Chinese PLA Increasing Use of Simulation for Coordinated Training

The Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) is increasing the use of synthetic training for its troops. An article in the Liberation Army Daily has provided additional information on its use of synthetic training for troops, which has enabled coordinated training in the digital space.

The daily gave an example of synthetic training undertaken by a battalion of a brigade of the 76th Army in a tactical exercise. It consisted of drones sending coordinates of an enemy armoured formation, which was responded to with an EW assault and own force tank and IFV commanders marking the target axis on a shared situation map. The armoured assault group then successfully engaged the enemy formation with artillery fire.

The training data was then reviewed by the Brigade Commander. "In the past, when conducting training, each branch of the military was accustomed to 'fighting on its own'. Now, data links organically integrate multiple combat forces to ensure the effect of '1+1>2',” the Brigade Commander was quoted as saying.

The daily quotes the Brigade Commander as saying they are fully utilizing the "sharpening stone" role of the simulation training system. The integrated training system of allows scouts, artillery, infantry and other branches of the military to train together with real and the virtual forces.

Greater detail was provided about the brigade's simulation training center, where dozens of interactive terminals run at full speed. There is a drone simulator area where scouts undertake reconnaissance training. A high-definition screen displays the terrain with changes made in real time. There is a tank simulator, where the commander and gunner train, using a touch panel to calibrate the assault route synchronously with the infantry squad next door; on the reactance unit training platform on the south. All the data converges together.  "In the past, we mainly practiced 'single combat', but now we practice 'combination combat,” the Brigade Commander said.

Speaking of the integrated training system supported by the simulation training system, a Battalion Commander named Zhang is quoted as saying,” earlier each profession used to practice its own "unique skills": tank professionals practiced shooting accuracy, infantry professionals practiced tactical penetration, and reconnaissance professionals practiced target identification... However, even though the "unique skills" were practiced well, once on the training ground, it was found that the coordination was not smooth.”

The new synthetic training systems can monitor multiple combat units of the entire battalion in real time, and can also automatically predict coordination conflicts. "In a simulation organized last week, the system warned that the 'infantry-tank spacing exceeded the standard'. After carefully analysing the data, I adjusted the formation in time and verified the results in subsequent actual combat training, which greatly improved the efficiency of the assault, Battalion Commander Zhang said. The tank training simulators are able to share with other units, not only displaying their own shooting parameters in real time, but also displaying the combat information of collaborative units.

The use of the new simulation training system has improved the quality and effectiveness of military training, the daily states.

It goes on to state that with the new training model, different combat plans, tactics, combat formations, and force deployment plans have been optimized through system simulation. This has resulted in savings in resources and reduced training time with greatly improved training effect.

The net result is that the PLA is now taking greater advantage of opportunities in cross-service joint training and system confrontation training to test and optimize hundreds of sets of data and dozens of tactics explored using simulation training systems.