GUILIN, Nov. 4 -- A logistic support exercise was conducted by the Guilin Joint Logistic Support Center in southwest China at an altitude of more than 2,000 meters above sea level in the autumn of 2020.
During the exercise, an army brigade that was maneuvering to a predetermined area encountered a sudden equipment failure. The diesel filter of an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV)failed and needed to be replaced urgently. The command post immediately dispatched a drone to deliver parts.
"In complex terrains, using drones to deliver urgently needed materials will greatly improve the support efficiency," a leader of the transportation and delivery office of the center introduced.
To adapt to the future trend of unmanned and intelligent battlefields and meet the support needs of supply, transportation, repair and rescue under emergent situation, the Guilin Joint Logistic Support Center used multiple types of drones to conduct this integrated delivery exercise in complex terrains such as mountains and forests.
They also deployed drones to carry out drills of single-point-to-multi-point delivery, single-point-to-single-point precision delivery, and multi-point to single-point direct delivery to send urgently needed materials to front-line troops, including self-heating food, medical supplies, and equipment accessories.
The advantages of such anew delivery mode are also reflected in the efficient rescue of the wounded on the battlefield.
A soldier was simulated to be bitten by a venomous snake during the exercise and urgently needed antivenom. The command post quickly activated the intelligent delivery system. After a short while, a drone carrying the life-saving antivenom and medical supplies took off smoothly in the rain and flew to the designated area.
"After reconnaissance, the terrain of the designated area does not meet the conditions for airdrop. I have re-surveyed the area," upon receiving the radio instruction, the drone operator replied and immediately adjusted. And the drone then changed its route.
It used to take two hours for vehicles to deliver life-saving antivenom through mountain roads, but only takes 17 minutes to deliver the materials by a drone.
It is learnt that the Guilin Joint Logistic Support Center will continue to strengthen and improve the drone transportation and delivery support mode in the future based on the results of this exercise.