In western China, a multi-unit coordinated operation is unfolding, marking a groundbreaking innovation in combat methods for the PLA's first integrated reconnaissance and strike drone unit.
Leading this initiative is Li Yang from the PLA Air Force, who serves as the chief designer.
"I think drones have greater potential for carrying out missions. The more deeply you explore, the greater their potential is, and the more missions they can carry out," Li Yang explains. "Drones play a significant role in our joint operations. Throughout the entire process, they need to fulfill all their functions full-time under all weather conditions.”
In this operation, a special Land Force task force codenamed Sharp Blade collaborates with Li Yang's Flying Dragon drone team. These drones, capable of flying at altitudes exceeding 7,000 meters, upload critical data that enables Air Force fighter jets to execute precision strikes and additional operations.
"You need to break through your limitations to have a different perspective," Li Yang says. "Then I can consider how to change the current training methods and combat tactics, and how to innovate and develop.”
In another drill, the PLA's swarm team tests its autonomous mode to detect and identify targets. Xiang Xiaojia from the National University of Defense Technology likens the concept to nature: "A single bee might seem small and insignificant, but a swarm, through organized cooperation, can accomplish complex tasks. The drones manifest powerful collective intelligence, forming innovative combat styles similar to those of swarms of bees, packs of wolves, and schools of fish.”
Xiang Xiaojia points out that the most crucial part of a drone is its controller, which is akin to the human brain. "As long as the brain remains intact, it can accumulate the results of flight training, making itself increasingly smart."
After millions of offline trainings with a simulation system and hundreds of flights, the swarms become intelligent. When a damaged part of the swarm can heal itself, the swarm becomes truly valuable in combat.
"Our research team is also a swarm, and it's a cross-disciplinary, heterogeneous swarm. Because our members come from different fields, everyone collaborates closely, achieving the 1+1>2 effect. We hope to stay ahead of our peers," says Xiang Xiaojia.
Small, affordable drones are reshaping the modern battlefield in unprecedented ways, forcing militaries to rapidly modernize their defense systems.
Against the backdrop of a changing international security order, China faces uncertainty and challenges in its own security situation. The PLA strives to prepare for intelligentized warfare going forward.
Over the past decade, comprehensive reforms have been pivotal in shaping China's military modernization. Technological advancement is a key driver.
The pattern of international military competition is undergoing historic changes. Technological innovation is changing the format and mindset of modern warfare. Both Li Yang and Xiang Xiaojia believe that accelerating the transformation of technology into combat capability is essential to becoming the "Smart Hunters" of future warfare.