Have anyone seen this?
These seem like the new standard template for whatever US tripwire and fast respond forces destined for Taiwan. The idea of heavy US land forces landing in Taiwan once shooting starts seem rather fanciful.
One important take away from the video is that the US military have no confidence of securing air superiority over Taiwan or even the first island chain. I wonder if they ever admitted this uncomfortable truth to the hearing or did they try to obfuscate this.
The US general standing in opposition really represent their old way of thinking, another Shock and Awe, a repeat of Desert Storm and nothing else would do.
Another curious thing is that they are incorportaing Ground drones into the new recon platoon. I'm very skeptical of ground drones, they have low range, no ability to overcome obstacles, no stealth and thus no survivability. It has none of advantages of a flying drone and imo, very limited usefulness.
Sometimes I wonder how quickly have PLA are adapting to the new realities of war. Drones are no longer just the eye, not just the sword but the primary means of survival as well. Everything from artillery to small unit tactics are transformed by it.
I am of the opinion that old heavy amphibious brigades allocated for the first wave should be considered combat inefficient. Still useful of course, but painfully fragile for how much they cost.
Frankly, I think if they are opposed by anyone more competent than the current ROC forces, it will totally combat ineffective unless the beachheads are already secured by preliminary ground forces.
To deny the this new reality posed by drones would be to deny the effectiveness of machineguns in 1916. I hope there's no one in the PLA trying to be 'Um, actually' about drones. It's good to be dialectical or 'scientific'(a popular saying in China), but if people tries to be dialectical about guns vs spears they need to be punched in the face.
The effectiveness(number) of small drones are rooted in its large civilian demand, anti-drone devices have very little civilian demand by comparison which is why there'll NEVER be a cost effective counter to them. When more autonomous drones become commonnplace, even existing methods of drone defence will start to fail. The West won the cold war on back of its civilian industries, the demand of its people drove its defence technology to surpass that of the USSR.
China is in a unique position to be leaps and bound of its rivals in this military transformation, I'would be in for a shock if the 'Um actually' folks manages to bundle this revolution. Either that, or institutional inertia forces money to be spent on old force plans instead of upgrading to new ones.
