China raises tiny reserve army. Really tiny.
Jul 5, 2011 12:07:58 GMT -5
Post by PrisonerOfHope on Jul 5, 2011 12:07:58 GMT -5
China raises tiny reserve army. Really tiny.
The world's attention has recently been focused on the unveiling of China's first stealth fighter, but, China continues to focus on another flyer. The humble pigeon, which very well maybe China's military secret weapon. NBC's Adrienne Mong reports.
By Adrienne Mong
www.polls.newsvine.com/_vine/images/users/600/AdrienneMong/6678446.jpg
KUNMING, YUNNAN PROVINCE--Although military-to-military relations between China and the U.S. appear to be back on track, they've been frosty for almost two years after a U.S. arms deal with Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of China.
But there is one realm where military cooperation has endured without hiccup for half a century.
"This is a way of preserving a symbol of friendship between our two countries," said Major Li Xin of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
Major Li heads a special unit training China's furtive flyers in the Chengdu Military Region.
No, not the J-20.
It's another kind of stealth fighter.
"This is the last military pigeon unit left in all of the People’s Liberation Army,” said Major Li.
Yes, pigeons
The unit is stationed on a PLA base near Kunming, where there were once many more such units, all set up in 1957 as part of a contingency plan in case communications were cut off.
On the base, 600 "jun ge," or military pigeons, are trained to be couriers able to carry messages in case of an emergency or a natural disaster such as a quake knocks out cell phone signals or the Internet.
Adrienne Mong
Pigeon conscripts go through training every day.
Every day, the pigeons are put through their paces.
Well, almost all.
When they were released from the coop for a daily flyover, all but four of the birds took flight immediately.
The four delinquents opted to park themselves on a ledge of the building next door.
“If those four pigeons are too lazy to train, they might be discharged from the army,” a PLA major deadpanned to the NBC News camera.
The birds can fly up to 60 miles an hour for long sustained periods, and the ones that make it past the initial tests are smart enough to dodge hawks.
One pigeon, in fact, flew from Shanghai to Kunming—a distance of 1,336 miles—in roughly nine days. That was back in 1982. His body has been embalmed and sits in a display case.
Their natural homing instinct makes these birds perfect for their mission. “The pigeons are prized for their ability to be trained, their pace, and their reliability,” said Major Li.
They’re also valued for their pedigree.
Video and remainder of story at link:
behindthewall.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/07/04/6665128-china-raises-tiny-reserve-army-really-tiny
The world's attention has recently been focused on the unveiling of China's first stealth fighter, but, China continues to focus on another flyer. The humble pigeon, which very well maybe China's military secret weapon. NBC's Adrienne Mong reports.
By Adrienne Mong
www.polls.newsvine.com/_vine/images/users/600/AdrienneMong/6678446.jpg
KUNMING, YUNNAN PROVINCE--Although military-to-military relations between China and the U.S. appear to be back on track, they've been frosty for almost two years after a U.S. arms deal with Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of China.
But there is one realm where military cooperation has endured without hiccup for half a century.
"This is a way of preserving a symbol of friendship between our two countries," said Major Li Xin of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
Major Li heads a special unit training China's furtive flyers in the Chengdu Military Region.
No, not the J-20.
It's another kind of stealth fighter.
"This is the last military pigeon unit left in all of the People’s Liberation Army,” said Major Li.
Yes, pigeons
The unit is stationed on a PLA base near Kunming, where there were once many more such units, all set up in 1957 as part of a contingency plan in case communications were cut off.
On the base, 600 "jun ge," or military pigeons, are trained to be couriers able to carry messages in case of an emergency or a natural disaster such as a quake knocks out cell phone signals or the Internet.
Adrienne Mong
Pigeon conscripts go through training every day.
Every day, the pigeons are put through their paces.
Well, almost all.
When they were released from the coop for a daily flyover, all but four of the birds took flight immediately.
The four delinquents opted to park themselves on a ledge of the building next door.
“If those four pigeons are too lazy to train, they might be discharged from the army,” a PLA major deadpanned to the NBC News camera.
The birds can fly up to 60 miles an hour for long sustained periods, and the ones that make it past the initial tests are smart enough to dodge hawks.
One pigeon, in fact, flew from Shanghai to Kunming—a distance of 1,336 miles—in roughly nine days. That was back in 1982. His body has been embalmed and sits in a display case.
Their natural homing instinct makes these birds perfect for their mission. “The pigeons are prized for their ability to be trained, their pace, and their reliability,” said Major Li.
They’re also valued for their pedigree.
Video and remainder of story at link:
behindthewall.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/07/04/6665128-china-raises-tiny-reserve-army-really-tiny
