- Chinese training footage shows a PLA infantry soldier equipped with a Type 191 rifle, 09 shotgun, rocket launcher, and quadcopter drone, reflecting expanded multi-weapon loadouts.
- Chinese media report that the configuration supports counter-UAS, anti-armor, and reconnaissance roles as the PLA increases drone integration at the squad level.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) deployed a multi-weapon infantry configuration during recent training, as a widely circulated early-January photograph shows a PLA soldier carrying a Type 191 rifle, a 09 shotgun, a shoulder-mounted rocket launcher, and a quadcopter drone — a loadout that online users labeled a “Chinese super soldier.”
Chinese outlet Observer Network reported that the image originated from an article published by the “Junwu Ciweimian” official account, noting that the combination of weapons drew strong reactions online.
According to the report, users commented that the soldier looked like “a player who charged extra resources” and joked that he was covering “long-range, close-range, air defense, anti-tank, and reconnaissance alone.”
The report said this configuration remains uncommon inside the PLA. Historically, Chinese infantry were typically equipped with a primary rifle and, in some cases, a rocket launcher. “More than ten years ago, many military enthusiasts were still asking why infantry were not issued pistols,” Observer Network noted in its summary of the commentary. The article added that such extensive weapon loads are rare even in online games.
The Junwu Ciweimian article cited by Observer Network explained that standard ammunition loads for modern infantry range from 150 to 210 rounds, usually sufficient for single-fire engagements. However, soldiers in recent conflicts — including Afghanistan, Iraq, and the war in Ukraine — often carried more than 300 rounds to handle complex battlefield conditions.
The article said that carrying two firearms already places weight pressure on infantry due to modern accessories such as optics, suppressors, and foregrips. Additional ammunition further increases the burden during movement and combat.
According to the report, recent changes in the PLA’s combined-arms brigades have expanded the use of diverse weapon combinations. Shotguns, once added only to support close-quarters roles, are now used in counter-drone missions. The 09 shotgun, the report said, is specifically valued because it can be loaded with loose rounds without separate magazines and features a collapsible stock, making it practical as a secondary weapon.
The Junwu Ciweimian piece also recounted earlier PLA efforts to test anti-drone guns and net-launchers, which were delivered to units for evaluation. Lessons from the Russia–Ukraine war were cited as showing that these systems delivered limited performance compared to the flexibility of shotgun-based counter-UAS tactics.
Beyond counter-UAS roles, the PLA is expanding drone integration within infantry units. According to the report, distributing quadcopter drones at the squad level has become common practice, reflecting the PLA’s adaptation to modern reconnaissance and targeting demands.