From Human Recognition to Integrated Radar Vision: Experience Smart Border Defense at "Dongji Outpost"

As the Spring Festival approaches, many people are already on their way home. However, there are also many who must remain at their posts during the holiday, including the People's Armed Forces.

At the easternmost point of the country's land territory, the "Eastern Extreme Outpost" is experiencing the changes brought about by "technological border defense."

Heixiazi Island is a plain marsh wetland, and many locations are inaccessible by foot or vehicle. Now, the video surveillance coverage has reached 100%, and with the addition of drones for close reconnaissance and a rapid response team for emergency deployment, the efficiency of detecting and handling border situations has significantly improved.

This drone workspace, less than 8 square meters, may be small, but it is fully equipped. In addition to various tools, there is also a 3D printer.

The outpost personnel introduced that they can now print some frames and blueprints drawn on the computer using the 3D printer.

This waterproof aircraft is named "Shanhe No. 1." This aircraft can fly in adverse weather conditions and can also land on water.

This drone, named "Eye of the Sky," flies very high. It can conduct reconnaissance, hover, and carry remote control and image transmission systems. "Eye of the Sky" can also carry fiber optics, as the complex environment along the border may have some interference. By using fiber optics for wired transmission, its anti-jamming capability has been greatly enhanced.

In extreme cold weather, battling wind and snow, and responding to various emergencies remain essential tasks for every "Eastern Extreme Guardian." With the continuous improvement of border defense conditions, the enthusiasm of the personnel has increased, and their determination to achieve results has strengthened. The unit has ranked first among border defense units in competitions for five consecutive years and has been awarded collective second-class merit twice.

Radar-Optical Integration: Efficient Combination of Wide-Area Detection and Precise Identification

The Eastern Extreme Outpost has adopted a radar-optical integration platform, which combines radar and video. What makes this integrated platform powerful?

Military observer Wei Dongxu explains that the greatest advantage of high-tech border defense is the ability to see far and accurately, and it operates in all weather conditions, allowing for timely and effective understanding of various situations. The current high-tech outposts are equipped with many advanced intelligent sensors at their peak. The so-called radar-optical integration refers to having both visual reconnaissance systems and radar scanning equipment.

The radar system has a wide operational range. Once a situation arises, the radar can generally determine the direction and area where a target is active. Advanced optical and infrared sensors can accurately identify targets and clarify what the target actually is. During duty, the outpost soldiers can see their surroundings as if they have "thousand-mile eyes," allowing them to see further and more accurately. Regardless of the weather conditions, they can accurately identify targets, which sometimes may be wild animals active in the surrounding area.

Previously, without an accurate target identification system, soldiers had to identify targets nearby, requiring personnel to reach the relevant task area. Now, the situation is different. Once the radar system detects activity in a relevant area, they can use more advanced optical and night vision equipment to clearly identify the target's identity.

Now, there may be new situations, such as drones flying around. At this time, traditional sensing equipment may not be able to effectively identify and provide early warning. However, some advanced radars are specifically designed for low, slow, small aerial targets, enabling precise identification. Thus, both ground targets and low-altitude targets can be accurately perceived and effectively addressed.

Cutting-Edge Technology Supports Equipment Upgrades

Not only have the border defense equipment been upgraded, but the technological literacy of the outpost personnel is also quite good, allowing them to assemble drones themselves, and the outpost is also equipped with a 3D printer.

Wei Dongxu stated that many border defense personnel are in a proactive learning mode, upgrading their equipment based on the tasks they perform.

For small reconnaissance drones or patrol drones, when subsystems or components wear out or get damaged during use, personnel can immediately use the 3D printing equipment to temporarily modify these components based on previously organized or pre-input data.

Technological Advancements: On-Site Patrols by Personnel Remain Essential

Although technology is continuously advancing and unmanned equipment has developed significantly, the personal patrols by personnel are still irreplaceable.

Wei Dongxu emphasized that sometimes presence is more important, and conducting patrols is also a very fine tradition. During patrols, personnel can gain a better understanding of border conditions, sometimes needing to document situations, and occasionally setting up some emergency scenarios for brief drills during the patrol process.