Chinese Army Invests in “Superweapons”

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The Chinese People Liberation Army (PLA) develops new super weapons that include smart grenade launchers, a pistol with changing fire trajectory, and a knife-gun. “Equipped with futuristic individual combat weapons like grenade-launching assault rifles, corner shot pistols and knife guns, the PLA special forces are aiming to build ‘super’ soldiers,” according to Global Times, one of China’s state-run media outlets.
According to the release, soldiers armed with the new weapons would be capable of fighting 10 enemy soldiers at once.
The PLA’s Xuefeng Special Operations Brigade tested the new weapons.
First up, the QTS-11 Individual Comprehensive Operation System, which “integrates the function of a rifle and a grenade launcher along with an advanced aiming module.”
“The QTS-11, dubbed a ‘strategic rifle’ by Chinese military observers despite being a tactical weapon, gained its nickname because it not only has multiple functions and provided the strongest individual firepower in the world, but is also highly digitalized with sensors, a positioning system and a data sharing system, making it a cut above other tactical weapons.”
Global Times compared the QTS-11 to the U.S. Army’s own XM29 Objective Individual Combat Weapon, a combination rifle and grenade launcher that the Americans tested, then discarded, in the early 2000s, according to nationalinterest.org.
The Chinese special forces troops also toyed with a combination gun and knife. “A knife-gun hides bullets inside what seems to be a knife, which can be fired in close-quarters combat.”
“As to historical examples, there are definitely many combination weapons including sword-pistols — a concept that was alive right into the 20th century, actually.”
“The Soviets were fans of the knife-pistol concept, despite these weapons being pretty redundant, really.”
The Chinese troops also showed off a hinging pistol that can fire around corners.
“The corner-shot pistol system can be used so that the muzzle points to a different direction across a wall, while the soldier aims the weapon behind the wall with the help of a monitor,” In dangerous urban warfare, the system allows the operator to accurately shoot targets without exposing himself to hostile attackers.”