Chinese Military Capabilities - Strategy, Technology & The Changing PLA

The modernisation of the Chinese PLA has represented a dramatic shift in the balance of military power in Asia.
Over the course of several decades, the PLA has shifted from a primarily ground combat force with a large stock of outdated equipment, to one that is increasingly capable of projecting power and holding targets at risk over longer and longer distances.
Having discussed the PRC's military budget, industry, rocket force and other critical drivers, today I finally want to give an overview of the PLA's changing capabilities and ask the question - what kind of force has China's modernisation process created, and how may it continue to evolve going forward?
Patreon:
/ perunau
Relevant Reading/sourcing
China's National Defence in a New Era (2019)
english.www.gov.cn/archive/wh...
US DOD - Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2023
media.defense.gov/2023/Oct/19...
The PLA Strategic Support Force: Future-proofing China's Military - Cosmo Cao
www.aspistrategist.org.au/the...
China's Strategic Support Force: A Force for a New Era - Costello & McReynolds, National Defence University
ndupress.ndu.edu/Portals/68/D...
Russian and Chinese Combat Air Trends: Current Capabilities and Future Threat Outlook - Bronk (2020)
rusi.org/explore-our-research...
CRS-- China's military, the PLA - 2021
crsreports.congress.gov/produ...
China Naval Modernisation: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities - Background and Issue for Congress
sgp.fas.org/crs/row/RL33153.pdf
The Chinese Military Speaks to Itself, Revealing Doubts - Dennis Blasko
warontherocks.com/2019/02/the...
China Expanding YY-20 fleet
www.janes.com/defence-news/ne...
The Creation of the PLA Strategic Support Force and its Implications for Chinese Military Space Operations - Pollpeter, Chase & Heginbotham (2017)
www.rand.org/pubs/research_re...
The U.S. China Military Scorecard - RAND - 2017
www.rand.org/pubs/research_re...
Learning Warfare from the Laboratory - China's progression in wargaming and opposing force training - Kania, Burns & Caslin
www.understandingwar.org/site...
Mentioned reporting of Chinese Type 99 usage during wargaming
eng.chinamil.com.cn/CHINA_2091...
2007 Reporting on ASAT test
www.theguardian.com/science/2...
Type 59 image (2018)
eng.mod.gov.cn/focus/2018-03/1...
J-16 EW Version
www.janes.com/defence-news/ne...
PLA Operational Concepts - Burke,
www.rand.org/content/dam/rand...
Featured Economist article
www.economist.com/special-rep...
Caveats & Comments:
All normal caveats and comments apply.
In particular - I would like to note as always that this material has been created for entertainment purposes and is not intended to be a complete or comprehensive examination of the topic in question and should not be relied upon to inform financial or other similar decisions.
Featured Image of multinational exercises
thediplomat.com/2016/05/us-ja...
Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Opening Words
00:00:42 - What Am I Talking About?
00:02:00 - Strategy And Strategic Environment
00:13:11 - The Forces
00:13:35 - The Strategic Support Force
00:17:59 - The Space Systems Department
00:18:49 - Network Systems Department
00:21:10 - PLA Ground Forces
00:27:51 - PLAAF (Air Force)
00:36:15 - PLAN (Navy)
00:49:22 - The Rocket Force
00:53:09 - Shortfalls, Trends & Perspectives
01:05:48 - Channel Update

[@PerunAU]

Future Perun note - It looks like we crossed the 500k mark between recording and posting this one. That is, frankly, well beyond where I ever expected this channel to go. I'll reflect on it a bit, and have some thoughts on it next week. I'll also give some thought as to how to mark the milestone. Also - there is a hilarious and i hope obvious error in this one as a result of a typo. No PLAN vessel has a 1.3meter calibre main gun... it is 130mm, not 1330

[@MarcosElMalo2]

Did you ever ever ever think in a million years you’d be a defense analysis rock star? 😄

[@markevans9399]

Congratulations indeed. We have been watching your subsriber base steadily grow on the back of your very impressive presentations.

[@sashimikat7952]

Woohoo!

[@karelkryne2387]

Quality brings a quantity all of its own

[@HillelAlon]

🙏

[@bertiesmalls6081]

Holy shit! 500k and a PowerPoint before midnight? Everything is coming up Milhouse

[@mckseal]

Ayy, a fellow aussie putting off sleep before monday's work to watch our powerpoint guru? haha

[@MaximumEfficiency]

500k woke "I support the current thing" NPCs 😆🤣

[@latso10]

🎶The best part of waking up, is Perun in your feed 🎶

[@bertiesmalls6081]

@MaximumEfficiency and yet here you are boosting engagement... do you need a hug, mate?

[@charleswomack2166]

The Simpsons have done everything, but everything is not the Simpsons, lol!

[@J1mston]

Perun is the embodiment of “I don’t know how this is working but it is so I’m sticking with it.” Congrats on the half a million, mate. It says a lot about you that you can make PowerPoints every week and we all tune in every week.

[@braxxian]

At least here you get the facts. Tune into MSM and you get nothing but BS.

[@apollyon1]

The only military niche he can never get his head round is his own success. Well done Perun. :)

[@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ4208]

Being confident while being wrong is all it takes to keep a biased redditors happy.

[@JinKee]

Ukraine is trying to build 1m “one way drones” to make up for a shortfall in artillery shells, Russia is doing the same with their Item-55. Meanwhile every quadcopter on the frontline in Ukraine has FCUs and motors and batteries made in China.

[@RonTodd-gb1eo]

Is making a drone easier than making a shell?

[@JinKee]

@@RonTodd-gb1eo if you don’t have a chip fab, the drone relies on chips from a country that does. So you end up sending soldiers to dig F7 microcontrollers out of dead washing machines in a combat zone. If you do have access to even a crap 180nm process node chip fab like the one Texas Instruments still operates in Texas on the continental united states you are good to go for making your own FCUs, motor controllers, gyros, radios etc, all the other parts are fairly easy to source or make. The explosive payloads for the drones have been made from copper sheet, explosives melted out of anti-tank mines provided by the enemy and an old fanta bottle. Now making artillery shells requires investment in heavy industry- 150 year old steel working technology. Big capital investment but the knowledge to do it is widespread. The knowledge to make a chip fab that can actually produce chips is much harder to secure.

[@lolasdm6959]

Wow this is based, Chinese companies can invest in local production in Russia and Ukraine at the same time.

[@RonTodd-gb1eo]

Thank you for the answer. Good information.@@JinKee

[@Microphunktv-jb3kj]

ukraine builds 1m, russia builds 8-10m :D there's 20 000 drones scouting and targeting at all times in ukraine , while there's 80-100k of russian drones... the good news is, russia uses shittier drones and slower to adapt to new drone techs... ukrainians shift tactidcs and drone tech and ideas every month ... some estonian guy invented drone target painters , it costs 3k .. heat element is the most expensive , 2,7k$ , and it can target 2-3km ... so you can heat paint drones with lazer basicly... so the rest of ur team can shoot down the drones.... these heat guns gonna be part of the units/drone groups... interesting stuff. after this war or ww3 ... drone swarms will be illegal weapons like cluster bombs probably... noone uses them yet, but they might become a thing in the future ; ]

[@maxstark4744]

15:10 "I might have access to incredible reconnaissance satellites" - Perun, 2024, showing his hand

[@dakaodo]

I mean, you can too. It's the 21st century, and satellite imagery is available at varying levels of affordability, from $100s to $1000s.

[@grahamstrouse1165]

@@dakaodoIt feels word knowing that I can add “retasking a satellite” to the list of things I can afford to do (but will possibly regret later) when I’m bored drunk on box wine.

[@ls200076]

​@@grahamstrouse1165 go for some Aldi wine

[@j.dunlop8295]

French were offering public paid access to satellite pictures, common knowledge for decades!😮🇺🇦💙🥶🛩️

[@marcusalm7350]

​@@j.dunlop8295 Arguably, there is a difference between paying to get access to the pictures and paying to get the satellites to take the pictures you want. Sure, the difference is not massive since the satellites are generally continuously taking pictures... But there can be differences.

[@Crusader-tu9gb]

It does not surprise me in the slightest that this channel has reached 500k. Nevertheless, congratulations. This milestone is well-earned.

[@davidelliott5843]

The huge surprise is that it’s taken so long to happen. Nobody NOBODY comes close to clearly explaining what is going on in the world.

[@TheLucanicLord]

It surprises me. That's a dig, but not at Perun.

[@First-Last_name]

I thought he would have hit it like 6 months ago.

[@deka0014]

What well-earned? This guy's analysis has been ALL wrong. Russian skilled military mowing down Ukr and this guy keeps saying Ukraine is winning! 🤣

[@Angerdomeable]

I agree completely, russia has only extended this three day operation to give Ukraine a fighting chance. After all, russia could win instantly should they choose to. They want to lose a massive amount of their young population and equipment. That way the men who survive the war will be stronger due to evolution and they will replace the destroyed equipment with better equipment. Trust the three day plan, russia wants to look like it is failing completely to trick the US ​@@deka0014

[@Warszawski_Modernizm]

Hello from Warsaw, Poland. I started following your channel in the 3rd week of march 2022. And back then I thought to myself. He HAS TO BLOW UP, at least up to 50K subs. 2 years later. BOOOOOM. 500 000K. WELL EFFIN DESERVED.

[@dpelpal]

Russian army turned out to be a total joke, Peruns "Private Conscriptovich" has now entered popular lexicon😂😂😂

[@jannegrey593]

From Kraków, Poland. I also started watching Perun in March 2022 and I agree with my Warsaw colleague that you deserve 500k AT LEAST. And that it was necessary for you to "blow up" in subscribers. If you know how often people from Warsaw and Kraków agree on things - yes, it's a miracle and it isn't Christmas.

[@Warszawski_Modernizm]

Second Coming of Christ happens more often than Warsawer and Cracower agreeing :D Bardziej rzadkie niż drugie nadejście Chrystusa :D @@jannegrey593

[@AndrewBlucher]

​@@jannegrey593I relatives in both cities. Even they don't get along well 😆

[@nickcharles1284]

Serious question: based on your having listened all this time, were you given to understand in 2022 that Ukraine could win this military conflict with Russia, and if so do you still feel this is possible, or being achieved, etc? Thank you.

[@bos1200]

23:17 "enough to take half of avdiivka... If u are patient about it" That one got me to genuinly LOL!

[@accountantthe3394]

Guess who's got time? (Hint: Not the US with the tyranny of distance 😂)

[@irgendwieanders2121]

@@accountantthe3394 Hmmm... The Swiss, they have time! Best watches in the world! Correct?

[@bazooka712]

​@@accountantthe3394opposed to the Democratic Russian Federation? You shouldn't have ironed the wrinkles on your brain.

[@accountantthe3394]

@@bazooka712 Oh you mean the Russian federation that just took Avdiivka? Has anyone ever accused you of critical thinking? :)

[@JeRefuseDeBienPrononcerBaleine]

@@accountantthe3394According to their propaganda that no one but smooth brained idiots listen to.

[@AirForceJuan747]

500K!!! Congrats!

[@krissteel4074]

Its some amazing growth, hope it keeps going strength to strength

[@NoName-sb9tp]

It's amazing how fast his channel grow. Let's hope for a 1mil soon

[@danielhill9080]

Don't mind me, I'm just responding to one of the dozens of bot accounts this shameless hack POS has posted, all designed to boost the algorithm.

[@ropeburnsrussell]

You are very smart, a million subscribers wouldnt surprise me at all. I hope your success here will spill over into your professional life,you must be a great asset to the organization that employs you.

[@saxonsoldier67]

Sorry. You misspelled 10 million subscribers. 🍺🍺

[@AndrewBlucher]

​@@saxonsoldier67You can be sure it does "spill over". He consults to ... er ... various "organisations".

[@SomeRandomPerson]

@56:43 "Oversee these five can'ts" ... Man the Australian accent really makes that a sentence capable of drawing a significant double take.

[@mitchellvangrieken3900]

Seriously though I reckon another problem they might have is attracting and rewarding patrioitc showmen who have the completely wrong idea about what a good soldier/ officer does

[@krisrieser662]

I've never seen a channel more deserving of subscribers and recognition than yours. Congrats bud on 500k, it's amazing to see and well deserved

[@EAFSQ9]

Congrats on 500k, Perun. Why do I have a feeling this video will get circulated within Defence and Foreign policy circles in Canberra... p.s. 45:14 1330mm gun *wha*

[@stilllooking7996]

Penny sees no evil and hears no evil. Cash only. Maybe those ACT denizens will need a secure vpn to hide their tracks to knowledge?

[@nicholasackroyd4460]

I would be surprised if large portions don't stay up and watch it at midnight. Also as expected knowledge around the water cooler.

[@irgendwieanders2121]

The 1330mm was used on an early prototype. Once. That early prototype now serves as test bed for the Shanghai Institute fro tropical coral reefs...

[@hughmungus2760]

@@irgendwieanders2121 na, its china's equivalent of the Babylon gun which is suppose to shoot shells into low earth orbit.

[@DeftPol]

I was sending his stuff to ASPI contacts back in early 2022 😂

[@stephaniewilson3955]

Fact, when investigating a Civil War (UK) battleground one of the weapons recovered featured a Viking Age blade. Obviously this was a treasured heirloom that was still of use, but it was found in the ground suggesting that the owner did not survive the battle.

[@JinKee]

“Come on then! Attack us! We are not afraid. You have made a big mistake! I have fought with men whose names you should never be to allowed to utter! I have fought with Ragnar Lothbrok! I have fought with Rollo and Floki. I have lived a real life! Come and fight me! I long for Valhalla!“

[@stephaniewilson3955]

@@JinKee love it!

[@krissteel4074]

During the battle of New Ross in 1798 there was a 2500 year old, late bronze age sword some Irishman dragged out of a tomb and went off to stab Englishmen with He died too, but its the principle of the thing!

[@stephaniewilson3955]

@@krissteel4074 wow!

[@wouter.de.ruiter]

@@JinKee And then some damn Welsh archer shot him in the back from a 100 meters

[@andrewgreenwood9068]

8:10 utopia is such a good show

[@robbiegratton4524]

In the public service, it’s akin to a documentary

[@VineFynn]

​@@robbiegratton4524admittedly the public service actually does accomplish things, just very, very slowly

[@NS8KEN]

Came here for this

[@AmericanDiscord]

It is a stupid statement. The Chinese navy is being built up to protect imports of Russian and Middle Eastern LNG and crude oil. Not to protect exports to the US. 8 minutes in and already disappointed.

[@noneofyourbusiness4133]

Pyrocynical would like a word :3

[@TomatoFettuccini]

Congratulations on making 500k Perun! Well-deserved and here's to 1 million! 🍾

[@kindnuguz]

Perun and the work done on the channel deserves way more than 500k, but congrats. Yes it's a PowerPoint presentation but the research and knowledge into it goes way beyond PowerPoint

[@TheKazragore]

The razor-sharp dry humour and sarcasm helps.

[@user-bn1sf8lm6o]

Using this to help my heart rate slow from a whine to a purr after finally getting my youngest to do her homework. You, Perun, may well have saved my life.

[@hawkeye7527]

Well that is certainly one way of calling him boring! Haha ;)

[@captainmaim]

half a million voices cried out all at once, GOD BLESS EMUTOPIA and it's son, Perun!

[@muadddib]

🫡🫡🥹

[@velvetmagnetta3074]

Ummm...pretty sure our Perun is partial to Kiwiland - and not just because they're always the underdog getting attacked!

[@Jopey_Meow]

It's Super Bowl Sunday here in the States, but I still woke up more excited to check out the new Perun video than for the big game. You're providing a unique and valuable service, fine sir. Thank you, and congrats on all the success.

[@soulsphere9242]

The Chinese Army-Navy also has a large air arm called the Army-Navy-Air Force. It actuality has a very sizeable land based component.

[@donderstorm1845]

this is too confusing. the army-navy's army-navy-air force!?

[@grahamstrouse1165]

@@donderstorm1845That just sounds way too incestuous…

[@wdsf3178]

As of last year all land-based fighter & bomber component of PLANAF has been transferred to PLAAF. Tactical fleet wise it seems that they are moving steadily towards a carrier-borne force.

[@dsdy1205]

​@donderstorm1845 It gets a little better when you realise that the first "Army" is the word 军, which while it does translate to Army, in modern use is also synonymous with "Armed Force". So the PLANAF is probably closer described as the People's Liberation Armed Forces Navy Air Group

[@donderstorm1845]

@@dsdy1205 ah, interesting. so is the PLAN more like the People's Liberation Armed Forces Naval Group?

[@Coroebus107]

Like five hundred thousand other folks, I truly look forward to the weekend Perun Powerpoint on Defense Economics. Thank you for the labor you put into researching, writing, and recording these videos.

[@AussieBattleCat]

Congrats on 500k, You put so much quaility into your work you deserve it :)!

[@lukas4866]

Congrats on 500k! You definitely deserve it

[@zXPooleYXz]

Methodical man, clockwork perun ! Quality guy all the best.

[@user-sk8ih3ch6p]

Congrats on 500k Perun! I'm travelling at the moment and got food poising so have been stuck in my hotel room, this vid was a great recovery treat and seeing 500k was an awesome bit of good news to celebrate! Keep 'em coming.

[@martiforse4764]

Go strong, Perun! You’re doing a great job. Thank you for being such an eye opener

[@NamingIsHard1234]

Congrats on half a mil, honestly deserve it with the amount of effort you put into these.

[@DailyDetroit]

Proof smart, valuable content CAN get a following. Thank you for helping me understand whats happening, with humor and clarity. I recommend you to all my friends who want to learn more about the world. Congrats on 500k, and here’s to 500k more.

[@davidcpugh8743]

Another report from Perun! Grateful.

[@deathdrone6988]

47:47. The US projections for future chinese SSN and SSBN ships is likely a massive lowball since the report was done before the significant (essentially 4x the floor space) upgrade of the Dalian shipyard (the one responsible for the nuclear submarines). PLA watchers with a history of being mostly correct have estimated from 2025 onwards, a conservative figure of 2 new nuclear submarines per year is expected to be built in that shipyard.

[@obsidianstatue]

The assessment of Type-95 nuclear submarines to be on par with Akula class is also inaccurate. Type-93B already have pump-jet propulsion, this feature alone is better than every Russian nuclear subs in service, and puts it right below the current most advanced US class; the Virginia class. So more accurate assessment would put the Type-95 to be very close to the capabilities of the Virginia or Seawolf class submarines.

[@olderchin1558]

Before we judge the number of submarines as inadequate, we first need to assess the current PLA strategy. China still has a mainly defensive strategy. The latest type 39 and the latest drone subs is going to be more important today. The type 95 is probably a lower priority as they are not critical for defense. Combined with an overwhelming number of anti-sub ships, I don't see China having a disadvantage. China only needs to secure its position in the region. And if need be, destroys Japan and South Korea's infrastructure and defense, while blockading the region. With modern IAD, I don't see tomahawks as being very effective if the success rate of the storm shadow is any indication. And this is against antiqued soviet systems.

[@LunaticTheCat]

​@@olderchin1558The US relies on target saturation. Tomahawks will still be plenty effective.

[@TripleOmega]

I'm curious to see how china's plans hold up under the economic struggles they are facing. Upgrades of that magnitude are planned way in advance and certainly didn't account for the current situation.

[@asdfghjkl92213]

@@TripleOmegaall will be revealed when we look at the budget increase this year

[@thomasromanelli2561]

Congratulations on the 500k subscriber mark (and I suspect it will only continue to grow), and thank you for the incredible, thought-provoking and often sobering content you present each week. 🖖

[@evilmountain7147]

“We should hit 500k by next week” Meanwhile, the sub count already says 500k before I’ve even started the video. Well done, my friend! You deserve every sub you’ve got!

[@SpaciousPlanning]

Congratulations on 500k! Thank you for sharing so much knowledge and research.

[@Humphreyat86]

Yay. Sunday night & another Perun recording's dropped!

[@halebopp_a_cometh]

By far, again, the biggest accomplishment of this channel has been…. Drum roll please 🥁 … “The comment section” Everyone’s so god damn polite and normal. So many comments in one place, in this day and age, where everywhere else is festering with trolls and bots, but not here- here are some fine gentleman and ladies manners in the comment section - and I am still amazed by sheer numbers, that it does seem like mathematically impossible in relation to others!Sometimes quantity does reflect quality. And is just amazing, how probably someone can calculate that and say, this comment section has, with this many comments and commentators - rate of politeness that much higher, than the average 😂 love this channel and Perun ❤ People like common sense, and that’s all there is to it ❤

[@kmk1225]

What a great comment man, all the best ❤

[@Redicule_research._ridiculous]

~insert Obama receiving an medal from Obama meme here~ My guess is that people willing to listen an hour are capable of calmly reacting to any trolls or any hotheads calling names. A capability that is shockingly rare in current days

[@arneczool6614]

As always, exceptional explanation of todays realities - the 500k subscribers are well deserved by hard work and incredible knowledge! Chapeau! 💯

[@rafis117]

Congrats on 500k! The thing that keeps me (and I'm sure others) coming back for your videos is the ironclad quality. If in the future you ever need to choose between quantity and quality then I'd prefer you keep quality and slow down quantity. You continue to astound and impress by not compromising on either, and absolutely deserve your viewership. I've been evangelizing your work for closing in on two years and I know I'm not alone.

[@rulu1828]

Funnily enough the "Peace Disease (平和病)" idea is something similar to what the Japanese have albeit a bit ruder "Peace Stupidity (平和ボケ)." Basically a prolonged period of peace degrades emergency readiness not only in the military, but on all of society. Ironically this actually becomes a seed for future conflicts. I guess the western equivalent is "weak men makes hard times, etc."

[@aelolul]

one step previous - "good times make weak men"

[@kti5682]

So soldiers returning from wars with PTSD, self medicating with alcohol and beating their SOs is the normal thing then?

[@trueblueclue]

​@kti5682 don't be low IQ. It means that peace and prosperity leads to people getting comfortable and with low alertness. This never lasts and war and tough times inevitably break for reasons that vary. We're going back to the hard times.

[@dakaodo]

@@kti5682 You're taking an unnecessarily confrontational and naive approach to this issue. If you're looking to create a simplistic binary outcome soundbite, then sure it's the norm. But the norm isn't necessarily the ideal. I wouldn't even want to say that it's a necessary evil, but it is usually effectively treated as such. Unfortunately, the most direct path to ensuring no family ever has to deal with loss or trauma from wartime casualties is to wave the Gene Roddenberry magic wand and make all humans default to rational discourse instead of waving their primate d!cks around as we compete for resources we perceive we need to have at someone else's cost. Barring this impossible pacification of human instincts, then yes, loss and trauma are going to be the norm for someone somewhere out there on this benighted planet. So the question becomes one of minimization and mitigation, rather than absolute prevention. Just like every other complex, multi-faceted, frequently interconnected problem we face -- famine, climate change, geopolitical instability, resource/wealth/technology inequality. I've worked in social services and dealt with non-military PTSD. It's nothing any individual wants for themselves or their loved ones. However, at a macro or strategic level, every nation that has survived competition and conflict has had to choose some degree of human cost in order to field military forces. You can mitigate the impact on your citizens who serve as soldiers, but thus far you can never prevent 100% of the human cost. Influencing societal opinion can have a huge impact -- look at the treatment of WW 2 veterans versus Korean War veterans versus Vietnam War veterans versus Iraq/Afghanistan veterans. I might argue that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were far less virtuous or necessary than WW 2 or Korea and maybe even than Vietnam, but Iraq/Afghanistan veterans were treated far better than WW 2, Korea, or Vietnam by both the government and society. For all that veterans often have a (sometimes deservedly) low opinion of the VA, we HAVE a VA. China doesn't. Myanmar doesn't. Ethiopia doesn't. Yemen doesn't. For that matter, medieval knights didn't have a VA or social support structure either. Most modern people don't realize this, but a lot of the material that contributed to the chivalric code or ideals was actually focused on normalizing grief and trauma, and reintegrating men who had fought and killed on campaign continuously for years or even decades. They spent that time entirely removed from peacetime life around nonhostile farmers, merchants, and other fellow villagers or townsfolk. Works like the Song of Roland helped to normalize the idea that it was acceptable for a man to weep and lament the loss of his friends and comrades in arms. The chivalric notion of protecting the weak, women and children, was partly an admonishment that you can't solve every peacetime problem by killing the people causing the problem. Someone stole your cart or cow? Butcher cheated you on weights? You need to seek recourse through civil and legal means. Cultivate the arts, like poetry, music, and dance to steer the mind away from dark places and rediscover joy and value in life and other people. I'm not as deeply acquainted with other military cultures, but Miyamoto Musashi's writings make him sound like a troubled man, a psychopath, an eccentric, and ultimately someone who had to make peace with his deeds and killings in life. Sounds like the norm. People who don't understand conflict, violence, killing, and the consequences for the survivors, these people will alternate between absolutes out of ignorance -- they'll either wholly glorify or villify the soldier, the warrior, the survivor. But real people aren't one-dimensional villains or heroes. This very closely resembles modern soldiers' accounts in the past century of how they had to resist reflexive urges to lash out and destroy people who aggravated them -- an insufferable driving instructor, a nosy neighbor, a girlfriend who wouldn't shut up about her (seemingly trivial to the veteran soldier author) daily problems. So the answer to your rhetorical question is actually yes, it has been the norm for all of organized human civilization and armed conflict. How will we strive to be better in dealing with it now and in the future, than in the past?

[@einfachignorieren6156]

​@@kti5682 yes

[@mightyrighty1]

500,000 subscriber. I can't believe that it not twice that. I actually look forwards to Sunday to download his vids to listen to on my Sunday hike

[@cyberceel]

I can always rely on high quality research from you Perun 💯

[@mastermavrick]

Congrats on 500k! great info per usual, till the next episode.

[@chaplainhyena1523]

Congratulations Perun 500K.

[@Daxx04]

Awesome Job Perun!! Your the best

[@evilgingerminiatures5820]

Congratulations on the 500k I feel that its very well deserved & that this is quite the most intelligent and thoughtful channel on youtube thank you & keep on keeping on

[@bobbyfactor1890]

500k subs right now! Congratulations Perun!

[@J_K944]

The Strategic Support force also known as the People's Liberation Army Nerd Force.

[@hughmungus2760]

they also have some weird overlap with the MSS (china's CIA/FBI) where they would probably conduct espionage and sabotage overseas.

[@stephenhall1180]

Congrats on 500k!

[@saus9870]

500k congrats! You deserve it. I have not missed a single military video!

[@marrs1013]

500k! Well done sir! Well deserved. Thank you!

[@thomaszhang3101]

40:16 I just want to point out that 076 is less like a successor to the 075 and more like a light escort carrier. It lacks a dock and will be grouped into a carrier fleet to handle the unmanned aspect of the air wing. For now, we know that GJ-11 will definitely be on 076, but an AWACS like drone that uses a shorter band radar to scan for sea-skimming threats is highly likely to be there as well. Above are just third-hand information passed from someone who claimed to have talked to people involved in the program. They said that this was not classified.

[@avinashgore6258]

Congrats for 500 K like me. You deserve more and it shall come. PLA analysis is as always deep study and analysis and great presentation with tong in cheek comments. Thanks 🎉❤

[@SC-tl3rh]

Hellooo - congrats on reaching 500k subscribers. Have been here since all bling no basics, listening to you every week! Pls do keep up the excellent work!

[@MadmanInUkraine]

我们又来了！ 经济和物流大师的顶级见解。😂 Thanks yet again @perunau for class info on yet another very actual topic. Awesome work mate, and many congratulations on reaching half a million! Earned by hard work and willpower! Tip my hat for you my good sir. ^^

[@chrishalstead4405]

Many congrats on 500k! Thoroughly deserved.

[@Winged_Gunsknecht]

"I doubt any of us just wants Bejing and Washington to sit down and agree to just have a small scale air war so we can collect some hard data on their air combat performance." NCD, sit down. It was a joke.

[@lorenzooliveira1157]

Don’t let the F-22 Raptor hear that!

[@stc2828]

@@lorenzooliveira1157J20 agrees 😂 (There is more J20 than f22 to this date

[@Daniel-ie3mt]

500K is crazy, congratulations!

[@stylist_bitter6194]

The Utopia reference killed me. Also, congrats on 500K! Thank you for all of your amazing content

[@swj719]

Congrats, Perun. Channel success couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

[@HenrikEnquist]

In Swedish we call peace disease "fredsskadad", i.e. peace damaged. Peace is never a negative thing, but the idea of eternal peace could be your demise if others are seeking war.

[@tehokotkat]

Yeah, but you are lucky that you have such good neighbor countries. And Finland will keep you safe. Sadly it's not an easy task,

[@horstnietzsche1923]

Peace is never a negative thing.... well i mean the Swedish did let the Germans use their territory to invade Norway but i mean it was for peace 😂.

[@andersjjensen]

"The only thing more expensive than a strong defence force is failed deterrence" -- Ret. Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges. "After the Soviet annexation there was peace in Lithuania. But it wasn't a good peace. People disappeared by the thousands and our language and identity was under constant attack. Peace isn't always good." -- Prime minister of Lithuania, Ingrida Šimonytė

[@andersjjensen]

@@horstnietzsche1923 They didn't exactly "let" them. They were told it was that or "a permanent German garrison at every strategically important location".

[@mrwhips3623]

NATO desires war and you got involved

[@jasan2121]

A very good summary but I also think you missed a very important piece of the puzzle in this video and that is UAV and other various unmanned platforms that are playing a ever more important role in modern warfare. China is the world’s largest producer of drones and is also investing heavily in automation and robotics in its civilian economy. It will be interesting to see the effect all of that has on the military.

[@hughmungus2760]

yes, china's civilian robotics sector is going to be as impactful as the US commerical auto and aerospace industry during WW2. Unlike most military hardware today, drones are one of the few things that can be produced in vast numbers relatively quickly.

[@vorsichtig1235]

Drones' most crucial drawback is that they are extremely vulnerable to electronic jamming. Unlike Russia, Ukraine, or some random MENA countries which doesn't have much capacity to produce electronics, PLA's OPFOR is US, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea, which all have capacities to produce chips en masse. This makes drone capacities less important at the strategic level.

[@hughmungus2760]

@@vorsichtig1235 china is also alot better at building drones than Russia. Particularly drones with image recognition AI that allow them to autonamously track and engage targets once locked on. You will need hard kill directed energy weapons to even stand a chance and so far I don't see the US or anyone rolling around with anti-drone lasers at a platoon level.

[@hughmungus2760]

@@vorsichtig1235 also drones being used strategically aren't the innovation. Large high altitude drones have been around since the late 80s. Its tactical drones that are the killer. Particularly loitering munitions which would be about as hard to jam as a missile.

[@longhairdontcare122]

​@@vorsichtig1235jamming jammers and jamming jammer jammers...

[@rivetjoint9628]

Thankyou for your time, energy and diligence. From the first video I knew I was onto a good un. Congratulations on 500k😀

[@joeshmoe8345]

Great, thanks for sharing this with us Big Dog

[@Centurion101B3C]

As always, I leave my absolute favourite Sunday past-time with a wholehearted "WOW! This was good!....Unsettling, but good!". You fully live up to the motto "In Tenebris Lucens" (In translation not to be confused with 'Glowing in the dark.').

[@HawkTheRed]

45:05 "1330mm main gun" dam, that Type 55 has a big gun

[@PerunAU]

that typo is so hilarious im less annoyed - but still annoyed it got through

[@reentrysfs6317]

​@PerunAU it should be 130mm right?

[@MM22966]

@@reentrysfs6317Yes. Standard East bloc naval caliber for a capital ship gun.

[@Scottagram]

smallest WH40K pistol

[@Midire]

Wouldn't that be warship equivalent of a punt gun? 🤣🤣🤣

[@TOEFL63]

Good hearing from you again Perun.

[@porthose2002]

Woohoo! It's about time you hit 500K subscribers. Your content is outstanding, as is your delivery. Half a million is well deserved. Congratulations!

[@robmccord2583]

Congrats on 500k

[@pukpuku4545]

congrats to 500k. 🥳

[@jrs999999]

Congrats on 500k! We’ll deserved-you’re one of the most information rich channels on the interwebz.

[@LNgKhoi]

Beginning LNY with a Perun video on Chinese military. The year will be good.

[@operaatio5117]

Yoo the Australian powerpoint man who talks boring topics has gotten 500k subscribers!!!!!111!!! Congrats :)

[@Cosantoir]

It's like Aussie man reviews but the opposite

[@willywonka4340]

Plus I dig his brand of humor 😂👍

[@DeftPol]

@@Cosantoir😂 “Like Aussie man reviews but the opposite” is just about the funniest and most accurate way I’ve heard this channel described. @Perun should put it in his channel header

[@kylethompson1379]

I think what is often not highlighted is China's unrivaled industrial base, for example producing more than half of all of the entire world's steel. In a real war of attrition its capability to continue the fight seems just utterly unmatched.

[@evrythingis1]

Maybe if they could feed their own people or provide their own energy for electricity then that would matter, LOL

[@kylethompson1379]

​@@evrythingis1 as early as 2017 China's hunger rate was 2.5%. China produces more than 10,000,000 GWh per year, which is around 4x more than Japan and India -combined-, more than half of all of Asia. And in terms of renewables, at the end of 2020, China's total installed photovoltaic capacity was 253 GW, accounting for one-third of the WORLD's total installed photovoltaic capacity (760.4 GW).

[@evrythingis1]

​@@kylethompson1379 That's great propaganda, +100 to your social credit score from daddy Xi. What would China do without American wheat and soy, and Saudi oil? I don't know why I both to reply to you CCP shills. You'll never see an actual American make a pro Chinese comment ever. It makes it really easy to spot the 50 cent party wumao. 50 million Chinese a year would die from starvation alone if the CCP started a war.

[@davidmushal7862]

It’s wild to me that this channel has only 500,000 subscribers. You’re continuing to make top-notch content, Perun. Thank you.

[@iantaylor230]

Thanks for doing what you do Perun

[@Scottagram]

What helped me the most to understand China's perspective is physically rotating a map to put the Pacific Ocean at the top, and seeing how the first island chain looks from that angle.

[@piedpiper1172]

Of all the info in Thucydides Trap, that nugget really stands out as truly valuable and lasting.

[@lumct9010]

Wow. I just did this, it's enlightening.

[@cubefreak123]

I did that and don’t understand your perspective. Could you please elaborate on it?

[@Scottagram]

@@cubefreak123 When someone spends a lot of time looking at maps (for example... 2279 hours of Hearts of Iron....), it can be easy to become "comfortable" with the status quo. By viewing maps from another angle, your brain is forced to reevaluate basic assumptions.

[@cubefreak123]

@@Scottagram I understand that, and thank you for the explanation regardless. What I mean is what you meant regarding the angle of the first island chain?

[@SoApost]

You joke, but the M2 Browning is well known galaxy-wide as the front line weapon of choice against Xenomorph Zerg attacks.

[@rauh100]

Congratulations Perun!

[@biborkiraly394]

Congrats on 500k mate! Cheers from Croatia

[@Elsneakakaze]

Happy 500k!

[@kassthered8452]

23:24 never change your dry humour Perun 😂😂

[@richteffekt]

Thanks to the Algo for putting "All Bling No Basics" into my KZbin feed the other year. And thanks to you Perun one more time for your consistent and excellent output.

[@jimh2067]

Congratulations on the well deserved milestone. Great content brings out the KZbin nerds like myself.

[@dasmaurerle4347]

To produce a high-end video - regarding the quality of information - about a military topic is one thing and deserves respect. Producing videos of that sort on a weekly basis is simply mindboggling. Especially if one considers that your videos are nothing more than a simple PowerPoint presentation. I wish I would be looking forward to the presentations I have to regularly endure at my workplace as much as I'm looking forward to your weekly content. Chapeau, mate.👏👏👏🍻

[@Bob-Fields]

Agreed in that the information and analysis is great, but the video is just a well put together PowerPoint.

[@MM22966]

Something I try to keep in mind with the Chinese is that there was another unproven military force with a new weapon mix; not much experience, not gigantic, but it had massive logistics/potential behind it. That was the USN carrier force in 1940.

[@ryanthorne5432]

The Chinese have the advantage of a long history of other nation’s military operations to take lessons from.

[@aymonfoxc1442]

Well, that's kinda true but what I'd focus on was the housecleaning undertaken with regard to the old guard of the officer class (kicking out those committed to old doctrine and politics) in preparation for America's entry into the war. It's often forgotten, but it's kinda like the opposite of Stalin's purge. Right now, China seems to sit somewhere between the two extremes. Plus, the US economy matched the entire global economy decades before WW2. America had long been the world's greatest power but few people had noticed... even in America. China faces a lot of scrutiny, lacks basic resources and the world doesn't seem eager on ruining itself with massive wars to create a vacuum of military power. What's more, the US was actually more experienced than people give it credit for and was a genuine pioneer in modern warfare - there's a lot of somewhat forgotten history behind that.

[@vilx1308]

fun fact, most military in world is “unproven” for a actual war

[@henli-rw5dw]

​@@aymonfoxc1442their manufacturing capacity is now almost equal to rest of the world combined. Yes their economy is small compared to the world, but they'll manufacture everything

[@u2beuser714]

​@@aymonfoxc1442 Look im not doubting neither anyone should doubt that the U.S has the most powerful military in the world. But to what extent does the u.s have the combat experience to take on near peer opponents? The U.S spent most of its time fighting insurgencies for the past 2 decades to what extent does that matter in a near peer conflict ? To what extent past combat experience matters in this case? Im not sure

[@karlotmvilla]

Congrats for reaching 500k!

[@mattbrown5511]

You deserve the 500K and so many more. Congratulations, Perun.

[@Retrosicotte]

Wee note on the Type 45, that gym space is getting missiles in it. Additional CAMM silos will be going there very soon to bring its total missile load to 80 (including the 8x anti-ship)

[@grahamstrouse1165]

About time!

[@corvus_monedula]

Congrats on the 500K subscribers! Well earned.

[@TotalTirpitz]

Holy hell. 500k Subs excellent stuff! And a subject I've been looking forward to.

[@KingNoTail]

Thanks for all of the hard work you put into your videos, and congrats on 500,000 subs.

[@JustOneAsbesto]

18:26 Fucking lol. When you said "put things into things that are already in space" I thought you were going to talk about resupply missions to their space station. Apparently I forgot who I was listening to.

[@Pleplerhep]

Lol subs are EXACTLY 500.000 on my screen xD Gz on the 500k milestone :)

[@yoda0017]

Congrats on 500K Perun! Well deserved.

[@RandomAussieGuy87]

Congrats on 500k! You definitely earned it.

[@leaveourstatuesalone.3378]

Perun, Constantly banging out high quality, well thought and executed content, Also Love when you Perun Goes Rogue 😂……Thx Mate…..🇬🇧

[@efrainmelendez6219]

Love your content and congratulations on 500K 🎉

[@alexwright4538]

Great analysis as always!

[@momo9594]

Hi perun, I heard the interview with soldier X on Willy OMA yesterday (your name fell in it). It gave me an idea for a video: how does military material aid volume translate in effectiveness on the battlefield in Ukraine. Thank you for the awesome content.

[@TriphexCorporation]

Ah, a Perun video and Hearts of Iron 4 ... A perfect way to spend Sunday morning!