11th Armored Brigade (People's Republic of China)


The 11th Tank Division was formed on September 15, 1968 in Xinyang, Henan province from 206th Tank Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment from 1st Army Division, 207th Tank Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment from 2nd Army Division, 212th Tank Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment from 3rd Army Division and 45th Tank Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment from 29th Army Division.
As of September 10, 1969, the division was composed of:
The division was in strength of 3000 personnel, 112 T-34s and 80 SU-76s.
The division maintained as a tank division, catalogue B during the 1970s and early-1980s.
From 1970 the division became the general reserve of Central Military Commune of China.
In 1971 42nd, 43rd and 44th Tank Regiment received Type-59 medium tanks. 41st Tank Regiment was also filled up to 80 T-34s.
On March 1, 1973 Artillery Regiment, 50th Army Division was attached to the division and renamed Artillery Regiment, 11th Tank Division.
In April 1974 the division moved to Queshan, Henan province.
In 1976 Armored Infantry Regiment Activated. In February 41st Tank Regiment was transferred to 54th Army Corps and renamed as Tank Regiment, 54th Army Corps.
By then the division was composed of:
From January 1976 to December 1982, the division maintained as a "Tank Division, Catalogue A". From December 1982 the division became a "Tank Division, Catalogue B".
From March 1983 the division was under the command of 43rd Army Corps.
In 1985 the division was transferred to 20th Army following 43rd Army Corps disbandment. In September this year 44th Tank Regiment was detached to form Tank Brigade, 54th Army, and in November a new 44th Tank Regiment was re-activated.
In July 1998 the division was transferred to 54th Army following 20th Army's disbandment. In October the division was renamed as the 11th Armored Division, and its Armored Infantry Regiment was disbanded and absorbed into now armored regiments.
By then the division was composed of:
In October 2011 the division was split into two: the division itself became the 11th Armored Brigade, while half of its battalions formed 160th Mechanized Infantry Brigade.
In 2017 the brigade was reorganized as the 11th Heavy Combined Arms Brigade.