduct missions. Most ground SOF are organized like conventional light infantry units. In 2022, many units were recently converted from conventional forces and likely had capabilities closer to shock troops than special forces.
In 2022, the PLA SOF consisted of 15 Ground Force (PLAGF) brigades, one Marine Corps (PLANMC) brigade, one Airborne Corps (PLAAFAC) brigade, and the Rocket Force (PLARF) Reconnaissance Regiment.

## History

The first Army SOF units were created in the 1990s. At the end of the 1990s, each Military Region had an Army SOF or a special reconnaissance force of approximately 1,000 personnel.$^{:294}$
By 2022, PLA SOF had been expanded by converting conventional forces.
Navy special forces deployed with the first Chinese anti-piracy naval patrol off Somalia on 26 December 2008.
After 2013, the PLA placed increased emphasis on expanding its SOF.$^{:294}$

## Organization

The PLA SOF is divided into 2000-3000 personnel brigades or 1000-2000 personnel regiments. Brigades are internally organized like conventional PLAGF brigades with the "brigade-battalion-company-team" hierarchy, which delegate less authority to team commanders. Conventional "centralized", rather than "task oriented", command style is used.
China does not have a national-level command for SOF (like the USA's SOCOM). Theater Commands control their own SOF units. Each group army contains a SOF brigade. Units have discrete missions depending on their location and branch.
Each of the SOF brigades has a semi-formal cognomen as well as a number (which is usually identical to the group army they are subordinated to). The special Xinjiang and Tibet military districts also have their own brigades. The Navy, the Air Force, and the Rocket Force all deploy their own units.
* Eastern Theater Command
** 71st Special Forces Brigade "Sharks" (海鲨) [zh] - 71st Group Army
** 72nd Special Forces Brigade "Thunderbolts" (霹雳) - 72nd Group Army
** 73rd Special Forces Brigade "Eastern Sea Flying Dragons" (东海飞龙) - 73rd Group Army
* Southern Theater Command:
** 74th Special Forces Brigade "Southern Realm Sharp Swords" (南国利剑) - 74th Group Army
** 75th Special Forces Brigade "Jungle Tigers" (丛林猛虎) [zh]
* Western Theater Command:
** 76th Special Forces Brigade "Snowy Maples" (雪枫) - 76th Group Army
** 77th Special Forces Brigade "South East Cheetahs" (西南猎豹) - 77th Group Army
* Northern Theater Command
** 78th Special Forces Brigade "Snow Wolves" (雪狼) - 78th Group Army
** 79th Special Forces Brigade "Amur Tigers" (东北虎) - 79th Group Army
** 80th Special Forces Brigade "Taishan Eagles" (泰山雄鹰) - 80th Group Army
* Central Theater Command
** 81st Special Forces Brigade "Cheetahs" (獵豹) - 81st Group Army
** 82nd Special Forces Brigade "Whistling Arrows" (响箭) - 82nd Group Army; formerly known as "Eastern Godly Sword" (东风神剑), stationed in Beijing, Beijing Military District
** 83rd Special Forces Brigade "Central Plains Tigers" (中原猛虎) - 83rd Group Army
* Xinjiang Military District
** 84th Special Forces Brigade "Kunlun Sharp Blades" (昆仑利刃) - Stationed in Kashgar
* Tibet Military District
** 85th Special Forces Brigade "Plateau Snow Leopards" (高原雪豹)
* PLANMC
** 7th Marine Brigade "Flood Dragons" (蛟龙) - Stationed at Yulin Naval Base
* PLAAF Airborne Corps
** Airborne Corps Special Forces Brigade "Gods of Thunder"(雷神)
* Rocket Force
** Special Forces Regiment "Sharp Blade" (利刃)

## Training

In 2014, the 82nd Special Forces Brigade acceptance criteria included passing a track and field exercises. Members received combat, mobility, infiltration and reconnaissance training.

## Capabilities

SOF receive priority for quality personnel and new equipment.
All SOC units are airborne and air assault capable.
SOF has limited organic dedicated infrastructure of support. It relies on theater logistics and external resources to carry out missions. The PLAAFAC provides all SOF units with tactical insertion, extraction, and resupply. SOF operations in the enemy rear are restricted by the limited ability of conventional forces to support them. SOF and conventional brigades suffer similar problems with command and control, including communications inside SOF brigades and between SOF and conventional units.
According to Chen and Wuthnow in 2022, the command structure and mission of most PLA SOF brigades resembled the United States Army Rangers rather than Delta Force.
Inter-service SOF training is rare, the most common being PLAGF SOF with PLAAF aircraft.

## Awards

* Antropoid 2009: the Jinan Military Region SOF group won eight first places and six second places in 13 events.
* Golden Owl 2015: the "Thunder Gods" airborne SOF wins first place.
* 2015 International Army Games: the "Thunder Gods" airborne SOF wins the "Airborne Platoon" competition.