Key points
- PLA see increased tech integration
- Drones can reduce human casualties: expert
- Emerging technologies altering defence landscape
ISLAMABAD: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), robotic dogs and explosive ordnance disposal robots were featured during a defence exercise conducted by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
The deployment comes at a time when advanced unmanned equipment is seeing more and more applications in all aspects of combat.
According to Global Times, a brigade attached to the PLA 73rd Group Army recently carried out a nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) defence and emergency rescue exercise at its comprehensive training ground.
Training methods
The brigade explored training methods integrating technology and networked systems, and combined simulation and practical exercises in creating a multi-role intelligent training field, CCTV reported.
“Be it the advancement of simulation training or the wide deployment of unmanned equipment, both create new competitive avenues for us,” Qi Huali, a member of the brigade said.
“Simulation training enhances the coordination among various combat elements, and we have improved and optimised the integration of manned and unmanned tactics, and then applied the best combat strategies to exercises for validation,” Qi said.
Be it the advancement of simulation training or the wide deployment of unmanned equipment, both create new competitive avenues for us.” – Chinese military official Qi Huali
Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times that unmanned equipment is increasingly being utilised, including supportive missions shown in the drills.
Drones have significant capabilities, as they can reduce human casualties and increase the effectiveness of combat equipment, Song said.
The integration of AI and intelligentisation is becoming a growing trend in defence, Song said, anticipating that AI and other emerging technologies will be incorporated into military equipment in the future.
