Exercises Modernization

A Brigade of the 74th Group Army Strengthens Unmanned Combat Force Development

第七十四集团军某旅加强无人作战力量建设

PLA Daily (解放军报) 3 June 2026

Summary

A brigade of the 74th Group Army held a demonstration of unmanned equipment training results in early summer, showcasing remotely operated excavators, mine-clearing vehicles, and UAVs developed by battalion- and company-level R&D teams working from existing equipment inventories. The article documents internal resistance to unmanned transformation — specifically, operator skepticism about precision and career displacement fears — and records how the brigade's Party committee used deliberation-on-war-and-training meetings to impose a structured response: mandatory task lists, skills competitions, and factory visits to build a UAV pilot cohort. This fits the broader pattern of PLA ground combat engineer units being pushed to absorb unmanned systems faster than organic training pipelines support, with institutional friction managed through political work rather than resolved through procurement or doctrine.

Translation

A Brigade of the 74th Group Army Strengthens Unmanned Combat Force Development — Traditional Combat Engineers Gain the Wings of Intelligence

■ PLA Daily Special Correspondent Deng Lianjun

"The road ahead has been damaged by 'enemy' artillery fire — immediately backfill the craters." In early summer, a brigade of the 74th Group Army organized a demonstration of unmanned intelligent equipment training results. Upon receiving the special-situation report, operator Yang Shengwei, concealed in a safe zone, picked up a remote-control handle and maneuvered an unmanned excavator of a certain type to advance rapidly to the front.

Scooping soil, dumping, spreading, compacting — the mechanical arm and bucket worked in precise coordination, successfully completing the road repair task. "In the past, when faced with exercise and training missions, combat engineers, as the 'pathfinders,' were easily subjected to 'enemy' fire while carrying out engineering support tasks. Now, with the unmanned excavator, missions can be executed with zero casualties." Walking off the training ground, Yang Shengwei said with pride.

At the event, watching one unmanned intelligent equipment training result after another put on display in turn, brigade staff officer Chen Huapeng was deeply moved —

Last year, in order to enhance the unit's joint combat capability, the brigade systematically compiled a requirements list centered on major exercise and training missions, directing each battalion and company to form research-and-development teams based on existing equipment to strengthen unmanned combat force development. As a member of the lead functional section, Chen Huapeng made multiple visits to the grassroots level to solicit opinions and suggestions, but found that some officers and soldiers harbored doubts: some believed that large unmanned intelligent equipment was not precise enough in operation and would be difficult to rapidly translate into combat effectiveness; others worried that the unmanned transformation of equipment would affect their personal career development and might even gradually replace traditional manned combat forces.

"Clinging to the old ways leads nowhere — only by standing at the forefront of the tide can one move steadily and far." At the brigade Party committee's deliberation-on-war and deliberation-on-training (议战议训) meeting, brigade leaders engaged in vigorous discussion grounded in the actual thinking of officers and soldiers, and prescribed a "remedy" for vigorously advancing new-quality combat capability (新质战斗力) development: compile a list of unmanned intelligent equipment training tasks and encourage specialist backbone personnel to "claim the challenge and take the lead" in overcoming difficulties; broadly carry out mass military training and skills competitions to guide officers and soldiers to study and practice new equipment in connection with their duties; and select officers and backbone personnel to visit equipment manufacturers, neighboring units, and other organizations to learn from experience in the use of unmanned intelligent equipment, cultivating a cohort of outstanding talent for unmanned combat force development.

Entering the unmanned combat operations workshop of a battalion under the brigade, technical backbone personnel were gathered together watching instructional videos on the principles of counter-unmanned equipment. Battalion officer Huang Chuangmao told the reporter that workshop members had repeatedly disassembled and reassembled certain unmanned equipment, deeply exploring the offensive and defensive logic of "spear" versus "shield," and had finally identified the approach and methods for defeating the enemy.

"Unmanned combat equipment may appear to be 'unmanned,' but the personnel operating 'invisibly behind the scenes' remain the decisive factor." The brigade's leadership explained that they have continuously strengthened the talent reserve of UAV pilots (无人机飞手), raised the level of systematization and standardization in unmanned combat force development, and achieved gratifying results.

Sergeant Zhang Yang has loved aviation since childhood. After enlisting and being assigned to a bridge platoon, his longing for the sky never changed. Upon learning that the brigade planned to organize a UAV pilot intensive training course, he signed up at the first opportunity. Through persistent effort, he successfully obtained a professional certificate as a UAV operator. "Being able to blend my dream of flight into my area of specialty is a kind of happiness," Zhang Yang said with deep feeling when recounting the experience.

Unmanned vehicles precisely clearing mines, UAVs beating their wings in flight — watching the bustling scene at the event, the brigade's leadership told the reporter that in the next step, they will keep their eyes fixed on battlefield requirements to drive the development of new-domain, new-quality (新域新质) combat forces, giving traditional combat engineers the wings of intelligence.

Original Chinese

第七十四集团军某旅加强无人作战力量建设—— 传统工兵插上智能之翼 ■解放军报特约记者邓联军 “前方道路遭‘敌’炮火损毁，立即回填弹坑。”初夏时节，第74集团军某旅组织一场无人智能装备训练成果展示活动。接到特情通报，隐蔽在安全区的操作手杨胜威拿起遥控手柄，操纵某型无人挖掘机迅速前出。取土、倾倒、摊平、压实……机械臂与铲斗精密配合，顺利完成道路修复任务。“过去遇到演训任务，工兵作为‘开路先锋’，执行工程保障时容易遭‘敌’火力打击。如今有了无人挖掘机，执行任务可实现零伤亡。”走下训练场，杨胜威自豪地说。活动现场，看着一项项无人智能装备训练成果轮流展示，该旅机关干部陈华鹏感慨万千—— 去年，为提升部队协同作战能力，旅队围绕重大演训任务系统梳理需求清单，要求各营连结合现有装备成立攻关小组，加强无人作战力量建设。作为牵头业务科室的一员，陈华鹏多次深入基层听取意见建议，却发现部分官兵存在质疑声：有的认为大型无人智能装备操作不够精细，难以快速形成战斗力；有的担忧装备无人化会影响个人发展，甚至逐步取代传统有人作战力量…… “故步自封没有出路，勇立潮头才能行稳致远。”该旅党委议战议训会上，旅领导结合官兵思想实际展开热烈研讨，开出大力推进新质战斗力建设“良方”：梳理无人智能装备训练任务清单，鼓励专业骨干“揭榜领题”攻克难关；广泛开展群众性练兵比武活动，引导官兵结合岗位实践钻新装备、练新装备；遴选干部骨干到装备生产厂家、友邻部队等单位，学习无人智能装备使用经验，为无人作战力量建设培养一批优秀人才。走进该旅某营无人作战工作室，技术骨干们正围坐在一起，观看反无人装备原理教学视频。该营干部黄创茂告诉记者，工作室成员对部分无人装备进行了多次拆卸和组装，深入探究“矛”与“盾”的攻防思路，终于找准了克敌制胜的思路和方法。 “无人作战装备看似‘无人’，但起决定性作用的依然是‘隐身幕后’的操作人员。”该旅领导介绍，他们不断加强无人机飞手人才储备，提高无人作战力量建设体系化、规范化水平，取得可喜成果。中士张洋从小喜欢飞行，入伍下连后被分配到桥梁分队，但对蓝天的向往从未改变。得知旅里计划组织无人机飞手集训，他第一时间报了名。经过不懈努力，他成功考取无人机操作手专业证书。“能将飞行梦想融入所学专业，是一种幸福。”谈及这段经历，张洋深有感触地说。无人车精准排雷、无人机振翅高飞……看着活动现场热火朝天的景象，该旅领导告诉记者，下一步，他们将紧盯战场需求推动新域新质作战力量建设，为传统工兵插上智能之翼。