Having conducted six-day-long theoretic discussions, grouped operations and actual-troop drill, the “West China 2009” joint information operation exercise organized by the Lanzhou Military Area Command (MAC) of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was concluded at a combined tactics training base on October 25.

　　A joint inspection team from the PLA general headquarters/departments confirmed that the exercise was a success, symbolizing the campaign training of the Lanzhou MAC has ushered into a new phase dominated by joint information operations.

　　By setting complicated electromagnetic environment as the backdrop, the Lanzhou MAC assembled such information operational strength as signal and radar troops to conduct the actual-troop confrontation exercise by adopting ways of equivalent grouping of troops, equivalent simulated operations and independent confrontation and intensively studied and exercised such major and difficult subjects in information-based warfare as reconnaissance and anti-reconnaissance, jamming and anti-jamming, destruction and anti-destruction during this joint information operation exercise.

　　The commanding officers at all levels who watched the whole process of the exercise reached a consensus that the fighting method for joint information warfare explored in the exercise has blazed a new trail for organizing and scheming campaign drills at a higher level in the future.

　　By Gong Xiling and Li Qinwei