The Chinese Army has deployed around 50,000 heavily-armoured troops over thousands of miles to test the army’s long-distance mobility, under its largest-ever tactical military exercise called ‘Stride-2009’.

During the exercise, one army division from each of the military commands of Shenyang, Lanzhou, Jinan and Guangzhou will participate in a series of live-fire drills that will last for two months, reports Xinhua.

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The army will introduce a newly developed laser-beam combat simulation system as part of the live-fire drills to be conducted in four tactical training bases.

Stride 2009 will involve the army using laser transmitters and receivers as well as China’s Beidou or COMPASS-G2 satellite communication and positioning system.

The exercise is aimed at improving the army’s capacity, coordination and ability to conduct joint operations and long-range force projection.

Suppressing adversaries’ electronic devices and countermeasures under a complex electromagnetic environment as well as dealing with natural disasters, such as last year’s devastating Sichuan earthquake will also be part of the exercise.

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China Rail will carry all heavy weapon systems, while lightly armoured troops deployed to Jinan Military Command will go by China Railway high-speed (CRH) trains.

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