China’s strategic implementation of lessons from Russia-Ukraine war

China has learned from Ukraine’s war experience, and it’s not just about drones. The changes go much deeper, impacting everything from tactics to strategy.

According to Defense Express, the Chinese military is particularly interested in inexpensive drones, including both FPV drones and long-range kamikaze drones like the Shahed.

They’ve also introduced cheaper drones designed for reconnaissance and target engagement at long ranges, capable of operating autonomously and withstanding electronic warfare.

Defense Express notes that to push this forward, the Chinese Air Force launched a nationwide competition in November. The goal is to submit six types of drones for testing. These drones must be able to identify real targets from decoys in a complex, jamming environment within a set time and then strike those targets. 

The selection criteria prioritize technological capability by 70% and cost by 30%. China’s Ministry of Defense will add the top three proposals to its procurement list.

“China understands that its ability to produce low-cost UAVs in large quantities is a major strategic advantage, offering them an asymmetric edge,” Defense Express experts add.

China’s Ministry of Defense is also pushing for “intelligent warfare,” aiming to create automated systems that control troops and assets using artificial intelligence. At the same time, they are taking strategic steps. 

China reorganized its Strategic Support Forces in April into three distinct units: the Aerospace Forces, which are primarily responsible for building and managing military information networks, and the Cyber Forces.

Learning from Russia, China is actively using electronic warfare to counter Western weapons. It’s also exploring the use of ground drones for logistics and mini-drones for infantry units.

This shows that, firstly, the experience of Ukraine and the Russian war against Ukraine and countering Western weapons is important for analyzing and making strategic decisions on strengthening defense capabilities in the context of using modern technological solutions. 

Secondly, this indicates that China is actively bolstering its army and combat capability through the use of modern technologies, primarily to counter Western weapons and the mistakes and losses of the Russians in the war. This gives China an advantage in the event of a potential conflict in the future.