Exercises

An Army Brigade Organizes Anti-Tank Missile Subunit Training in High-Temperature, Sandstorm Conditions

陆军某旅组织反坦克导弹分队在高温风沙环境中开展训练

PLA Daily (解放军报) 21 June 2026

Summary

An unnamed PLA Army brigade conducted anti-tank missile subunit training in the Gobi Desert under high-temperature and sandstorm conditions, running drills that included maximum-range strikes, UAV-cued target handoffs, on-the-spot target changes, and night engagements across multiple sequential positions. The explicit training objective—exploring the 'operational limits' (使用边界) of weapons and equipment—documents a deliberate effort to stress-test anti-tank systems at environmental and performance boundaries rather than rehearse standard procedures. This fits a broader PLA pattern of conditioning combined-arms subunits to operate under degraded environmental conditions, but the 'operational limits' framing is specific enough to record as a methodology marker for how this brigade is approaching equipment-capability assessment.

Translation

"Tank Hunters" Hone Their Edge in the Desert

— Images of an Army Brigade's Anti-Tank Missile Subunit Training

■ PLA Daily Reporter Chen Dianhong, Correspondent Li Bin, Huang Keyue — Photo Report

Hoisting a missile.

Reconnoitering battlefield targets.

Firing an anti-tank missile.

Early summer on the Gobi. Combat vehicles roar. Several vehicles of an Army brigade's anti-tank missile subunit maneuver rapidly toward pre-designated positions.

"Enemy armored column detected in the valley to the north…" While on the move, a forward reconnaissance team reports an "enemy situation." At a single command from the commander, each vehicle crew swiftly deploys in echelon to seize firing positions.

"Fire!" Flames erupt as missiles scream from their launchers. "'Enemy' targets fleeing toward the southwest." The command vehicle issues new combat orders; each vehicle crew rapidly updates firing data and launches a new round of strikes against the remaining "enemy."

During the engagement, a reconnaissance UAV detects a high-value target, and the commander immediately orders a change of strike target……

At dusk, officers and soldiers drive their vehicles to new positions. Aerial reconnaissance, artillery interdiction, jamming and counter-jamming, reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance… Along the way, multiple "enemy situations" and special circumstances arise in rapid succession, and each vehicle crew responds with composure. Upon entering the new position, the "hunters," through a battle of wits and will, successfully lock onto the "enemy" in the darkness and launch a fierce strike.

It is reported that the brigade organized this anti-tank missile subunit training in high-temperature, sandstorm conditions with the aim of enhancing battlefield adaptability and exploring the operational limits (使用边界) of weapons and equipment. Through multiple training events including maximum-range strikes and on-the-spot target changes, officers and soldiers tempered their rapid-response, precision-strike, and combined-arms coordination capabilities.

Original Chinese

“坦克猎手”大漠砺刃 ——陆军某旅反坦克导弹分队训练影像 ■解放军报记者陈典宏特约记者李彬黄可越摄影报道吊装导弹。侦搜战场目标。发射反坦克导弹。初夏戈壁，战车轰鸣。陆军某旅反坦克导弹分队数辆战车，快速向预设阵地机动。 “北侧山谷发现‘敌’装甲纵队……”行进途中，前方侦察小组报告“敌情”。指挥员一声令下，各车组迅速呈梯次配置抢占发射阵地。 “发射！”烈焰喷吐，导弹呼啸出膛。“‘敌’目标向西南方向逃窜。”指挥车下达新的战斗指令，各车组快速更新射击诸元，对残“敌”实施新一轮打击。战斗进行中，侦察无人机发现高价值目标，指挥员迅即下令更改打击目标…… 黄昏，官兵驾驶战车转移阵地。空中侦察、炮火拦阻、干扰与反干扰、侦察与反侦察……途中，多个“敌情”特情接踵而至，各车组乘员沉着冷静处置。进入新阵地，“猎手”们经过斗智斗勇，在夜色中成功锁定“敌”踪影，对其展开猛烈打击。据悉，该旅此次组织反坦克导弹分队在高温风沙环境中开展训练，旨在增强战场适应能力，探索武器装备使用边界。官兵通过极限距离打击、临机改变目标射击等多项训练，锤炼了快速反应、精确打击和协同作战能力。