The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is likely gaining critical insights for future unmanned systems warfare from Russia. The PLA appears particularly concerned with the future of mechanized maneuver and could use Russian experience to improve its capabilities and operational concepts in this area. The PLA sent an unspecified contingent from the Central Theater Command to Russia’s “Center-2026” exercises from September 28 to October 3. Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov stated on October 2 that the exercises demonstrated Russia’s “unique” experience from the war in Ukraine and involved over 600 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and 60 unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). PLA sources stated that PLA forces participated in three-dimensional reconnaissance, strike missions, obstacle breaching, and multi-directional assault during the exercises. Three-dimensional reconnaissance and multi-directional assault appear to refer to the use of unmanned systems to support locating and targeting enemy positions ahead of a ground assault. These elements of the exercises likely included a significant number of unmanned systems operating alongside manned platforms, based on PLA statements and images of the exercises, providing the PLA with crucial experience in conducting assaults and strike missions on a modern battlefield.
The exercises and PLA commentary demonstrate a People’s Republic of China (PRC) focus on the future of mechanized maneuver in a drone-saturated environment. PRC state-owned media outlet Global Times cited a military analyst who claimed that the exercises sought to improve the PLA’s ability to operate legacy armored vehicles alongside UAVs and UGVs to increase the survivability of its armored forces. Other PLA sources also highlighted the use of drone “swarms” in support of an armored attack and the use of unmanned platforms operating in “high-risk” areas to mitigate losses of personnel and manned platforms. ISW-CDOT has assessed that the PLA expects unmanned systems to take on increasingly complex tactical tasks to aid future mechanized maneuver.
The exercises demonstrated limitations in what the PLA can learn from Russia’s warfighting experience, however. The Russian military has modified many of its formations and tactical procedures in Ukraine to optimize its forces for a positional war, at least temporarily. Elements of the exercises demonstrated this, as small assault teams on motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) conducted frontal assaults on prepared defensive positions. The exercises primarily demonstrated Russian procedures for a penetration battle against a prepared defender, and armored vehicles largely had a supporting role for advancing infantry. The future of mechanized maneuver will likely hinge on far more than a successful penetration battle, however. Mechanized maneuver depends on rapid penetration, with limited casualties, that enables exploitation and the maintenance of a high operational tempo subsequent to the initial penetration. Russian forces have yet to demonstrate an ability to exploit tactical successes against prepared Ukrainian positions. The PLA is unlikely to prevail in a situation where it is forced to fight a positional battle after landing on Taiwan’s coast. The PLA may seek to integrate select aspects of Russian warfighting into its own future operational concepts rather than adopting Russian methods wholesale as a result.
by Institute for the Study of War – China & Taiwan Update, October 6, 2026
