China acquires latest and unmatched military hardware and software technology; What it means for US, Russia, India, and Pakistan

The report states that Chinese forces are already preparing for stealth warfare, hypersonic warfare, and beyond-visual-range attacks.

Published: February 15, 2026 12:11 AM IST

New Delhi: An internal Chinese military report reveals that the People’s Liberation Army is preparing for advanced aerial warfare using stealth, drones, and high-tech weapons. China’s goal is to develop a form of air warfare that enables it to achieve complete dominance. The report outlines how the future of aerial warfare will change. Published last September in Liberation Army News, the mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Military Commission, the report outlines several points.

‘Intelligence-based aerial warfare’

The translation was done by the US Air Force think tank, the China Aerospace Studies Institute. The original report in Chinese was written by Chai Shan, a defense analyst and military writer who has previously written about the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s airpower control. The report states that “the future method of aerial warfare will ultimately and necessarily be intelligence-based aerial warfare.”

China is preparing for future warfare

The report states that combat weapon equipment will form system clusters with “intelligent” uncrewed combat systems that utilize independent, self-adaptive, and self-coordinating system-of-systems operations under the control of artificial intelligence decision-making and management systems. The report also states that future air combat for the PLA will shift toward uncrewed weapon platforms, autonomous weapon platforms, distributed operations, and swarm warfare. During this period, air combat will involve the use of crewed aircraft in conjunction with drone formations, supported by sensors that will enhance the weapons of manned fighter jets.

Stealth warfare, hypersonic warfare, and beyond-visual-range attacks

The report states that Chinese forces are already preparing for stealth warfare, hypersonic warfare, and beyond-visual-range attacks. Long-range, air-launched stealth missiles and stealth aircraft carrying hypersonic missiles will operate within an aerospace system-of-systems network. The report states that the current development of the PLA’s new air warfare is extremely rapid and dangerous. It involves attacking key enemy targets and feigning innocence while remaining smart to elude the enemy.

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China is developing drones that will fly alongside manned jets (such as the J-20) and attack at the pilot’s command. Furthermore, Beijing is working on fighter jets that will be completely invisible to radar and capable of using laser weapons. China’s goal is to integrate air, space, cyber, and electronic warfare to completely disrupt enemy defense systems.