Exercises

Forging the Blade in the Gobi: Battlefield Rescue and Recovery Assessment Conducted at Highland Training Ground

戈壁砺刃，高原演兵场开展战场抢救抢修考核

PLA Daily (解放军报) 24 August 2026

Summary

A regiment of the Xinjiang Military District ran a battlefield rescue and recovery (战场抢救抢修) assessment on the highland Gobi, testing armored recovery vehicle crews on equipment towing, on-site security, and emergency handling under complex terrain conditions against simulated combat-damage scenarios. The article documents a unit-level equipment support readiness evaluation in a theater where high-altitude, broken terrain poses distinct logistics challenges for armored operations. The framing around 突发特情 (sudden special situations) and 保障打赢 competencies fits the PLA's broader push to stress-test rear-area support functions under near-combat conditions, though the article gives no indication of scale beyond regimental level or whether this assessment was tied to a larger exercise cycle.

Translation

Recently, a regiment of the Xinjiang Military District conducted a battlefield rescue and recovery (战场抢救抢修) assessment on the highland Gobi, comprehensively testing the unit's equipment support capabilities.

At the assessment site, a simulated "combat-damaged" tank was stranded on a position, and officers and soldiers rapidly assessed the extent of equipment damage. Armored recovery vehicles moved quickly to the front, established towing connections, and executed the transfer of combat-damaged equipment under complex terrain conditions. Each support team closely coordinated, dividing responsibilities to complete on-site security, equipment towing, and emergency handling events, strictly processing all manner of sudden special situations (突发特情) in accordance with combat-realistic procedures.

This assessment was grounded in the complex highland terrain to set difficult and dangerous events, testing officers' and soldiers' emergency repair and battlefield transfer capabilities, and tempering their support-to-win (保障打赢) competencies in close alignment with assigned missions and tasks.

Original Chinese

近日，新疆军区某团在高原戈壁开展战场抢救抢修考核，全面检验部队装备保障能力。考核现场，模拟“战损”坦克受困阵地，官兵迅速研判装备受损情况。装甲抢救车快速前出，建立牵引连接，在复杂地形条件下实施战损装备转移。各保障班组密切协同，分工完成现场警戒、装备牵引、应急处置等课目，严格按照实战流程处置各类突发特情。此次考核立足高原复杂地形设置险难课目，检验官兵应急抢修、战场转运能力，紧贴使命任务锤炼保障打赢本领。