Introduction
In recent years, the CCP has flaunted “high-tech weapons” at parades, airshows, and military exhibitions—drone swarms, AI robots, smart tanks, and electronic warfare systems. On the surface, these displays project an image of futuristic dominance. In reality, repeated failures have revealed them as hollow projects, riddled with flaws, exposing the PLA as weak, untested, and unimpressive.
Show of Vanity: Drone Swarms Crash in Public
Beijing boasts of having “the world’s most advanced drone swarms,” claiming they can autonomously coordinate in combat. Yet embarrassing mishaps tell another story:
- In 2019, during a drone performance in northwest China, system failures caused dozens of drones to fall out of the sky.
- In 2020, at a Guangdong drone show marketed as a “military-civilian fusion” technology, signal interference caused the entire formation to collapse mid-performance—mocked by foreign media as a “tech farce.”
These “swarms” are little more than light shows, not battlefield assets.
Flawed Machines: AI Robots That Trip and Fall
China touts its AI-driven robots and automated systems, but reality is humiliating:
- At the 2022 Zhuhai Airshow, an AI infantry robot staggered unsteadily and failed to navigate obstacles, described by international press as “a toy, not a weapon.”
- In 2023, a demonstration of AI robotic “patrol dogs” ended in embarrassment when one fell and got stuck on stage.
Rather than battlefield multipliers, these machines are burdens.
Global Comparison: Ukraine and Russia Show the Real Edge
The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the decisive value of drones and AI-assisted warfare:
- Ukraine successfully modified DJI commercial drones to drop grenades and conduct frontline reconnaissance.
- Russia deployed large numbers of “kamikaze drones” to disrupt Ukrainian supply lines.
By contrast, PLA drones may look sophisticated, but with outdated software and weak anti-jamming capability, they collapse under real-world conditions. Reports suggest entire PLA drone units have been disabled by simple GPS interference during exercises.
Electronic Warfare Shortfalls: Easily Disrupted Systems
The CCP brags of “electronic warfare superiority,” but its systems show alarming vulnerabilities:
- In 2021, during Taiwan Strait drills, a PLA drone reportedly lost contact after suspected electronic jamming.
- During South China Sea training, several “recon-strike” drones crashed due to weather interference, raising doubts about reliability.
Such failures expose Beijing’s weakness in electronic resilience compared to Western forces.
Corruption at the Core: Weapons Hollowed Out by Graft
The endless technical failures point back to a familiar problem: corruption.
- In 2023, multiple senior officers from the Rocket Force and Equipment Development Department were purged, linked to procurement scandals involving drones and radar systems.
- With fraudulent reporting, cost-cutting, and black-box deals, these so-called “advanced weapons” are often shoddy, untested, and unsafe.
Conclusion: Tech Illusions Cannot Hide Weak Combat Power
Crashed drone swarms, stumbling AI robots, crippled electronic systems, and rampant corruption all reveal the same truth: the CCP’s “high-tech arsenal” is a façade. While real modern warfare is being tested daily in Ukraine, Beijing clings to parades and propaganda. In the end, these “tech illusions” only highlight the PLA’s weakness—an army more laughable than lethal.