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China's land-based unmanned combat systems unveiled at V-Day parade, to support amphibious landing, urban warfare: expert

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun, Fan Wei and Liang Rui Published: Sep 03, 2025 12:44 PM

Multiple types of unmanned land equipment appeared at China's V-Day military parade on Wednesday to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, showcasing a new form of unmanned combat in modern land warfare.

Military affairs experts told the Global Times that various types of land-based unmanned equipment displayed at the parade depict a scenario of unmanned equipment empowering team combat units in future battlefield, as they have unique advantages in special battlefield environments, especially in tough battles such as amphibious landing operations and urban battles, where unmanned ground equipment can provide extremely strong assistance.

The land-based unmanned combat formation consisted of unmanned combat vehicles for missions such as reconnaissance and assault, mine sweeping and bomb disposal, and team support. They have advantages in terms of remote control, autonomous action, and flexible formation, marking a new breakthrough in manned-unmanned coordinated combat on land.

"One of the characteristics of the showcased land-based unmanned equipment is that their body designs are diverse, including wheeled, tracked, and quadruped robots," military affairs expert Zhang Xuefeng explained to the Global Times that this means that these land-based unmanned equipment are suitable for a wide range of battlefields, and can operate in different environments and terrains such as mountains, wilderness, and cities.

Additionally, the Global Times noted that these land-based unmanned equipment not only have diverse designs, but also carry a wide range of payloads, including various optoelectronic devices, machine guns, rocket launchers, smoke grenade launchers, and even aerial drones.

"These land-based unmanned equipment are also versatile. By carrying different payloads, they can be used to perform tasks such as reconnaissance, mine clearance, explosive ordnance disposal, and fire support," Zhang said. He noted that these land-based unmanned equipment have a relatively high degree of informatization and intelligence, and can serve as a leading force to provide intelligence support for combat units or carry out assault missions, thereby enhancing combat effectiveness and reducing the risk of friendly casualties.

Zhang further said that the most prominent application scenario of land-based unmanned equipment is in urban street battles. "These land-based unmanned equipment have stronger mobility in urban ruins environments, and their diverse optoelectronic devices can provide situational awareness support for team combat units, such as being used to detect snipers hiding in the dark. In addition, the powerful payload capacity of these unmanned equipment means that they can carry various types of weapon stations, providing strong firepower support for team combat units to perform combat tasks such as fire cover and zone assault."

"Generally speaking, in amphibious landing operations and urban warfare, traditional combat operations by human troops face significant risks of casualties. However, the use of land-based unmanned systems can provide exceptional support," military affairs expert Wang Yunfei told the Global Times. A prominent feature of unmanned systems is their "steel bodies" and "iron will," enabling them to lead the charge in hard battles and play a crucial role in seizing key points and controlling vital areas, Wang said.

"From another perspective, when adversaries realize they are facing not only fearless soldiers but also relentless machines, they often experience immense psychological pressure," military affairs expert Fu Qianshao told the Global Times, adding that the deployment of land-based unmanned systems could profoundly reshape future battlefield dynamics, warfare patterns, and tactical applications.

According to previous reports, some land-based unmanned systems, including the robot wolf, have already been employed in practical training exercises within the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) and even in joint drills with foreign militaries. Wang said that by being reviewed in formation at the parade, China showed that the manned-unmanned coordinated combat capability of its land-based combat forces has reached a relatively mature stage.

"The mature application of unmanned systems relies on robust information-based networked combat systems and strong anti-electronic interference capabilities," Wang added. "China has invested heavily in these areas, achieving operational readiness. China's land-based unmanned combat technology now ranks among the world's best."