New rocket-powered ‘terminal evasion’ system allows for abrupt, algorithm-disrupting maneuvers seconds before impact
While the concept demonstrates significant promise in controlled environments, real-world implementation poses notable challenges. Synchronizing booster activation with flight controls demands precise thrust vectoring, and the integration of additional components introduces trade-offs in payload, fuel capacity, and overall flight stability.
Still, analysts say the innovation could shift the logic of swarm warfare. Upgrading individual drones from cheap throwaways into survivable strike platforms could allow the PLA to turn vulnerable swarms into formations capable of saturating sophisticated air defenses. The proposal underscores China’s growing emphasis on survivability and agility in unmanned systems as battlefield threats evolve.
Five years ago, China’s paramount leader Xi Jinping called on the People’s Liberation Army to “accelerate its drone warfare research and training.” After considerable effort to develop uncrewed systems (UxS) of all types to modernize its military force and fight the wars of the future, Beijing is closer to deploying them.
Statements from PRC leadership and PRC government reports from the last five years indicate the country’s intent to be a global leader in the military UAV domain. This is likely a top-down directive given by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), led by CCP general secretary and chairman of the Central Military Commission, Xi Jinping. Not long after his call for the PLA to “accelerate its drone warfare research and training,” the PRC National People’s Congress released its 14th Five-Year Plan, covering the years 2021 to 2025. It states that “future wars will be uncrewed and intelligent” and that the PRC must “steadily advance national defense and military construction” to meet this need.
- small, expendable drones and drone swarms offer key offensive and defensive asymmetric advantages that can complement larger, more expensive uncrewed combat vehicles and crewed systems.*
PRC writings from the last five years assess that after a late start in drone swarm development, China is catching up to—or even surpassing—the US in drone swarm technology.
*In the summer of 2025 alone, the PLA tested—and apparently fielded—some of the more advanced UxS anywhere, including drone swarm technology for UAV and uncrewed surface vessels (USV). *
Whether or not these new UxS are actually ready for initial deployment and use in missions is still very much up for debate. The PLA’s ability to adopt the newest technologies into their force that is untested in modern warfare—and whether they can afford them at scale—is also very much speculative. What is certain, however, is that observers in China and the PLA are fastidiously watching the shifting winds in military force design and taking steps now to prepare China to fight the wars of the future. If they are successful, and if the US joint force were to act to protect Taiwan in an attempted military takeover by the PRC, US and allied forces could face several advanced PLA UxS, including ISR, strike, and autonomous drone swarms.
In the past the China leadership emphasized EV development. And China is closing in to dominating that world market space.
Now the China leadership is pushing for the Development of Swarm Drone Warfare.
If successful Chinese drones and anti-ship missiles and hypersonic missiles[1] could keep the US Navy from supporting Taiwan in their defense of their island.
And China could pummel Taiwan across the 80 mile strait to bring Taiwan to its knees without a massive invasion.
China plus the long game. Once Swarm Drone Swarm Warfare is perfected and added to their anti-ship & hypersonic missile arsenal; they can proceed to resolve the Taiwan issue at their leisure.
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