Striving to Improve Battlefield Execution Capability
■ Wang Yuhao
Battlefield execution is the bridge connecting operational intent with operational effectiveness, and battlefield execution capability is an important measure of a military force's combat power. Under the conditions of informatized and intelligentized warfare (信息化智能化战争), the battlefield space has expanded across all domains, the tempo of operations has accelerated unprecedentedly, and systems-based confrontation (体系对抗) has grown increasingly intense — all of which present entirely new challenges to improving battlefield execution capability. Focused on winning future wars, battlefield execution capability can be improved across three dimensions: optimizing execution standards, advancing capability generation, and ensuring logistical support — thereby seizing battlefield initiative through the efficient accomplishment of all assigned tasks.
Establish battlefield execution standards that combine rigidity with flexibility. Execution standards are the foundation upon which battlefield execution rests, and their soundness directly determines the quality and effectiveness with which tasks are completed. Modern warfare is full-domain confrontation, and deviations at any link may produce effects on the overall situation; at the same time, the ever-changing battlefield situation demands that forces possess rapid adaptability. It is therefore necessary to establish battlefield execution standards that combine rigidity with flexibility, ensuring that all combat units respond flexibly and exploit the situation as it develops, on the basis of coordinated action. On one hand, the rigid constraints of execution standards must be reinforced: standardized operating manuals covering the entire operational process should be formulated, the responsibilities, authorities, and courses of action at each echelon and the requirements for coordination should be clearly defined, and operational tasks should be broken down into specific, quantifiable, and traceable indicators, ensuring that all orders are carried out in practice. On the other hand, execution standards must be given an appropriate degree of flexible space: authorities for on-the-spot handling (临机处置权限) should be clearly defined, the floor of "must do" and the range of "may do" should be delineated, only principled requirements should be imposed on macro-level operational objectives, and tactical means at the micro level should be decided autonomously by each executing unit — continuously improving the capability and level of forces to accomplish tasks creatively within the framework of established standards.
Implement a capability generation model based on the integration of all elements. Training is an important means of improving battlefield execution capability; the closer the training environment is to reality and the closer the training difficulty is to actual combat, the greater the effect on improving battlefield execution capability. It is therefore necessary to continuously deepen combat-realistic exercises and training (实战化演训) and implement a full-element, integrated capability generation model. At the practical level: strengthen joint training by establishing a normalized joint training mechanism, organizing multi-service and multi-branch coordinated training around joint operational tasks, and enhancing forces' systems-based confrontation capability; employ advanced technology to simulate complex electromagnetic, geographic, and enemy-situation environments, construct realistic battlefield training environments, set no predetermined scripts and prescribe no fixed procedures, increase the randomness and uncertainty of training, and temper forces' hard capabilities through autonomous adversarial exercises. At the same time, a scientific training evaluation system must be established to measure training outcomes against actual-combat standards, identify hidden problems in a timely manner, study and develop improvements as quickly as possible, and continuously improve training quality and effectiveness.
Build a precise and resilient logistical support system. Logistical support is the essential foundation of battlefield execution; without sound support, even the clearest plans and the most advanced equipment will be hard-pressed to give full play to their potential. Modern warfare is high-attrition warfare (高消耗战争), characterized by large material requirements, high time-sensitivity demands, and a wide range of required material categories. Under these conditions, building a precise (精准化) and resilient (韧性化) logistical support system is essential to enabling forces to efficiently accomplish all assigned tasks. First, a full-domain logistical information system must be established to monitor material requirements, inventory status, and transportation conditions in real time, optimize allocation plans through big-data analysis, and achieve on-demand delivery and precise resupply. Second, modular support must be implemented by dividing support forces into independent units according to function, flexibly combining them in accordance with operational tasks, and forming a rapidly adaptable support capability. Finally, support resilience must be reinforced by building a dispersed, networked material distribution architecture, establishing a rapid repair mechanism, and equipping professional repair forces and equipment to ensure that damaged equipment can rapidly restore functionality.