A Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) ground force unit has recently conducted a live-fire drill featuring the utilization of new combat tactics and high tech equipment including long-endurance drones and robotic dogs.
The drill, consisting of a series of phases spanning battlefield maneuvers, tactical dispersals, mine breaching, and siege assaults, was carried out to follow real-combat scenarios, with innovative military strategies being tested throughout these procedures.
Based on operational combat systems, the troops were restructured during their maneuvers, with commanders poised to respond to special battlefield scenarios reflecting modern warfare conditions.
"With the deployment of satellites and long-endurance drones, the battlefield became increasingly transparent, weakening the concepts of frontline and depth. We can only be calm and adept in wartime if we anticipate various situations and practice a lot during peacetime," said Zhao Guang, a solider of the 78th Group Army.
During the live-action confrontation phase, the troops also utilized advanced equipment including robotic dogs to test new assault tactics combining both manned and unmanned equipment, as well as ground and air combat elements.
"With robotic dogs leading the way to clear obstacles, infantry fighting vehicles providing cover from behind, and drones conducting reconnaissance from the air, this approach not only reduces the risk of personnel injury, but also significantly enhances obstacle-clearing efficiency," said Hu Jigang, another solider of the 78th Group Army.
PLA ground force conducts live-fire drills featuring high tech drones, robotic dogs
China's first two-tonne-class tethered balloon entered trial operation in a major power transmission project on Monday, providing a brand-new solution for transportation in power grid construction projects in high-altitude and ecologically sensitive areas, according to the State Grid.
The project is a massive ultra-high voltage (UHV) power transmission line that will carry clean energy from Xizang Autonomous Region in southwest China across thousands of kilometers to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in south China.
At the construction site, a large balloon with a diameter of 25 meters and a volume of 8,000 cubic meters slowly rose into the air.
As multiple mooring lines were simultaneously extended and retracted, the heavy construction materials suspended beneath the balloon were lifted off the ground and moved smoothly along a predetermined route toward the mountainous work site.
"This is our newly developed load-bearing tethered balloon. We have just completed a maximum load test of two tonnes at an altitude of 4,000 meters. Next, we will conduct a hoisting operation for power supply materials over a straight-line distance of 500 meters and a vertical drop of 120 meters," said Qin Jian, researcher at the Transmission and Transformation Engineering Technology Research Institute of the State Grid Electric Power Engineering Research Institute.
A heavy-lift tethered balloon involves launching a helium-filled balloon into the air and connecting it to the ground with one or several cables.
By adjusting the cable, the balloon's altitude and horizontal position are controlled to facilitate the transport of materials at high altitudes.
The balloon can travel up to 800 meters and carry a maximum load of two tonnes, with a positional accuracy of within 0.5 meters.
As the construction of new power grids is extending more rapidly into high-altitude, remote mountainous and ecologically sensitive areas, the transportation of materials for transmission projects has become a major challenge constraining construction progress.
Traditional road construction for transportation have long cycles and significant ecological disruption, while drones, though agile and flexible, face limitations in scenarios requiring heavy loads or prolonged continuous transport.
Tethered balloon transport technology effectively overcomes these difficulties.
"The construction section where this technology is applied is located in an uninhabited mountainous area at an altitude of over 4,000 meters. Many tower sites are situated on steep ridges inaccessible by road, making this the section with the highest altitude, most treacherous terrain and most challenging operations in the entire project. The two-tonne tethered balloon is better suited to high-altitude conditions characterized by thin air and strong winds, and its load capacity and stability can better meet transportation requirements," said Feng Tao, project manager of the State Grid Henan Power Transmission and Transformation Company.
China puts first 2-tonne tethered balloon into operation
