Soldiers Assault: Starting from the 7th Steel Company

Chapter 226 "Systematic" Operational Thinking
Chen Jiang drank with Peter until about 8 p.m. Although Peter suggested they go to another place to continue having fun, Chen Jiang politely declined.

Although the teacher gave them a break, self-discipline is essential for Chinese soldiers whose discipline is ingrained in their very bones.

Zhao Zhenguo and others greatly admired Chen Jiang for this, believing that this is what Chinese soldiers should be like.

Qin Dong had actually been waiting for them to return in a corner of the hotel lobby. When he saw that they had returned around 8 o'clock, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. They represented the image of Chinese soldiers, and if these guys had caused any trouble outside, he would have been in big trouble.

Fortunately, nothing serious happened, and after a night, the dozen or so people returned to school safely.

The rest was relatively easy. After completing the course, the final thesis defense was to begin. Chen Jiang pondered for a long time and chose the topic "Reflections on the Systematization of Future Battlefields".

He first consulted Professor Qin Dong, who was very interested in his topic and offered some constructive suggestions, from which Chen Jiang benefited greatly.

With the support of his homeroom teacher, Chen Jiang devoted himself to researching literature in the library. Fortunately, the school library had a very rich collection of books, so Chen Jiang was able to study there with great enthusiasm. In particular, the works of some overseas military experts broadened Chen Jiang's horizons.

On the day of the thesis defense, a number of university leaders from the National Defense University attended, indicating a very high level of attendance.

Since a paper version of the thesis has already been submitted, today's main task is the on-site defense.

The first to take the stage was a naval lieutenant colonel. He elaborated on his views regarding the construction of a deep-sea fleet, namely, that it is necessary to increase efforts to promote the modernization of ships, especially the suggestion to build nuclear-powered aircraft carriers as soon as possible, which drew applause and cheers from everyone.

The trainees took turns going up on stage. The first one from Chen Jiang's dormitory was Zhao Zhenguo, whose paper was titled "The Offensive and Defensive Forces of the New Era Armored Forces." He took this paper very seriously and had humbly sought advice from Chen Jiang and others.

They pondered the uses and future development of armored forces from the perspectives of frontline infantry, operations, air force, and special forces, and wrote this lengthy paper of more than 10,000 words.

His main point is that on the future battlefield, armored forces must abandon conventional thinking and no longer adhere to traditional offensive models such as armored assaults. In the future, with increasingly advanced drones and anti-tank weapons, such blatant charges will undoubtedly be "sending people to their deaths".

He pointed out that armored forces will always be the core force for offense and defense on the future battlefield, and must rely heavily on air and ground fire support to maximize their comprehensive protection capabilities. This will enable them to withstand diverse threats such as anti-tank missiles and drones, while also possessing high mobility and firepower suppression capabilities.

We must strengthen active protection systems, small phased array radars, and explosive reactive armor to effectively enhance the battlefield survivability of armored forces.

When armored units transition to defensive operations along with the main force, they should not become stationary "sitting ducks," but rather coordinate with smaller units to conduct mobile defense and enhance the defensive resilience of the positions.

In short, the old method of using large-scale armored formations is no longer suitable for the modern battlefield, as evidenced by this trip abroad to observe foreign military exercises.

He himself did not expect that this paper would win such high praise. Even the principal nodded slightly in approval after listening to his thesis defense.

Next up was Qi Huan, whose thesis was titled "On Special Operations on the Future Battlefield".
He is currently a squadron leader in Brigade A, and there is a high probability that he will be appointed as the deputy brigade leader after returning. He needs to consider the future development direction of the brigade from a holistic perspective.

Thanks to the information technology infrastructure Chen Jiang implemented back then, the combat effectiveness of Brigade A was significantly improved. In subsequent exercises, this brigade was always the most troublesome force for other units. However, Qi Huan knew that this was far from enough, because Chen Jiang had told him that the special forces of developed Western countries did not only serve the purpose of exercises. Their most important task was to act as rapid reaction forces in regional conflicts.

The ability to reach the battlefield as quickly as possible and achieve operational objectives through the most direct and efficient means is what special forces need to do.

Currently, Team A does not yet possess this capability. Therefore, he proposed a series of ideas on how to modernize and upgrade domestic special forces according to actual conditions, enabling them to align with or even surpass international standards. This is the ultimate goal pursued by his generation of special forces personnel.

Some of the school leaders present asked questions about Qi Huan's proposed ideas, and Qi Huan answered them accurately, which greatly satisfied the leaders.

Next up on stage was Lin Xiaoxiao, whose paper was titled "The Development Direction of Aviation in the New Era," which mainly elaborated on the issue of coordinated operations between land-based aviation and naval carrier-based aviation.

Currently, land-based air forces are more powerful, but in the long run, naval air forces will play a more significant role, especially as the country's aircraft carrier construction continues to advance, and all kinds of advanced fighter jets will fly onto the aircraft carrier decks.

However, the selection of carrier-based pilots still relies heavily on land-based air force. The two should proceed in tandem, with one taking precedence over the other, but not in a primary or secondary position.

These were conclusions he and Chen Jiang reached during their leisure time. He never expected that Chen Jiang would have his own unique insights into the development of the air force, which impressed him greatly.

Chen Jiang was the last to take the stage, and he immediately posed a sharp question:

"I would like to ask everyone here: among the conventional weapons and equipment of our army, navy and air force, is there any that has reached the world's top level?"

The audience looked at each other, unsure of what Chen Jiang meant by his question. After a brief moment of thought, it seemed that none of them were truly world-class.

“That’s right, there shouldn’t be any,” Chen Jiang said with a wry smile. “Although our military technology experts have worked hard generation after generation to catch up, unfortunately, we still don’t have anything that we can confidently guarantee is at the world’s top level.”

"Regarding this, it's not the experts' fault; it's simply that our military industry foundation is too weak. Building something from scratch, and from weak to strong, requires a long period of accumulation. This is something that cannot be rushed."

"Chen Jiang, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Finally, one of the judges raised an objection.

Chen Jiang smiled and said, "Please don't rush, I'll get to the main point now." "Although our weapons and equipment have improved a lot, there are still some gaps compared with the top weapons of developed Western countries. When a real war comes, we will have to pay a huge price to make up for these gaps, which is something that every Chinese soldier does not want to see."

"So, how do we use our existing weapons and equipment to counter the advanced weapons of others? This is the issue we need to focus on the most. I believe that our country's strength lies in the progress of high technology, especially in database research and development, where we are already leading the world. This can be used in the 'systematic' warfare that I will talk about next."

"Could you explain 'systematic' warfare in detail?" The principal, who was listening intently, called on him to elaborate. After all, this was the last student to present today.

Chen Jiang immediately nodded.

"Systematic warfare" means leveraging the advantages of data links to synchronously share data and information acquired by all personnel and equipment, thereby achieving a combat effect where 1+1>2. To give a simple example, our SU-27 fighter jet's radar detection range is 50 kilometers, meaning its accompanying air-to-air missiles can only have a range of about 50 kilometers; anything further is unusable. However, if data sharing is achieved, we can lock onto the opponent in advance using enemy aircraft parameters provided by early warning aircraft, and preemptively strike the enemy beyond the detection range of the airborne radar!

"As everyone knows, the detection range of airborne early warning aircraft is much longer due to its high power. As a result, our third-generation fighters can easily defeat their fourth-generation fighters. In fact, if our radar can detect stealth fighters, it is not impossible for third-generation fighters to shoot down fifth-generation fighters. This is what I mean by 'systematic' warfare."

Chen Jiang's words were quite surprising. At that time, the most advanced fighter jets in China were the SU series fighter jets. The airborne radar was limited by the space at the front of the aircraft, so its combat effectiveness was not high. Therefore, it was impossible to equip it with ultra-long-range air-to-air missiles.

This is like a rifle with a range of over 1000 meters, but the question is, can you hit a target at around 1000 meters?
This led to the development of the AK series of medium-range assault rifles.

If what Chen Jiang said is true, then the Chinese Air Force will be in a much better position.

"This theory can be applied not only to the Air Force, but also to our Army and even the Navy. Data link sharing can allow inferior equipment to exert several times the power. At the same time, data can be transmitted back to the command center in real time through various data segments to comprehensively assess the battlefield situation and use computers to analyze the optimal strategy against the enemy for commanders' reference."

The theory Chen Jiang described actually reflects the situation of the Chinese military more than 20 years later, but it is absolutely astonishing in today's context.

As expected, the principal remained silent for a moment after hearing this, and finally asked in a low voice, "What are the preconditions for achieving these goals?"

"Yes," Chen Jiang nodded and continued his report.
"First, we need sufficiently powerful computers to establish a sophisticated and efficient database system capable of supporting the simplest and most efficient algorithms! This is the brain that enables 'systematic' warfare. Second, we need a secure and efficient data management system that allows every fighter jet, tank, warship, and even soldier on the front lines to have a small data segment for sending and receiving data. Finally, we need sufficiently advanced early warning aircraft platforms; without these, we cannot fully realize the maximum effectiveness of 'systematic' warfare."

"The first problem isn't a big deal. Our country's most advanced computer models can already meet your requirements. The third condition can also be met. With the KJ-2000 large early warning aircraft now in service, we can achieve a wide detection range. That's the data management system you mentioned."

The principal is of a much higher rank, so naturally he knows many things that Chen Jiang does not.

"That's great! I have a way to fix the system!"

Chen Jiang had tested a system in Team A back then, and if we take it over and iterate and upgrade it now, it can definitely be used.

The principal nodded in satisfaction after listening. Some things are not suitable to be said in a large meeting; everyone should just touch on them and leave it at that.

After the defense, the principal called Chen Jiang to his office and reviewed his thesis materials while listening to his detailed explanation.

He nodded from time to time. "Chen Jiang, your paper is truly amazing! To be honest, we're researching this right now!"

Upon hearing this news, Chen Jiang was not particularly shocked, because achieving this great goal would inevitably require years of planning and repeated attempts; it could not be accomplished overnight.

"What, you guessed it?" The principal was somewhat curious; this young man was indeed quite something. What he had just said was top secret in the country, but Chen Jiang's expression remained completely unchanged after hearing it.

"Commander, the concept of 'systematic' warfare is something I can think of, and I guess you must have thought of it too, so it's not surprising."

The principal laughed after hearing this. The kid's words were clearly flattery, but the flattery was indeed very pleasant.

"You said at the defense that you had a way to handle it, what did you mean?" He decided to get to the bottom of it.

“This is it.” Chen Jiang immediately took out the system plan that he had prepared long ago, which he originally had in Team A.

Fortunately, he had a backup.

"This is..." The principal took the plan and looked at it carefully. The more he looked, the more shocked he became. Although the plan was still relatively rudimentary, it already contained some of the essence of the "systematic" combat that Chen Jiang had mentioned.

"This is an information system that I developed with another colleague when I was working in Team A. Now, after so much refinement and practice, it is definitely more mature."

"Back then?" The principal's eyes widened with age. "And a colleague? Who was he?"

Chen Jiang's face darkened. "Another colleague is no longer in this world, but this system does exist."

"What a pity," the principal sighed, then his expression changed. "Such a good system, how come it was left unsubmitted to Team A? So much time has been wasted! You guys are really playing the wrong game!"

"I'll call Team A right away and have them compile and submit the data for this system immediately. This is a valuable resource, and we must make the most of it!"

(End of this chapter)