10th Armored Brigade
A former armored formation of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force that originated as the 10th Tank Division and was reorganized as the 10th Heavy Combined Arms Brigade after the 2017 military reforms.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The 10th Armored Brigade was a People's Liberation Army Ground Force formation of the People's Republic of China. It traced its institutional origins to the 10th Tank Division, which was established in August 1967 during the expansion and reorganization of China's armored forces. The original division was assembled from the 4th Independent Tank Regiment and two tank self-propelled artillery regiments transferred from the 79th and 81st Army Divisions. By August 1969, it had been organized around the 37th, 38th, and 39th Tank Regiments. The formation was based in Jurong, Jiangsu Province, after moving there in December 1969. During the 1970s it operated as a reduced-strength tank division, with two amphibious tank regiments equipped with Type 63 amphibious tanks and one light tank regiment equipped with Type 62 light tanks. This amphibious orientation gave the unit a specialized role within the PLA's armored order of battle. It was regarded as a formation that could support a first-wave assault operation against Taiwan, although the supplied historical material does not document a wartime deployment or combat operation of that kind. The division underwent several structural changes. In early 1976, its 37th and 38th Tank Regiments were detached and redesignated for assignment to the 1st Army Corps and 60th Army Corps. Two independent tank regiments from the Nanjing Military Region were then attached and redesignated as the division's replacement 37th and 38th Tank Regiments. An Armored Infantry Regiment and an Artillery Regiment were activated in 1982, broadening the formation beyond a purely tank-centered structure. From January 1983, it came under the 60th Army Corps. Following the disbandment of that corps in 1985, the division was transferred to the 1st Army. In 1998, the formation was renamed the 10th Armored Division. Its armored infantry regiment was disbanded and its personnel and capabilities were absorbed into the tank regiments, which were consequently redesignated as armored regiments. The resulting structure comprised the 37th, 38th, and 39th Armored Regiments together with an Artillery Regiment. The unit retained its amphibious character and was notable as the only armored division stationed south of the Yangtze River. Its 37th Armored Regiment was also identified as the first Blue Force unit in the PLA ground force, reflecting a role in realistic opposing-force training and evaluation. In late 2011, the division was divided into two formations. The divisional headquarters and part of its subordinate elements became the 10th Armored Brigade, while other battalions were used to form the 178th Mechanized Infantry Brigade. The brigade therefore represented a post-division organizational phase rather than a wholly new military lineage. During the PLA's major 2017 reforms, it was reorganized again as the 10th Heavy Combined Arms Brigade. The 10th Armored Brigade designation consequently ceased to describe the active formation after that reorganization. Its historical significance lies in its long armored lineage, amphibious mission, association with the Nanjing military region and eastern China, and participation in the PLA's transition from traditional divisions to modular combined-arms brigades.
History
The formation began in August 1967 as the 10th Tank Division. Its initial order of battle drew on the 4th Independent Tank Regiment, the 284th Tank Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment from the 79th Army Division, and the 286th Tank Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment from the 81st Army Division. By August 1969, these elements had been organized as the 37th, 38th, and 39th Tank Regiments. In December 1969, the division relocated to Jurong in Jiangsu Province. During the 1970s it operated as a reduced tank division, with the 37th and 38th Tank Regiments equipped for amphibious operations with Type 63 amphibious tanks, while the 39th Tank Regiment operated Type 62 light tanks. Its location south of the Yangtze River and amphibious equipment gave it a distinctive potential role in operations across the Taiwan Strait and made it an important eastern-theater armored formation. The division was restructured in early 1976. The original 37th and 38th Tank Regiments were detached and redesignated for the 1st Army Corps and 60th Army Corps. The 2nd and 3rd Independent Tank Regiments of the Nanjing Military Region were then attached and redesignated as the new 37th and 38th Tank Regiments. In 1982, an Armored Infantry Regiment and an Artillery Regiment were activated and attached, creating a more balanced combined-arms structure. From January 1983, the formation was subordinated to the 60th Army Corps. After the 60th Army Corps was disbanded in 1985, the division transferred to the 1st Army. A further institutional change came in 1998, when it was renamed the 10th Armored Division. Its Armored Infantry Regiment was disbanded and absorbed into the tank regiments, which became armored regiments. The division was then organized around the 37th, 38th, and 39th Armored Regiments and an Artillery Regiment. The formation remained an amphibious unit and was described as the only armored division deployed south of the Yangtze River. Its 37th Armored Regiment was identified as the PLA ground force's first Blue Force unit, meaning a designated opposing-force formation used to provide realistic training and evaluation for other units. In late 2011, the 10th Armored Division was split. The remaining divisional organization became the 10th Armored Brigade, while approximately half of its battalions were used to form the 178th Mechanized Infantry Brigade. This reflected the PLA's broader movement away from large divisional formations and toward more deployable brigade structures. The brigade designation was short-lived in historical terms. Following the PLA's 2017 military reforms, it was reorganized as the 10th Heavy Combined Arms Brigade. The former 10th Armored Brigade should therefore be treated as a predecessor formation rather than a currently operating unit under that exact name. The available source material does not provide a complete post-2017 order of battle, named commanders, specific combat deployments, or detailed equipment inventories beyond the historical references to Type 63 amphibious tanks and Type 62 light tanks.
- 2017
Reorganization as a heavy combined-arms brigade
[1]The brigade was reorganized as the 10th Heavy Combined Arms Brigade during the PLA's post-2015 reform cycle.
- 2011
Division split into brigade and mechanized formation
[1]In late 2011, the division became the 10th Armored Brigade, while part of its battalion structure formed the 178th Mechanized Infantry Brigade.
- 1998
Renamed the 10th Armored Division
[1]The 10th Tank Division became the 10th Armored Division, and its tank regiments were reorganized as armored regiments after the armored infantry regiment was absorbed.
- 1985
Transfer to the 1st Army
[1]Following the disbandment of the 60th Army Corps, the division was transferred to the 1st Army.
- 1982
Combined-arms expansion
[1]An Armored Infantry Regiment and an Artillery Regiment were activated and attached to the division.
- 1976
Tank-regiment reorganization
[1]The original 37th and 38th Tank Regiments were detached, and two independent tank regiments from the Nanjing Military Region were redesignated to fill the division's structure.
- 1969
Move to Jurong
[1]The division moved to Jurong in Jiangsu Province in December and was subsequently documented with three tank regiments.
- 1967
Formation as the 10th Tank Division
[1]The 10th Tank Division was established in August from tank and self-propelled artillery formations associated with the 79th and 81st Army Divisions.
Products and positioning
Not a commercial brand. In military terms, the formation was positioned as an armored and amphibious combined-arms unit with a potential eastern-theater assault and training role.
Brand decisions
2017
Reorganization as the 10th Heavy Combined Arms BrigadeStrategyBackground
The PLA's major reform program reorganized many legacy divisions and brigades into standardized combined-arms formations.
Action taken
The 10th Armored Brigade was reorganized and redesignated as the 10th Heavy Combined Arms Brigade.
Aftermath
The 10th Armored Brigade ceased to be the active designation of the formation.
2011
Conversion from divisional to brigade organizationStrategyBackground
The PLA was moving toward smaller, more modular formations. The 10th Armored Division was divided into a brigade-level successor and a separate mechanized infantry brigade.
Action taken
The divisional organization became the 10th Armored Brigade, while other battalions were used to establish the 178th Mechanized Infantry Brigade.
Aftermath
The change ended the division's previous organizational form and created a more modular force structure.
Sources1 sources
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