China needs ‘holistic approach’ to meet military modernisation goals
- Leading PLA researcher says traditional equipment-oriented development no longer fit for purpose in fast-moving defence landscape
- Research, trials and even deployments can take place in parallel to meet challenges of smart technologies, he says
“A holistic approach in scientific research is a highly efficient way of organising and allocating [our] national defence research efforts,” he wrote, in an article published on Monday by Study Times, the Central Party School’s official newspaper.
“It has significant value in addressing the problems of the long process of development of innovative technologies for national defence, the large number of stakeholders involved, and the demand for high efficiency in the innovation process.”
The article appeared against a backdrop of increased investment in smart technologies as China speeds up its drive to “basically complete” its modernisation of the PLA by 2035, with ambitions of achieving a “world class” military by 2049.
Wang’s institute was established in 2017 under the Academy of Military Sciences as part of a PLA overhaul and has recruited a large number of young and civilian scientists in recent years.
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In the article, Wang pointed out that smart technologies and market forces had brought new challenges to research institutes by greatly shortening and accelerating weapons development cycles.
Instead of following the traditional cycle of “explore-develop-produce-deploy”, research institutes could now conduct research, trials and even deployments in parallel, he said.
According to Wang, the holistic approach combines theoretical and practical needs, while at the same time taking into account factors like market forces, rapidly changing technologies, enemies and styles of warfare.
Wang said the approach – first put into practice by Qian Xuesen, widely credited as the father of China’s missile programme – had proven successful in many of China’s scientific endeavours, such as the crewed space missions and lunar exploration.
The method’s effectiveness had been boosted since Qian’s time, thanks to advances such as computer simulation, he said.
“It is a functional mechanism that integrates the requirements of practical needs, science, engineering, technology, and organisation. [It] is the fundamental guarantee for the efficient implementation of all types of research, engineering and technology.”
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Wang said that as the country responded to the call to put science and technology at the core of military strength, and to the rise of warfare dependent on smart technologies, “[we must] adhere firmly to systems engineering thinking”.
This would act “as guidance for research and development so [we can] actively respond to the ‘changed’ and ‘unchanged’ in the realms of defence and security”.
“[Research institutes] must actively face the changes brought by market forces and the rise of smart technologies that are affecting the innovation pathways of national defence technologies,” Wang said.
“We must give the new nexus of our innovation chain of defence technologies – which integrates military needs, cutting-edge science and technology, and equipment with intelligent applications – full play.”
