The recently concluded Meteorological and Hydrological Work Conference of the PLA has decided on the blueprint of development for the 11th Five-Year Plan period. The conference put stress on focusing on doing a good job in the construction of four major systems in military meteorological and hydrological sectors in the period.

Establishing a new generation of comprehensive survey system covering meteorology, hydrology and space environment, which will gradually integrate the land based, sea based, air based and space based survey systems, and combine the fixed and mobile survey systems.

Stepping up the construction of the meteorological and hydrological information network system. A meteorological and hydrological communication support system combining the fixed and mobile systems, and basically covering the main directions will be gradually established on the basis of the national defense communication network.

Putting in place a new generation of forecast system. The short-term numerical climate forecast and the oceanic environment forecast and warning systems will be developed, and the research and support for space environment monitoring and forecast should be carried out gradually, thus forming a "three-in-one" forecast and prediction system.

Setting up a modern military meteorological and hydrological support system. It focuses on establishing a military meteorological and hydrological support system and identifying the corresponding methods that will meet the needs of the local wars under informationization conditions and that of joint operation under informationization conditions.

(PLA Daily April 6, 2007)