1 0Author: TH Anand Rao , Senior Fellow, Centre for Air Power StudiesKeywords: PLA, Aerospace Force, Military Re-organisation, Information Support Force, SSFIn a major revamp of its military organisation, the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) scrapped its much-talked-about military wing, the Strategic Support Force (SSF) to create an Information Support Force (ISF) on April 19, 2024. The PLA will consist of four services (Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force) and four arms (the Aerospace Force, Cyberspace Force, Information Support Force and Joint Logistic Support Force). Finally, the reorganisation and formation of an aerospace force within the PLA is a step towards China’s efforts to counter the threat from the US space force. [5] PK Mallick, “Shifting Gears: The PLA’s strategic calculus behind reorganising the strategic support force into information support force”, Financial Express, April 21, 2024, https://www.financialexpress.com/business/defence-shifting-gears-the-plas-strategic-calculus-behind-reorganising-the-strategic-support-force-into-information-support-force-3463920/. [6] Gordon Arthur, “Why China axed the Strategic Support Force and reshuffled the military”, Defense News, April 26, 2024, https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2024/04/26/why-china-axed-the-strategic-support-force-and-reshuffled-the-military/.

Source: Economic Times May 01, 2024 19:26 UTC