Software pioneer helps build defense shields with dedication

The past two years have marked an obvious acceleration in the technological upgrading and equipment modernization of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, which has a growing array of world-class, domestically built weapon systems, many of which were publicly displayed during the magnificent military parade last September and subsequent interservice combat exercises.

Among the systems made public are the DF-17 hypersonic missile, which maneuvers at extreme speeds to penetrate missile defense layers; the J-35, China's first carrier-borne stealth fighter, which has been deployed aboard the CNS Fujian — the country's third aircraft carrier and its first with a domestically developed electromagnetic launch and recovery system; and the JL-1 air-launched long-range ballistic missile that has equipped the PLA Air Force with a reliable, powerful capability to execute a nuclear counterstrike.

Last year's parade also featured a dedicated unmanned combat formation, including loyal wingman drones that form a core part of the PLA's next-generation air combat plan, and ground-fighting robots that promise round-the-clock mobility and reduced human casualties. While some next-generation programs, such as the widely speculated sixth-generation fighter jet models, remain unannounced, their expected development underscores sustained investment in frontier defense technologies.

Such hardware advances cannot be separated from the people inventing them. At the core of China's tech-empowerment strategy is a years-long push to nurture high-caliber research talent, embodied by Senior Colonel Wang Ji, a National University of Defense Technology scientist who has just been given a top national honorary title.

Specializing in high-confidence software verification — a technology critical to the operational reliability of military hardware and space systems — Wang has dedicated his career to building an independent domestic platform in this once-overlooked domain.

High-confidence software serves as an invisible safety backbone for sophisticated military equipment. Using mathematical verification methods, it identifies hidden logical vulnerabilities deep within core operating code that standard testing is unable to detect — flaws that could derail missions in stealth fighters, missile systems or aircraft carrier command networks.

Breaking through numerous technical obstacles, Wang and his team developed a full-stack, self-reliant verification framework now deployed across dozens of major defense and space programs. His work has become a cornerstone of quality assurance for China's new-generation weaponry, directly supporting the rapid operational rollout of new platforms.

Equally vital is his role in talent cultivation: he has built a vibrant youth-led research team, with many early-career scholars leading key project tasks, creating a sustainable pipeline of expertise for future innovation in defense technology.

Wang's story is representative of a broader trend. As China deepens its technology-driven military transformation, improved incentive mechanisms and research platforms are drawing more top professionals to defense technology research, ensuring military modernization advances in lockstep with economic growth.

— ZHAO LEI, CHINA DAILY