China opens military colleges for drone and AI warfare

On September 30, 2026, China's PLA inaugurated new training institutions, including a College of Unmanned and Intelligent Engineering, to train personnel in drones, autonomous systems, robotics and AI. Two NCO colleges and a discipline inspection college in Xi'an were also announced.

• College of Unmanned and Intelligent Engineering joins the Army Engineering University
• Two new NCO colleges will cover combat and equipment support
• Goal is PLA modernization by 2035 and a 'world-class' force by mid-century
• Fourth institution in Xi'an will train staff to fight corruption