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China unveils space war-gaming system for military operations and training
- Beijing says it does not want a space war, but new tech, previously shrouded in secrecy, helps prepare troops for futuristic battles – just in case
- More than 400 military cadets take part in two-month-long competition, giving them a chance to fight in mock skirmishes and wield advanced weapons
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Stephen Chenin Beijing
Chinese military scientists have unveiled a space war-gaming system that was previously shrouded in secrecy.
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With a “user-friendly” design, the system has the power to simulate and foresee the intricate process of space combat, according to its developers.
It was not just a tool for China’s military operations, but also for shaping and sharpening the finest space warriors and commanders on a large scale, they said.
Developed by the National University of Defence Technology in Changsha, the system has already proved its worth in a covert space mission, the team led by associate professor Zhang Jin wrote in a paper published in domestic journal National Defence Technology in October.
It also played a pivotal role in selecting and moulding the space warfare elite earlier this year. From September, more than 400 military cadets formed more than 70 teams for a fierce, two-month competition. Many participants agreed that these mock space skirmishes not only got them combat-ready but also gave them a first-hand taste of wielding weapons they had only read about in textbooks or technical documents.
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“We were all thrilled,” one trainee said in Zhang’s paper.
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