When it comes to military warfare, the focus is usually on explosives due to the vast damage they can cause. Sure, bombs are very dangerous and make a huge scene when used, which is why everyone is talking about them. But what people should be talking about is this swarm of scorpions that have just been let loose, that can do some serious damage.
Are bombs the main focus of militaries these days? Something else may be taking over
Bombs and explosives have been around for thousands of years, with the earliest ones being invented in China along with the invention of gunpowder. Since then, the technology has changed a lot. Mainly due to advancements in chemistry and engineering, there are now much more powerful explosives.
Bombs became common military weapons around the 19th century and have been used extensively in wars and other combats. Although bombs demand the most attention out of the weapons used today, they are not the main focus of militaries or navies anymore. Yes, they are still used in conjunction with other forms of weapons and strategy, but militaries are shifting their focus elsewhere.
Where are they looking now? Well, with the rise of AI technology, it seems only fitting that all kinds of vehicles and machinery are being produced that utilize this tool to create autonomous and highly intelligent forces. There is a new force to watch out for that China has let loose, with power we could never imagine.
The Chinese military utilises AI technology for drone warfare, unlike anything before
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) gave an impressive demonstration on TV of their innovative drone swarm technology, which makes use of AI communication that has never been seen before. Spectators were blown away by the capabilities of these airborne vehicles, which can do a whole host of tasks on their own.
Xiang Xiaojia, researcher at the National University of Defence Technology’s School of Intelligent Science, explains how the fleet operates:
“Each drone is equipped with an intelligent algorithm. Through interconnection and autonomous negotiation, they can form a powerful, collaborative intelligent swarm.”
With the advanced technology, a single person is able to operate a swarm of 200 of these drones, and can even continue their tasks when losing contact with their operator. These drones are so intelligent that they are able to fly in precise formations and switch tasks from things like strike missions to reconnaissance, decoy maneuvers, and more. This isn’t the first time the drones have been on display, but it was certainly the best.
Where did these drones come from? The PLA has shown them before
China is known for its innovation, and these creations are living up to that reputation. Back in 2021, the PLA displayed the drone swarm at the Zhuhai air show to many impressed citizens, but their abilities were much more limited than the newer drones. Back then, they only dealt with reconnaissance multiple target saturation, whereas now, they are much more high-tech.
Today, the newer swarm, called Swarm II, can reach a high speed of 100 km/h (62 mph) and can operate for longer than 60 minutes. These drones can now carry more than one payload and are more advanced in their communications. Talk about stealthy air defence! To help these drones reach further areas, there are now drone carrier ships being produced as well, to launch the drones far out to sea for even more distance.
So maybe now the focus has moved from bombs to unmanned aerial drones, or, at least in China, it has. Other drones that have been created are a lot smaller and focused on different tasks, but these military swarms from the PLA are huge and far more impressive. The PLA must watch out for countermeasures that other nations might invest in, like drone killer jets to fend them off.
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