An HQ-9 long-range air defense missile system launcher in yellow camouflage fires a missile in the Gobi Desert. Photo: PLA Eastern Theater Command's WeChat account

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command said on Monday that one of its Air Force units recently deployed to the Gobi Desert for live-force drills in unfamiliar terrain, with photos showing its HQ-9 long-range air defense missile system launchers have been repainted in desert camouflage.

The rapid switch is part of adaption to the environment, a Chinese military affairs expert said. The fact that Eastern Theater Command forces can travel from China's east to its northwest for exercises shows strong mobility and environmental adaptability, now considered basic requirements for every theater command and combat unit.

After receiving the transfer order, the unit swiftly assembled their vehicles, loading them onto transport trains and then departed for the training area.

As soon as the military train arrived, orders were issued and troops quickly completed on-site camouflage and advanced toward the mission area in modular formations.

The exercise featured rapidly changing situations and a constant stream of emergency scenarios: drone harassment, equipment repairs, emergency maneuvers and more. 

Specialized units responded quickly, comprehensively testing troops' emergency response and coordinated combat capabilities, reported the official WeChat account of the PLA Eastern Theater Command.

Photos in the report show that the Air Force ground-to-air missile unit's HQ-9 launchers were still painted in woodland camouflage when they left the Eastern Theater Command, but then switched to a rarer yellow paint scheme better suited to the desert environment upon arriving in the Gobi.

Equipment needs all-domain operational capability, enabling it to adapt to different environments and adjust coloring based on the tactical situation, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Monday. 

This greatly impacts a unit's ability to implement effective tactical and equipment camouflage and win future battles. Units should first conceal themselves and preserve their strength before they can confront opponents and win, the expert said.

According to a report on people.cn, the HQ-9 system is China's third-generation medium-to-long-range air defense missile system, capable of conducting all-weather air defense operations amid mass air raids and intense electronic jamming. It can intercept various aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and precision-guided munitions, and can withstand saturation attacks and multi-wave assaults, thereby meeting international advanced standards.

An Air Force unit under the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army loads vehicles onto a transport train before heading to the training area. Photo: PLA Eastern Theater Command's WeChat account

The HQ series are China's independently developed air defense weapon systems, covering short-, medium- and long-range air defense needs, according to CCTV News.

Song also commented on the cross-regional mobility demonstrated by Eastern Theater Command forces traveling from the eastern part of China all the way to the northwest for exercises.

The Eastern Theater Command is not only focused on the Taiwan Straits and the security environment along the eastern coast, but also on all domains, ­including the southwest and northwest. Its Air Force, Army and Navy forces should also be prepared for cross-regional support and joint operations, playing important roles in unfamiliar environments such as plateaus and deserts, Song said.

"China's five theater commands each have their own focus while also achieving all-domain operations without distinction," the military affairs expert told the Global Times.

The expert added that cross-regional maneuver operations also show that future warfare could involve joint operations across theater commands, rather than being limited to a single theater's military actions. This is a key requirement for the PLA's mobile operations and its informationized, mechanized and intelligent support capabilities.