A Brigade of the 76th Group Army Conducts Small-System (小体系) Combined-Arms Training with Multiple Service Branch Units at Its Garrison Position

第76集团军某旅依托驻防点位携手多军兵种部队开展小体系练兵

MOD China (国防部) 23 August 2026

Summary

A missile battalion of a brigade of the 76th Group Army, garrisoned on the Tibetan Plateau far from its parent formation, independently organized 小体系 (small-system) combined-arms training with four neighboring units — an Army Aviation unit, an Air Force radar station, and an Air Force aviation sub-unit among them — without direction from a higher-level headquarters, building a shared data link for air-situation warning, command, and fire coordination across service-branch lines. The article documents a specific institutional problem: independently garrisoned tactical units lack the organizational access to realistic system-of-systems training, and the battalion's first attempt collapsed over unresolved rules of engagement and damage-assessment standards between services. The brigade Party committee's subsequent dispatch of a guidance team and the eventual standardization of evaluation rules fits a pattern in which bottom-up experimentation at the battalion level surfaces joint-training coordination failures that formal joint exercise structures do not reach.

The article documents a bottom-up, grassroots-initiated cross-service combined-arms coordination mechanism—linking Army air defense missile, Army Aviation, Air Force radar, and Air Force aviation units at the tactical battalion level without higher-level command direction—representing a notable doctrinal signal about PLA efforts to push system-of-systems (体系) integration down to independently garrisoned units, including the specific technical detail of units independently breaking through data link barriers to build an autonomous coordination network.

Translation

A Brigade of the 76th Group Army Conducts Small-System (小体系) Combined-Arms Training with Multiple Service Branch Units at Its Garrison Position——

Observing "Large-Scale Joint Training (大联训)" from a "Small Position (小阵地)"

■ Cheng Tiebin, Shi Tao; PLA Daily Special Correspondent Zhang Shishui

During the dog days of summer, the highland valleys remain bitterly cold.

This reporter visited a missile battalion of a certain brigade of the 76th Group Army and witnessed a joint exercise and training event with a pronounced smell of gunpowder — on the position, radar sets networked and linked, invisible radio waves precisely locking onto the "enemy"; in the sky, multiple types of combat aircraft struck together, cooperatively executing missions; inside the bunkers, streams of information and data surged at high speed, reaching directly to each combat unit at the terminal end……

What surprised this reporter considerably was that this joint training was not organized and led by a higher-level headquarters, but was instead the result of independent exploration by the missile battalion in conjunction with four battalion- and station-level units of different service branches garrisoned near its position. They broke down organizational barriers, built autonomous coordination links, achieved tactical unit linkage, and blazed a new path for small-system (小体系) training in the depths of the plateau.

"Independent garrison does not mean preparing for war in isolation, and a remote position cannot mean training behind closed doors." Battalion Commander Ji of the missile battalion told this reporter that they have been garrisoned at a plateau position year-round, far from the brigade's main force, with limited training and support conditions. In the past, they organized training mostly around individual soldiers, individual equipment, and individual subjects, with simple scenarios and an absence of adversarial opposition, causing training to languish at a low level for an extended period.

To reverse this situation and break through the bottleneck in combat capability development, the missile battalion's Party committee leadership visited surrounding garrison units of different service branches on multiple occasions and established a coordinated training mechanism with an Army Aviation unit, an Air Force radar station, and an Air Force aviation sub-unit, among other neighboring units, jointly exploring a new path for small-system (小体系) training.

After repeated deliberation, they established a cooperation principle of "information sharing, resource sharing, and complementary capabilities (信息互通、资源共享、能力互补)," and relying on existing communications equipment and technical capabilities, jointly broke through data link barriers and built an autonomous coordination network covering elements such as air situation early warning, command and control, and fire strikes.

However, the first training exercise did not go smoothly. Due to the absence of unified direction and control by a higher-level command headquarters, each unit held differing positions on standards for "rules of engagement" and "damage assessment": the radar screen showed a "precise hit," yet the pilot insisted he had "successfully evaded"; the ground air defense fire unit reported that the drone swarm had been "destroyed," yet the drone operators believed the majority of targets had "survived"…… Inside the command post, staff officers from the participating units argued endlessly over the validity of combat results and the compliance of actions, and the outcome of the battle could not be determined.

The problems exposed during the first joint training exercise drew the close attention of the brigade Party committee in which the missile battalion is organized. The brigade Party committee assessed that the small-system (小体系) joint training model spontaneously explored by grassroots units was a worthwhile attempt to solve the problem of system-of-systems training (体系练兵) for independently garrisoned units, and should be given scientific guidance and strong support. Subsequently, the brigade headquarters dispatched a special guidance team to the missile battalion.

"Formulating a training plan must not be rushed — every procedural detail must be trodden down step by step." At a seminar, one commander took the lead in reflecting on the problems that had been exposed. Afterward, the leaders of each participating unit led their staff officers in in-depth deduction of each phase, ultimately settling on a three-step improvement plan: through mutual study of equipment theory, bridge the cognitive gaps in areas such as damage assessment; jointly formulate clear and scientifically grounded rules of engagement and evaluation standards; and after unified rules are established, progressively carry out normalized live-force exercises.

Once the unified rules were issued, the effect was immediate. During one training exercise, just as a Blue Force aircraft broke into the Red Force's defensive zone, the ground radar locked on instantly and an air defense missile simulated launch. Simultaneously, the warning indicator light in the aircraft cockpit lit up in sync — the outcome of the battle was no longer in dispute.

The mechanism was refined through coordination, the links were cleared through cooperation, and small-system (小体系) joint training gradually deepened and became substantive. In exercise after exercise, each participating unit served as both adversary and support for the others: an Air Force radar station provided long-range air situation early warning, filling the "blind spots (补盲)" in ground air defense detection; an Air Force aviation sub-unit simulated special situations such as aerial assault and tactical feints; an Army Aviation unit conducted low-altitude assault and rapid maneuver. The complex adversarial environment effectively tempered the missile battalion's capabilities in rapid response, precision engagement, and concealed protection.

Since the new mechanism was established, the missile battalion has regularly organized small-system (小体系) joint training with other units, fully testing the plateau extreme-condition combat performance of multiple types of equipment, with the other participating units also benefiting greatly. Striking while the iron is hot, they have progressively increased the depth of cooperation: ground radar sub-units of the Army and Air Force have each selected technical backbone personnel to go to the other unit for follow-on study and training; pilots and surface-to-air missile operators have boarded each other's equipment to jointly study aerial penetration and counter-penetration tactics; drone pilots and reconnaissance platoon leaders have jointly surveyed positions, deepening research on reconnaissance and camouflage subjects.

"I never expected that the camouflage methods we commonly use could be seen through by high-altitude reconnaissance." After one joint training exercise concluded, Meng Kun, the reconnaissance squad leader of the missile battalion, remarked with feeling: "In the next step, we need to upgrade our camouflage methods based on suggestions raised by our brother units, and train the art of 'concealment (藏)' to a more solid standard."

Through joint training exercise after joint training exercise, coordination after coordination, the missile battalion has gradually worked out a relatively mature small-system (小体系) joint training model, significantly improving the operability of grassroots battalion and company units independently conducting system-of-systems training (体系练兵).

Original Chinese

第76集团军某旅依托驻防点位携手多军兵种部队开展小体系练兵—— 从“小阵地”看“大联训” ■程铁镔石涛解放军报特约记者张石水三伏时节，高原山谷，寒风依旧。记者探访第76集团军某旅某导弹营，目睹了一场硝烟味十足的联合演训——阵地上，座座雷达组网建链，无形电波精准锁“敌”；天空中，多型战机携手出击，协同遂行任务；掩体里，信息数据流高速奔涌，直达末端各作战单元…… 令记者颇感意外的是，这场联合训练并非上级机关牵头组织，而是由该导弹营联手驻防点位附近的4个不同军兵种营、站级单位，自行探索取得的成果。他们打破建制壁垒，构建自主协同链路，实现战术单元联动，在高原腹地蹚出一条小体系练兵新路。 “独立驻防不等于孤军备战，点位偏远也不能闭门练兵。”该导弹营姬营长告诉记者，他们常年驻守高原点位，远离旅队主力部队，训练保障条件受限。以往，他们组织训练大多围绕单兵、单装、单课目展开，场景单一、对抗缺失，导致训练长期在低水平徘徊。为扭转这一局面，破解战斗力建设瓶颈，该导弹营党委一班人多次走访周边不同军兵种驻防单位，与陆军航空兵某部、空军某雷达站、空军航空兵某分队等友邻部队建立协同训练机制，携手探索小体系练兵新路。经过反复研讨，他们确立了“信息互通、资源共享、能力互补”的协作原则，依托现有通信装备和技术力量，合力打通数据链路壁垒，构建起覆盖空情预警、指挥控制、火力打击等要素的自主协同网络。然而，首次训练并不顺利。因缺乏上级指挥机关的统一导调，各家单位在“交战规则”和“毁伤评估”等标准上各执一词：雷达屏幕显示“精准命中”，飞行员却坚称“成功规避”；地面防空火力单元报告无人机蜂群被“摧毁”，无人机操作手却认为大部分目标“幸存”……指挥所内，几个参训单位的参谋围绕战果有效性与行动合规性争论不休，战场胜负一时难以判定。首次联训暴露出的问题，引起该导弹营所在旅党委的高度重视。该旅党委研究认为，基层单位自发探索的小体系联训模式，是破解独立驻防单位体系练兵难题的有益尝试，应予以科学指导、大力支持。随后，旅机关向该导弹营派出专题指导组。 “制订训练方案不能操之过急，必须一步一个脚印踩实流程细节。”研讨会上，一名指挥员结合暴露出的问题带头反思。随后，各参训单位领导带领参谋人员，逐个环节深入推演，最终确定“三步走”的改进方案：通过装备理论互学，打通毁伤判定等方面的认知差异；共同制订科学清晰的交战规则和评判标准；形成统一规则后，循序渐进开展常态化实兵演练。统一规则出台后，效果立竿见影。一场训练中，蓝方一架战机刚突入红方防区，地面雷达瞬间锁定，防空导弹模拟发射。与此同时，战机座舱内的告警信号灯同步亮起，战场胜负再无争议。机制在磨合中健全，链路在协同中畅通，小体系联训逐渐走深走实。一场场训练中，各参训单位互为对手、互为支撑：空军某雷达站提供远程空情预警，为地面防空探测“补盲”；空军航空兵某分队模拟空中突袭、战术佯动等特情；陆军航空兵某部展开低空突击、快速机动，复杂的对抗环境，有效锤炼了该导弹营的快速响应、精准抗击、隐蔽防护等能力。新机制建立以来，该导弹营定期与其他单位组织小体系联训，充分检验了多型装备的高原极限作战性能，其他各家参训单位也受益匪浅。趁热打铁，他们逐步加大合作力度：陆空地面雷达分队分别选派技术骨干，到对方单位跟学跟训；飞行员与地空导弹操作手登上对方装备，共研空中突防与反突防战术；无人机飞手与侦察排排长一同勘察阵地，深化侦察与伪装课题研究。 “没想到，我们常用的伪装手段，能够被高空侦察识破。”一次联训结束后，该导弹营侦察班班长孟昆感慨道，“下一步，我们要根据兄弟单位提出的建议升级伪装手段，把‘藏’的功夫练得更扎实。” 通过一次次联训、一次次磨合，该导弹营逐步摸索出一套较为成熟的小体系联训模式，大幅提升了基层营连自主开展体系练兵的可操作性。