Under the scorching summer sun, a live-fire tactical assessment exercise was underway on the field training site of a certain air force unit.

As the signal flare ascended into the sky, a certain battalion’s fire team sprang into action, quickly securing their positions. They assessed the wind direction and temperature, calculated the shooting parameters, and completed the assigned aiming direction… As the launch command was issued, one after another of the shells roared out, striking the target with precision.

Having completed all of the scheduled tasks, Team Leader Cui Kai reported to his superiors that the mission had been successfully completed. He then issued the retreat and regrouping commands in accordance with the contingency plan.

In the dense forest of the mountains, a convoy of tractor-trailers created a long trail of smoke. The officers and soldiers, filled with joy at having completed their mission, set off on their journey home. Due to the successful completion of the live-fire shooting exercise, the tense nerves of the trainees relaxed.

“The advance unit was subjected to enemy fire, so immediate artillery support is required!” As we were returning to camp, a special situation report was suddenly transmitted over the vehicle’s walkie-talkie.

“According to the contingency plan, wasn’t the assessment already concluded?” Without time to think further, the commander ordered the convoy to halt its advance, and organized the soldiers and officers to establish firing positions nearby, collect meteorological data, and adjust the firing parameters.

However, due to the sudden onset of the “battle,” the officers and soldiers were caught off guard, and the preparation period was excessively long. As a result, not only did they miss the optimal time for support, but their own positions were also exposed, leading to them being subjected to enemy fire. The mission was deemed a failure.

It turned out that the special situation encountered during the return journey to the base was set up ad hoc by the assessment team to test the officers and soldiers’ emergency response and combat readiness. “The battlefield situation changes rapidly. Only by constantly thinking about war and preparing for it can one improve their chances of winning.” According to the leaders of the unit, they took this opportunity of the field training exercise to break away from previous “old customs” and “old routines,” adjust the training plan on the fly, and, after completing the predetermined training objectives, randomly introduce complex special situations to focus on honing the officers and soldiers’ practical combat skills, such as emergency response, coordinated command, and tactics application.

Upon returning to the camp, the unit organized a special discussion session to analyze the “unexpected” events encountered during the exercise. The leadership of the unit aptly pointed out, “When faced with sudden emergencies, we become flustered. This ultimately stems from a lack of solid practical thinking and insufficient practical combat skills.” Through analysis and self-examination, various issues such as “weakening of enemy awareness during the transfer and maneuver” came to light. They promptly organized their officers and soldiers to distinguish between different training content, such as transfer maneuvers and position construction, and formulated improvement plans for each item.

Recently, the department once again organized intensive training. Small groups of “enemy saboteurs” launched harassing attacks, satellites conducted overhead reconnaissance, drones were used for surveillance, and troops had to navigate through contaminated areas. At the training site, special situations unfolded one after another, and officers and soldiers worked in perfect harmony, responding to challenges as they arose, thereby significantly improving their response efficiency. (Looking into the New Era)