The armor unit of the "Blue Army" prepare to block an attack from the "Red Army" during an exercise held in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Sept. 14, 2006. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) concluded its first military exercise involving long-range maneuvers on Thursday morning with a "combat" exercise deep in the grasslands of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

    The "Red Army", a mechanized infantry brigade from the Shenyang Military Area Command that had trekked more than 1,000 kilometers to the combat area, launched a fierce attack on the positions of the "Blue Army" - an armored brigade from the Beijing Military Area Command.

    Combat vehicles, including tanks, self-propelled artillery and infantry fighting vehicles, moved quickly through the smoke on the combat field.

    Antijamming operations were conducted to nullify the effect of electromagnetic jamming; attacks on computer networks were met by computer defense networks; shells launched by a range of artillery crisscrossed in the sky.

    The tank units from both sides then engaged in a "battle" using laser imitation systems. Enditem