Army Academy of Armored Forces


People's Liberation Army Army Academy of Armored Forces, usually called the Army Academy of Armored Forces is the primary academic training institution for officers and NCOs of the armored forces of the PLAGF. Its largest campus is located in Bengbu, and its NCO School is located in Changchun.

History

PLA Academy of Armored Forces
  • The academy was founded in 1950 as the PLA Tank School. Initially established at Tianjin, it relocated to Beijing.
  • In May 1951, it was renamed the PLA First Combat Vehicle School.
  • In March 1953, it was renamed the PLA First Tank School.
  • In February 1969, the PLA First Tank School was abolished.
  • In December 1978, the Central Military Commission re-established the school as the PLA Tank School in Su County, Anhui Province.
  • In July 1982, the school relocated to Bengbu City, Anhui Province.
  • In June 1986, it was reformed as the Bengbu Tank Academy of the CLPA.
  • In November 2011, it was renamed the PLA Academy of Armored Forces.
  • In 2016, the school was reassigned from the General Staff Department to the PLA Army.
Armored Force Engineering College of the CPLA or Armored Corps Engineering College
  • In 1961, the college was created.
  • In 1969, the PLA merged the college into the PLA Tank Technical School in Beijing.
  • In 1976, the school was renamed the Armored Forces Technical School of the CPLA.
  • In 1978, it was renamed the Armored Forces Technical College of the CPLA.
  • In 1986, it was renamed the Armored Forces Engineering College of the CPLA.
  • In May 1999, the school was transferred from the PLA General Staff Department to the PLA General Armament Department.
  • In 2004, the Armored Forces Research Institute was integrated into the college.
  • In 2016, the college was transferred from the GAD to the PLA Army.
Army Academy of Armored Forces
  • In 2017, the Army Academy of Armored Forces was created by merging the PLA Armored Forces College in Bengbu, the PLA Armored Forces Engineering College in Beijing, and the PLA Armored Forces Technical College in Changchun.

    Organization

The identified units of the Army Academy of Armored Forces are:

Academic departments

  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Control Engineering
  • Arms Engineering
  • Equipment Command and Management
  • Technical Support Engineering
  • Information Engineering
  • Equipment Rebuilding Engineering
  • Foreigners Military Training

    Key labs

  • Two Key Laboratories of National Defense Technology
  • Three all-Armed Forces Key Laboratories

    Research Labs

  • One National Engineering Center
  • One National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center
  • Two research stations: Armament Science and Technology and Materials Science and Engineering

    Armored Equipment Technology Institute (装甲兵装备技术研究所)

The former Engineering College hosts the institute, which is the only comprehensive research center for armored equipment of the PLA, and also operates as the "quality inspection station" and "security research center" of new tanks and armored vehicles introduced by the PLA. Its subordinated unit, the Armored Equipment Technology Testing Grounds, established in 1960, is the only testing and certification facility for armored vehicles and tanks in the PLA. In 1970, the Testing Grounds opened a satellite test site in Tahe County, Heilongjiang province, in order to test armored equipment in cold environments. As of 2016, the Testing Grounds has done the testing and certification of all Chinese armored vehicles, from the Type 59 tank to the most recent additions like the Type 15 tank.

Courses and Specialties

The academy grants associate, bachelor, masters and doctoral degrees, plus courses for retraining officers, mid-career courses, and other specialization courses. As of 2020, on the three broad disciplines of engineering, management, and military science, the academy has: 6 post-doctoral research stations, 5 first-level doctoral programs, 19 second-level doctoral programs; 6 first-level, 3 secondary, and 8 specialist master's degrees, and 50 general master's programs; the academy has 18 undergraduate majors.
The 11 undergraduate majors enrolling the initial class in 2017 were:
PLA Armored Forces College
Directors
  • Xu Guangda Col Gen
  • Wang Zhenxiang Maj Gen
  • Zhao Jie Maj Gen
  • Bai Lian
  • Zhu Haifeng
  • Chen Benchang
  • ?
  • Lan Jun Sr Col
  • Cao Yanping Sr Col
  • Wang Zhibang Sr Col
  • Qiao Jun Sr Col
  • Li Zhuanfang Sr Col
  • Huang Yongping Maj Gen
Political Commissars
  • Wang Huanru Sr Col
  • Qian Zhichao Sr Col
  • Li Fazhao
  • Wang Junwen
  • Hu Jia
  • Zang Tiantang
  • Su Yuzhi Maj Gen
  • ?
  • Fu Zhenzhong Sr Col
  • Jia Jiyong Sr Col
  • Fang Jun Sr Col
  • Bao Tingxiang Maj Gen
  • Yang Ge Maj Gen
PLA Armored Forces Engineering College
Directors
  • Wang Zhenxiang Maj Gen
  • Sha Feng Sr Col
  • Niu Mingzhi
  • Huang Zuhua
  • *Lin Shan Maj Gen
  • *Hu Jian Sr Col
  • *Ma Ji Sr Col )
  • Huang Zuhua
  • Ye Zao
  • Lin Yue
  • Ma Ji
  • Zhu Weiqing
  • Xue Qingchi
  • Huang Qinghua Maj Gen
  • Cai Kangsheng Maj Gen
  • Liu Shican Maj Gen
  • Wang Hongguang Maj Gen
  • Liang Yongsheng Maj Gen
  • Xu Han
Political Commissars
  • Niu Mingzhi Sr Col
  • Li Yutang Sr Col
  • Liu Guofu Maj Gen
  • Wang Zaixing Maj Gen
  • Niu Mingzhi Maj Gen
  • Yu Ding
  • Wang Guoqing
  • Li Min
  • Wang Changde
......
  • Wang Yintong Maj Gen
  • Hong Shaowu Maj Gen
  • Xiang Yucai Maj Gen
  • Fan Zhaodong Maj Gen
  • Zhong Fakong Maj Gen
  • Xia Xiaopeng Maj Gen
  • Qi Yahu Maj Gen
Army Academy of Armored Forces
Director
  • Xu Hang Maj Gen
  • Li Shengli Maj Gen
Political Commissar
  • Yang Ge Maj Gen