U.S. Outspends China 10 to 1 on Equipment for Soldiers

Dec 07, 2014 10:46 AM EST

(Photo : China Military Online) China spends the equivalent of two entry-level iPhone6s on equipment for its soldiers, while the cost of a U.S. soldier's standard individual battlefield equipment is equal to the value of a mid-level car.

While the U.S. has a military budget that is five times the size of China's, the country spends more than 10 times on equipping its soldiers than China, according to China's Ministry of Defense.

China's military spending increased 88 billion yuan ($14.3 billion) in 2014, according to state news agency Xinhua; however, individual equipment cost remained the same as what was five years ago.

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To demonstrate how much the U.S. is outspending China on equipping its soldiers, it was estimated that the cost of a set of standard individual battlefield equipment for a People's Liberation Army (PLA) is equivalent to the cost of two entry-level iPhone 6s. Meanwhile, the cost of a set of a U.S. soldier's standard individual battlefield equipment is equal to the value of a mid-level car.

While the U.S. soldiers are equipped with kneepads, elbow pads, mask and wind glasses, in addition to helmets, gas masks and body armor, PLA soldiers have to make do with far less.

(Photo : China Military Online)

"Body armor? I do not know if our unit has that. Currently our company does not give it to us," a company commander told the Ministry of Defense.

Body armor is essential for combat soldiers as statistics show that stray bullets and shrapnel cause 80 percent of all battlefield deaths. With the body armor, stray bullets and shrapnel can be effectively blocked, lowering that rate to 58 percent.

Wang Fujian is a soldier who has been a part of the PLA for 16 years. Fully armed, Wang's military equipment is worth about 9,387 yuan ($1,525.39). He has to lead seven other soldiers to keep up with the troop, but his helmet is not equipped with the micro radio equipment, speaker, or earphone that comes with a U.S. soldier's helmet.

There are also no radio sets either for Wang. For the whole company, there are only two radio sets, which are used by the company commander and political instructor to keep in touch with the higher authority. To this day, "communication basically relies on yelling," just like the situation 16 years ago, says Wang.

Wang doesn't even have an 80-yuan ($13) compass, which only few people in the squad are privileged to have. The antitank grenade, which costs 380 yuan ($62) each, is not deployed on a large scale. And his command post has only one night-vision device.

But that's not all Wang doesn't have. He doesn't have glare flashlight, night-vision device, wireless communication equipment, kneepad, elbow pad, exercise and training bag, bulletproof underpants, silencer or optical sight.

TagsU.S. Outspends China 10 to 1 on Equipping Soldiers, U.S. military budget, China military budget, Ministry of Defense, military equipment, Wang Fujian