Exercises Modernization Doctrine

A Navy Unit Relies on Scientific and Technological Innovation to Advance Training Reform and Transformation

海军某部依靠科技创新推进训练改革转型

PLA Daily (解放军报) 8 August 2026

Summary

An unnamed PLA Navy unit operating as a dedicated 'maritime Blue Force' (海上蓝军) has built a 'digitally and physically integrated' (数实一体) adversary-simulation capability that combines injected digital force groups with live platforms to generate multi-domain—shore, maritime, aerial, and cyber—Red-Blue confrontations, including simulated missile strikes rendered directly into Red Force combat systems. The article documents a specific institutional fix to a problem the unit names explicitly: traditional Blue Force training was too expensive, too shallow, too narrow in scope, and insufficiently realistic to stress-test fleet commanders. The framing around 'data+' and 'intelligence+' (数据+、智能+) and the emphasis on data-driven adjudication and after-action traceback fits the broader PLA effort to replace experience-based training intuition with quantified, iteratively optimized tactical baselines—though the unit's designation, fleet affiliation, and the scale of the joint-training network it claims to have established all remain unspecified.

Translation

Editor's Note: Chairman Xi has emphasized the need to persistently look to scientific and technological innovation for combat power, and to strengthen national defense science and technology innovation—especially independent innovation and original innovation. A certain Navy unit uses scientific and technological innovation as the engine driving training reform and transformation, concentrating efforts on building a new-type "maritime Blue Force" that is "digitally and physically integrated" (数实一体), in order to provide the force with a high-level, combat-realistic "whetstone." Its successful practice is a vivid demonstration of accelerating the conversion of scientific and technological capability into combat power, and has injected powerful momentum into forging elite maritime troops capable of fighting and winning.

PLA Daily Report by Zhao Yan and reporter Qian Xiaohu: In the height of summer, a Red-versus-Blue live-force confrontation is in full swing. A certain Navy unit playing the "Blue Force" comprehensively employs digital forces and physical equipment, taking the initiative to launch a multi-dimensional, integrated joint attack combining shore-based, maritime, aerial, and cyber elements, while tracking the battlefield situation and flexibly constructing a complex battlefield environment. The Red Force formation rapidly assesses the situation, deploys troops, and probes with multiple feints, yet still struggles to find a way to break through the enemy… "The 'Blue Force' is getting harder and harder to deal with!" a ship captain remarked at the after-action review. "Only by sparring with an opponent like this can you develop real skills."

Behind that remark lies this "whetstone" unit's path of transformation. Confronting the realistic challenge of increasingly prominent high-technology and high-intensity characteristics on the maritime battlefield, traditional "maritime Blue Force" development once faced bottlenecks such as "unable to afford training, unable to train well, unable to train comprehensively, and unable to train realistically." In recent years, the unit has persisted in using scientific and technological innovation as its engine, adopting an approach that combines digital simulation with live-force training to build a stronger "digitally and physically integrated" professional Blue Force capability, with the new-type "maritime Blue Force" rising at an accelerating pace.

"Injecting digital forces, simulating missile attack…" At the Blue Force commander's order, the control station injects a "digital force group" into the Red Force's combat system with a single keystroke. At the display screens in the command-and-control hall, the reporter observed several "missiles" rising into the air and bearing down on Red Force vessels, forming an echeloned strike posture. Facing the Blue Force's offensive, the Red Force vessel formation rapidly organized target identification, adjusted its formation in response to different incoming threats, and conducted integrated counterattack operations. A training staff officer of the unit told the reporter that they construct combat attack postures at different echelons to create multi-dimensional, multi-domain, digitally and physically combined Red-Blue confrontation scenarios, with focused effort on tempering commanders' capabilities in tactical coordination and on-the-spot response.

"Future warfare is a contest of data; the mode of combat power generation must transform toward 'data+' and 'intelligence+' (数据+、智能+)." The unit's leadership explained that they closely align with the demands of high-end naval warfare, deeply mine data potential, and accelerate the construction of training environments, the upgrading of simulation means, the building of the digitally and physically integrated "Blue Force," and the development of intelligent systems. Through large-sample Red-Blue confrontation simulation exercises and iterative optimization, they have clarified the operational mechanisms of weapons and equipment, determined the baseline capability of vessel formations, and effectively improved the precision and military-economic efficiency of data serving combat operations.

Data as the foundation, building sufficient confidence for victory. In a confrontation at the end of last year, facing a Blue Force simulated missile attack, the Red Force vessel formation responded calmly, employing previously calculated tactical methods in coordinated counterattack, and successfully destroyed the target under extreme conditions. The tactical methods withstood the test of simulated combat, greatly encouraging the commanders: "In the past, we trained by feeling our way through experience, and sometimes we still weren't sure of ourselves; now, with solid data support, how to train and what to train on is crystal clear—we have far greater confidence in preparing for war and fighting."

The appeal of the new-type "maritime Blue Force" is attracting more and more units to come and "temper themselves." "Announcing the preliminary adjudication results: the Red Force formation's vessels rapidly identified discovered targets, allocated them reasonably, and effectively organized coordinated soft- and hard-kill weapon counterattack operations…" Observing the exercise, the reporter noted that the deep application of digitalization has achieved automatic data "collection," real-time "adjudication" of engagements, and precise "traceback" during after-action reviews. Participating units use the digital training adjudication and assessment system to fully reproduce the combat process and precisely evaluate the effectiveness of the confrontation, truly achieving "fight one engagement, advance one step."

It is further reported that the unit has also established joint-training mechanisms with multiple combat units, using data models, simulation exercises, digital tools, and other means to conduct research on combat problems centered on real-combat difficulties, ensuring that tactical and training methods genuinely become the "formula for victory" (制胜兵法) in winning future high-end naval warfare. "At present, we are intensifying the application of science and technology as an enabler, striving to expand the dimensions of its application, and contributing greater strength to forging elite maritime troops capable of fighting and winning," the unit's leadership said.

Original Chinese

编者按习主席强调，要坚持向科技创新要战斗力，加强国防科技创新特别是自主创新、原始创新。海军某部以科技创新为引擎驱动训练改革转型，聚力打造“数实一体”新型“海上蓝军”，为部队提供高水平的实战化“磨刀石”。其成功实践，是加速科技力向战斗力转化的生动示范，为锻造能打胜仗的海上精兵注入了强劲动能。解放军报讯赵言、记者钱晓虎报道：盛夏，一场红蓝实兵对抗激战正酣。扮演“蓝军”的海军某部综合运用数字兵力与实体装备，率先发起岸基、海上、空中、网络多维一体联合攻击，并跟进战场态势，灵活构设复杂战场环境。红方编队迅速研判、调兵遣将，数番佯动试探，仍难觅破敌之策……“现在的‘蓝军’越来越难缠了！”复盘会上，一名舰长感慨道，“与这样的对手过招，才能练出真本事。” 一句感慨背后，是这支“磨刀石”部队的转型之路。面对海战场高技术、高强度特征日益凸显的现实挑战，传统“海上蓝军”建设一度面临“训不起、训不好、训不全、训不真”等瓶颈。近年来，该部坚持以科技创新为引擎，采取数字模拟和实兵训练相结合的方式，建强“数实一体”专业化蓝军力量，新型“海上蓝军”加速崛起。 “注入数字兵力，模拟导弹攻击……”随着“蓝军”指挥员一声令下，控制席将“数字兵力群”一键注入红方作战系统。记者在指控大厅显示屏上看到，数枚“导弹”腾空而起，扑向红方舰艇，形成梯次打击态势。面对“蓝军”的攻势，红方舰艇编队迅速组织目标识别，根据不同来袭威胁调整队形，开展综合抗击。该部训练参谋告诉记者，他们构设不同层级作战攻击态势，打造多维多域、数实结合的红蓝对抗场景，着力锤炼指挥员战术协同、临机处置等能力。 “未来战争是数据的较量，战斗力生成模式必须向‘数据+’‘智能+’转型。”该部领导介绍，他们紧贴高端海战需求，深挖数据潜能，加快训练环境构设、模拟手段升级、数实“蓝军”建设和智能系统开发，通过大样本红蓝对抗仿真推演与迭代寻优，研清武器装备作战机理，摸清舰艇编组能力底数，有效提升了数据服务打仗的精准度和军事经济效益。数据支撑，蓄足制胜底气。去年底一场对抗中，面对“蓝军”模拟导弹攻击，红方舰艇编队沉着应战，依照前期推算的战法协同抗击，在极限条件下成功摧毁目标。战术战法经受住实战检验，令指挥员备受鼓舞：“过去练，靠经验摸索，有时心里还是没底；如今有扎实的数据支撑，怎么训、训什么，清清楚楚，我们备战打仗的底气更足了。” 新型“海上蓝军”的魅力，吸引越来越多的部队前来“淬火”。“通报裁评初判结果，红方编队各舰发现目标迅速识别、合理分配，有效组织软硬武器协同抗击……”观摩演练，记者看到，数字化的深度应用，实现了数据自动“收集”、交战实时“裁决”、复盘精准“溯源”，参训部队运用数字化训练裁决评估系统，全程复现作战进程、精确评估对抗实效，真正做到“打一仗、进一步”。据悉，该部还与多支作战部队建立联训机制，围绕实战难题，运用数据模型、仿真推演、数字工具等手段开展作战问题研究，确保战法训法真正成为打赢未来高端海战的“制胜兵法”。“目前，我们正在加大科技赋能力度，努力拓展运用维度，为锻造能打胜仗的海上精兵贡献更大力量。”该部领导说。