China ‘blue force’ shooting at US in a naval metaverse

China is rapidly developing a high-tech “blue force” to simulate US adversaries in combat training, leveraging cutting-edge virtual technologies to sharpen its naval prowess and challenge US dominance in the Pacific.

This month, the US Naval War College published a report on China’s People’s Liberation Army-Navy’s (PLAN) development of a “blue force” for more realistic combat training.

The report says China has been advancing the virtual initiative since the mid-2010s to enhance its naval combat readiness, emulating the operational strategies of Western militaries.

The US Naval War College report reveals that PLAN’s blue force combines manned and unmanned systems, heavily emphasizing virtual simulations and electronic warfare capabilities. It says a synthetic opposition force (OPFOR) simulates potential real-world adversaries, including the US Navy.

Under President Xi Jinping’s directive for more realistic military training, PLAN’s blue force has become increasingly sophisticated in recent years, integrating uncrewed vehicles, simulated electromagnetic environments and advanced training systems, according to the US Naval War College report.

It notes that the PLAN’s blue force was initially makeshift and unprepared, but advancements in virtual technologies and training integration have enhanced the realism and effectiveness of the exercises.

The report says that by building a capable and realistic blue force, PLAN will be able to train more effectively against the US and its allies, improve its combat readiness and potentially undermine the US’ naval dominance and deterrence in the region.

China has been integrating various cutting-edge virtual technologies to simulate realistic combat environments, positioning the PLA to