appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Liu Zhen

China unveiled some of its most advanced military technology, including robot dogs and an AI-enabled underwater system that can neutralise mines, at a defence expo.
Autonomous underwater vehicles designed to be launched by submarine were one of the most noteworthy products that featured at the 2026 Chengdu Defence Technology Industry Expo in mid-April.
The vessels, which can be launched from 260mm or 533mm torpedo tubes, are mainly designed to conduct high-precision deep-ocean surveys and seabed mapping, and the larger variant can travel to depths of up to 3,000 metres (9,800 feet).
They can also be fitted with specialised modules to detect and neutralise underwater targets, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
“It is essentially an autonomous underwater robot with its own ‘brain’, which does not need any external software support or human escorts … a smart underwater scout at the disposal of its mother submarine,” the report said.
Its design also allows operators to add extra battery power for long-range patrols or advanced sensors for deep-sea reconnaissance. In addition, it can carry weapon modules to eliminate threats such as mines.
The show also featured tactical robotic dogs or wolves, which have been widely used by the People’s Liberation Army.
Equipped with advanced domestically produced joint components that provide both agility and shock resistance, some of these robots can withstand impacts equivalent to five times their own body weight.
The report described how robotic wolves could “traverse complex terrain [and] also serve as a steady mobile weapons platform, standing firm against artillery recoil or blast shocks”.
The exhibition also featured some new logistical drones, including Avic’s fixed-wing HH-200 “aerial trucks”, which are capable of hauling 1.5 tonnes of cargo over long distances at a very low cost.
It also featured a heavy-duty multi-rotor drone, designed to maximise stability, that CCTV said could deliver up to 500kg (1,100lbs) of supplies and airdrop them to remote outposts or disaster zones.

The expo also showcased anti-drone technology, including an anti-swarm device with a detection range of 10km (6 miles) equipped with radar, electro-optical and electromagnetic sensors.
It featured portable electronic warfare devices, including handheld spoofing guns or backpacks that allow individual soldiers to hijack enemy drones by injecting fake control commands and forcing them to land at a designated location.
The report added that these soft-kill measures were part of a comprehensive air defence network.
Other notable products on display included an uncrewed cable-laying vehicle, specifically designed to establish communication lines on the battlefield, aiming to save human lives by taking over this dangerous job.
The expo also tried to highlight the “smart manufacturing” revolution in Chinese defence technology, such as AI-powered machines. The report said these could be used to handle dangerous materials such as munitions or deliver heavy equipment.


Has a Chinese DF missile been used for the first time in the Middle East?

China’s J-10CE has foreign buyers, but not yet a market

For China, H-6N bomber enhances nuclear deterrence and second-strike capability

Why PLA’s laser-equipped Type 19 vehicle could matter in a Taiwan conflict

China's military weapons

Underwater anti-mine technology and robot dogs take centre stage at Chinese defence show

Robot dogs were among the weapons on display. Photo: CCTV

The equipment on display included portable electronic warfare devices that allow soldiers to hijack enemy drones. Photo: CCTV

China unveils new naval defence systems as drones change nature of war at sea

Footage of the “finalisation test”  was broadcast on state television. Photo: CCTV

The PLA navy has been expanding its anti-drone defences. Photo: CCTV

Chinese J-35 stealth jets set to give Pakistan edge over India in fifth-generation tech

The J-35A fighter jet appears during a CCTV report on Shenyang Aircraft Corporation on May 1. Photo: CCTV

An export variant of the J-35A fighter jet appears on CCTV’s May 1 special programme. Photo: CCTV

PAF JF-17 fighter jets fly past Pakistan’s port city of Karachi during a multinational naval exercise on February 10, 2025. Photo: AFP

News

China

Military

The Chengdu Defence Technology Industry Expo showcases advanced equipment, including submarine-launched drones


The Chengdu Defence Technology Industry Expo showcases advanced equipment, including submarine-launched drones.


UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles)

AVIC

Underwater anti-mine technology and robot dogs take centre stage at Chinese defence show

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The Chengdu Defence Technology Industry Expo showcases advanced equipment, including submarine-launched drones

The Chengdu Defence Technology Industry Expo showcases advanced equipment, including submarine-launched drones