Recent social media pictures have unveiled that China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is proactively upgrading its artillery units with anti-drone protections. During a live-fire exercise conducted by the 76th Artillery Brigade of the 76th Group Army, Western Theater Command, in the expansive Northwest Gobi Desert, several PLZ-05 self-propelled howitzers were observed equipped with various anti-drone and First-Person View (FPV) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) countermeasures.
The photographs reveal that these artillery pieces have been fitted with additional protective structures and technologies designed to mitigate threats from small drones and FPV UAVs. These enhancements appear to be a direct response to evolving combat tactics witnessed in recent global conflicts, particularly the extensive use of drones in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The PLA’s (People’s Liberation Army – Chinese army) modifications underscore a growing recognition of the need for enhanced defensive measures against aerial threats posed by agile and often commercially available drones capable of conducting surveillance or delivering precision strikes. The conflict in Ukraine has prominently highlighted how such unmanned systems can significantly influence ground operations, prompting militaries worldwide to reassess and bolster their defensive capabilities.
Military analysts note that the integration of anti-drone protections on the PLZ-05 howitzers signifies China’s commitment to adapting its military assets to counter emerging threats effectively. “The utilization of drones in modern warfare has transformed the battlefield dynamics,” said Li Wei, a Beijing-based defense analyst. “China is keen on learning from these conflicts to ensure its forces are well-prepared against similar challenges.”