Writing in the PLA Daily, the experts said it was highly likely that the Chinese military would establish specialised counter-drone combat units capable of “rapid responses” to unmanned threats while addressing the inefficiencies of multitasked traditional units.
Drones have played an increasingly crucial role in recent regional conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, the India-Pakistan conflict, and the recent strikes between Israel and Iran.
According to the article, the establishment of dedicated counter-drone units is viewed as a “long-term” goal, while current structural adjustments are expected to focus on integrating counter-drone capabilities into existing combat units.
For example, the writers suggested that electronic warfare units could be upgraded to become intelligent counter-unmanned units capable of AI-driven analysis and mobile jamming.
The PLA’s structural shift towards counter-drone capabilities dates back to as early as 2016, when Chinese state media reported the formation of a specialised PLA Air Force unit tasked with detecting and neutralising small uncrewed aircraft.
