At China’s Victory Day parade in September 2025, it was not the marching troops or rolling tanks that made headlines, but the next-generation weapons systems on display. Uncrewed ground vehicles, underwater and aerial drones, and collaborative combat aircraft—autonomous jets that fly alongside piloted aircraft to aid missions—were presented as core components of China’s future fighting force. The exhibition of these systems sent a message about how the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) intends to l...