Establishing and Practicing the Correct Outlook on Performance Achievements | Every Standing Committee Member of the Party Committee Has a Combat Research Topic

树立和践行正确政绩观丨党委常委人人有作战课题

PLA Daily (解放军报) 27 June 2026

Summary

A Rocket Force brigade has institutionalized a system in which every Party committee standing committee member carries a named combat research topic, with the brigade commander personally leading work on missile operational employment in varied battlefield terrain and on extreme reduced-manning operations—the latter demonstrated during a live-fire exercise in which a single operator completed the functions of four crew positions. The article documents a deliberate effort to close specific operational gaps: strike accuracy shortfalls under real terrain conditions, operator attrition vulnerability in a 'thousand people, one gun' force structure, and training cycle length for new operators. This fits the broader PLA pattern of using political work mechanisms to drive warfighting problem-solving, but the reduced-manning finding is operationally concrete and raises the question of how far the Rocket Force has progressed in building redundancy against crew attrition in a combat scenario.

The article describes a Rocket Force brigade developing and operationally validating 'extreme reduced-manning operations' in which a single operator simultaneously performed the functions of four crew positions during a live-fire launch exercise, and references specific emerging operational concepts including 'large-scale maneuvering, multi-area patrolling, and distributed operations'—details about Rocket Force unit-level combat methodology and manning resilience that are rarely surfaced in open PLA reporting.

Translation

A Rocket Force brigade's Party committee adheres to the correct outlook on performance achievements (正确政绩观) to enhance the capability to study and plan for war—— Every Standing Committee Member of the Party Committee Has a Combat Research Topic ■ Ling Yuanxiang, PLA Daily Special Correspondent Zhang Xinkai

Not long ago, one evening, Director Sun of the Political Work Department of a Rocket Force brigade returned to the headquarters dusty and travel-worn from an exercise and training site thousands of li away. Although he had been on consecutive business trips for several days, Director Sun had no time to rest. He went straight into his office and, based on the latest cases he had collected over those days, revised and refined the research topic he was leading: "Establishing Merit and Creating Models During Combat Operations" (作战中开展立功创模). From sunset to moonrise, it was deep into the night by the time Director Sun returned to his quarters.

This combat topic research has a long history. In early 2022, when Director Sun served as deputy political commissar of the brigade, he was first assigned this topic and began exploring and researching the intrinsic requirements and methods for establishing merit and creating models during combat operations. In March of the following year, he was reassigned from deputy political commissar to director of the brigade's Political Work Department.

"Although my position changed, the topic was not yet complete, and I requested to continue leading it." At the Party committee meeting, Director Sun's request was approved. Since taking up his new post, he has continuously advanced the research around topics such as "keeping pace with combat progress to increase the proportion of personnel commended for merit" and "issuing merit citations and commendation orders during combat operations"—a sustained effort spanning more than three years.

"We will not stop until the objective is achieved; we will not stand down until results are seen." Director Sun told the reporter that he is not the only one pressing forward on combat topics—in their brigade, every standing committee member of the Party committee has been assigned a combat research topic.

In early 2024, the brigade commander, newly appointed, was ordered to lead a team to an unfamiliar area to carry out a realistic combat exercise and training mission. During the mission, he led the unit to successfully lock onto the "enemy" target and complete a launch. However, due to factors including battlefield space, strike accuracy fell short of expectations. Although he received no criticism from higher authorities, at the after-action review the brigade commander proactively reflected and examined his own shortcomings, and decided to take "Operational Employment of a Certain Type of Missile in Battlefield Space" as his own research topic.

Thereafter, the brigade's officers and soldiers traveled across the country, participating multiple times in realistic combat launch exercises under different environmental and geographic conditions, exploring and developing operational methods such as "large-scale maneuvering, multi-area patrolling, and distributed operations" (大范围机动、多区域巡逻、分布式作战). Throughout this period, the brigade commander conducted in-depth research across four dimensions—area transition, equipment status, force rotation, and intensity and frequency—using data collected during exercises to refine and optimize the topic, producing multiple research findings.

Shortly afterward, the brigade was assigned two major consecutive tasks: a combat capability assessment and a live-fire launch. Higher authorities made clear that if the brigade failed the combat capability assessment, it would be disqualified from the live-fire launch mission. At the mobilization rally, the brigade commander took the lead in pledging: We will resolutely accomplish the mission!

Where did that confidence come from? Facing the reporter's question, the brigade commander said firmly: "Every step of the topic research has been solid, and every conclusion is supported by scientific and detailed data. For us, this mission is the best platform for troop training and the best opportunity for assessment." On the day of the assessment, officers and soldiers boldly applied new operational methods and new fighting approaches in response to complex environmental conditions, rationally formulated force deployment plans, and ultimately passed the combat capability assessment with an "all-excellent" rating.

With the first battle won, and facing outstanding results, the brigade Party committee leadership remained very composed: under modern warfare conditions, the battlefield situation changes in an instant, and it is necessary to "have one more card to play" (多备一手) for victory. To that end, they further refined the combat topics under the brigade commander's responsibility, extending and establishing sub-topics such as "Trial Testing and Test Launches of a Certain Type of Equipment" and "Extreme Reduced-Manning Operations" (极限减员操作), with every standing committee member of the Party committee taking on a topic to tackle.

The live-fire launch mission arrived as scheduled. Deep in the desert, scorching heat bore down on the troops. Officers and soldiers overcame the adverse effects of high temperatures, successfully handled multiple unexpected situations (特情), and rapidly occupied the launch position. As the launch window approached, the exercise control group suddenly announced: "The launch frame commander and the primary operator have been 'killed in action'—immediately adjust forces and carry out a counterattack."

Faced with this sudden unexpected situation, the on-site commander ordered immediate position-switching and gap-filling operations. The exercise site saw no large-scale replacement by "backup" personnel; instead, a single primary operator simultaneously completed the operations of four crew positions, delivering an effective counterattack against the "enemy."

In the reporter's view, relief operations are nothing new, but a single operator simultaneously completing the operations of four crew positions is extremely rare. "Missile units are a case of 'a thousand people, one gun' (千人一杆枪). The capability to conduct reduced-manning operations under extreme circumstances is a necessary condition for ensuring the force can 'strike wherever ordered.'" The brigade commander acknowledged frankly that "Extreme Reduced-Manning Operations" is precisely one of the topics he is responsible for.

Everyone has a combat research topic; everyone concentrates their efforts on tackling mission challenges. Reviewing the research findings on combat topics held by the brigade Party committee's standing committee members, the reporter found that in recent years, although the composition of the leadership group has changed from time to time, the direction of their efforts has never changed: keeping a close eye on the difficult points and bottlenecks constraining combat capability generation, and continuously exploring practical and effective operational methods.

To shorten the training cycle for new operators, the brigade chief of staff broke with the traditional training model of "theory before practical operations," emphasized the cross-integration of theory, and aligned with operational requirements to develop the "One Order, Six Steps" (一令六步) training method. In the second half of last year, the logistics department director, newly transferred to the brigade from a sister unit, led a research team to study and propose new battlefield support plans such as "launch vehicle wind and sand protection," resolving the difficulty of field maintenance for a certain type of equipment.

"Since the study and education campaign on establishing and practicing the correct outlook on performance achievements (树立和践行正确政绩观) was launched, everyone has come to understand more deeply that for military Party member cadres, the ability to fight and win battles is the greatest real achievement (最大的实绩)." The brigade leadership told the reporter that in recent years, following the approach of "simultaneously reforming, innovating, and generating combat capability" (边改革、边创新、边形成战斗力), they have successively explored and developed operational methods including all-wireless-state combat launches, rear-echelon grouping force deployment support, and force disposition, continuously raising the unit's combat capability level. In recognition of outstanding achievements, a certain battalion of the brigade was awarded a collective second-class merit citation by the Rocket Force.

Original Chinese

火箭军某旅党委坚持正确政绩观提升研战谋战能力—— 党委常委人人有作战课题 ■凌远祥解放军报特约记者张新凯前不久一个傍晚，火箭军某旅政治工作部孙主任从千里之外的演训场，风尘仆仆地返回机关。尽管已连续出差数日，孙主任却顾不上休息，径直走进办公室，根据连日来收集到的最新案例，修改完善由他牵头负责的“作战中开展立功创模”课题。从夕阳西下到月上梢头，孙主任回到宿舍时，已是深夜。这个作战课题研究由来已久。2022年初，孙主任担任该旅副政委时首次受领这个课题，从作战中立功创模的内在要求、方式方法等方面展开探索研究。次年3月，他由旅副政委调整为旅政治工作部主任。 “虽然岗位变了，但课题还没完结，我申请继续负责这个课题。”党委会上，孙主任的申请得到批准。履新以来，他围绕“紧跟作战进度提高立功人员比例”“作战中发布记功、嘉奖令”等内容持续推进课题研究，一干就是3年多。 “不达目的不罢休，不见成果不收兵。”孙主任告诉记者，持续攻坚作战课题的不止他一人，在他们旅，每名党委常委都受领了作战课题。 2024年初，履新不久的该旅旅长奉命带队赴陌生地域执行实战化演训任务。任务中，他带领部队成功锁定“敌”目标，并完成发射。然而，受战场空间等因素影响，打击精度不及预期。尽管并未受到上级批评，但复盘会上，旅长主动反思检讨，并决定将“某型导弹战场空间作战运用”作为自己的研究课题。此后，该旅官兵辗转大江南北，多次参加不同环境、不同地域条件下实战化发射演练，探索形成“大范围机动、多区域巡逻、分布式作战”等战法。其间，旅长围绕区域转换、装备状态、兵力轮换、强度频次等4个方面持续展开深入研究，利用在演练中采集到的数据对课题进行完善优化，形成多项研究成果。不久后，该旅连续受领实战能力检验考核和实弹发射两个大项任务。上级明确要求，如果实战能力检验考核不过关，就取消该旅实弹发射任务的“资格”。誓师动员大会上，旅长带头表态：坚决完成任务！底气从何而来？面对记者提问，旅长坚定地说：“课题攻关每步都很扎实，每个结论都有科学详尽的数据支撑。对我们来说，这次任务就是最好的练兵平台和最佳的检验时机。”考核当天，官兵针对复杂环境条件，大胆应用新战法新打法，合理制订兵力配置方案，最终以“全优”成绩通过实战能力检验考核。首战告捷，面对优异战绩，该旅党委一班人十分冷静：现代化战争条件下，战场态势瞬息万变，必须为打赢“多备一手”。为此，他们对旅长负责的作战课题进一步细化，延伸立项“某型装备试验试射”“极限减员操作”等多个子课题，党委常委人人领题攻关。实弹发射任务如期而至。大漠深处热浪袭人，官兵克服高温天气带来的不利影响，成功处置多重特情，快速占领发射阵地。发射窗口临近，导调组却突然通报：“发射架指挥长和主操作号手‘阵亡’，迅速调整力量实施反击。” 面对突如其来的特情，该旅现场指挥员下令立即开展换岗补位操作。演练现场没有出现大面积替换“备份”，而是由一名主操作号手同时完成4个号位操作，对“敌”实施有效反击。在记者看来，接替操作不是新鲜事，但一名号手同时完成4个号位操作的情况却十分罕见。“导弹部队是‘千人一杆枪’，具备极端情况下减员操作的能力，是确保部队‘指哪打哪’的必要条件。”旅长坦言，“极限减员操作”正是他负责的课题之一。人人都有作战课题，个个聚力任务攻坚。记者翻看该旅党委常委作战课题研究成果发现，近年来，班子成员虽然时有调整，但他们攻坚的方向从未改变：紧盯制约战斗力生成难点堵点，持续探索实用管用战法。为缩短新号手培养周期，该旅参谋长打破“先理论后实操”传统训练模式，突出理论交叉融合，对接作战需求探索出“一令六步”训练法；去年下半年，从兄弟单位调任该旅的保障部长，带领课题小组研究提出“发射车风沙防护”等新型战场保障方案，解决了某型装备野外维护保养难题…… “树立和践行正确政绩观学习教育开展以来，大家更加深刻地认识到，对军队党员干部来说，能打仗、打胜仗是最大的实绩。”该旅领导告诉记者，近年来，他们按照“边改革、边创新、边形成战斗力”思路，先后探索形成全无线状态下战斗发射、后装编组兵力配置保障、兵力布势等战法，部队战斗力水平不断提高。因成绩突出，该旅某营被火箭军记集体二等功。