NEWS AND ANALYSIS:
China’s military is advancing the development of high-technology arms, including sound weapons to wage cognitive warfare — the use of unconventional tools and capabilities to alter enemy thinking and decision-making, according to a new open-source intelligence report.
The People’s Liberation Army is building sound weapons and other nonlethal arms that can incapacitate enemy forces by disrupting the neurological functions of human targets without causing visible injury, warns the report by the CCP BioThreats Initiative, a think tank of former intelligence and military experts.
The report, “The Evolution of Cognitive Warfare: NeuroStrike Capabilities and the Strategic Role of Infrasound Weapons,” is the third study by the initiative covering what are being called Chinese “neurostrike” weapons.
“Infrasound and cognitive weapons represent a significant leap in the evolution of modern warfare, introducing a new set of capabilities designed to target the mind and body in ways that are difficult to detect and defend against,” the report said. “As the [Chinese Communist Party] and PLA and other military forces continue to incorporate these technologies into their arsenals, the U.S. and its allies must remain vigilant and proactive in developing countermeasures.”
Modern warfare is rapidly evolving beyond physical combat through these weapons capable of disrupting brain and body functions with sound. A review of Chinese military writings revealed the military has developed two types of sophisticated sound technologies: “neurotype” sound weapons that affect brain activity and “organotype” models that can damage internal organs through various frequencies, the report stated.
“These weapons, which operate at frequencies undetectable by the human ear, have the capability to cause both neurological and physiological disruption, making them an essential tool in [China’s] arsenal for incapacitating adversaries without inflicting overt physical harm,” the report said.
The weapons offer strategic advantages in waging asymmetric warfare with minimal physical evidence.
China’s military is using phased-array technologies that allow precision targeting of sonic weapons. The technologies can operate at maximum efficiency with minimal collateral damage, the report said.
China’s sound weapons are also used with other nonkinetic means, including data-driven algorithms on social media platforms that seek psychological manipulation to shape human decision-making and perceptions.
Chinese military neurostrike weapons, however, are designed to directly target individuals rather than employ methods that rely on other media for impact.
“Neurostrike employs advanced non-lethal directed energy and infrasound weapons to incapacitate individuals physically and cognitively,” the report said.
The sound weapons can disrupt internal brain frequencies and internal organs, resulting in cognitive dysfunction, disorientation and physical harm. Chinese military research on sound weapons revealed in writings that the arms are capable of disrupting the brain’s alpha rhythm using frequencies detected in cognitive functions.
The weapons can induce confusion, emotional distress and a loss of consciousness, according to two Chinese military researchers who wrote a 2024 report, and can directly impair cognitive abilities vital in warfare.
Sound weapons designed to affect organs affect human tissue using frequencies ranging from 3 hertz to 17 hertz, causing a range of physical effects from nausea and dizziness to, in extreme cases, organ damage.
The report includes a photo of a Chinese high-powered infrasound generator used in underwater operations against military divers.
“Infrasound generators, when integrated with power sources and control systems, form the backbone of non-lethal weapons designed to incapacitate personnel without causing permanent damage,” the report said. “However, significant advances in the ability to focus and amplify infrasound waves, such as those achieved through the infrasound phased array systems, have expanded the range and effectiveness of these weapons in modern warfare.”
The report urges the U.S. government to take steps to deal with the growing threat posed by infrasound and cognitive warfare technologies, arguing that the military should invest in counter-sound weapon technology that can detect, block and neutralize infrasound waves.
Work with U.S. allies and partners in countering the weaponry should also be launched. Sound weapons and other cognitive warfare means also should be included in international arms control negotiations.
The report was written by L.J. Eads, Ryan Clarke and Xiaouxu Sean Lin, experts with military and intelligence experience.
Senator’s campaign ad calls for ‘breaking China’
Sen. Marsha Blackburn is not being coy: The Tennessee Republican, running for reelection in November, has a new campaign ad out saying it’s time for the U.S. to start “breaking China.”
Ms. Blackburn states in the ad that China “stole our jobs, sent us a virus” and is guilty of spying on the United States and buying up American land. The ad shows the senator smashing dinner plates emblazoned with a portion of the Chinese flag.
The ad reflects the growing political sentiment in Congress and elsewhere for tougher policies aimed at countering Beijing’s activities in the United States and abroad.
The incumbent Ms. Blackburn holds a 23-point lead over her Democratic challenger, state Rep. Gloria Johnson, according to a poll published this week by The Tennessean.
Air Force urged to adopt new strategy to counter China
The United States is no longer unmatched in military and economic power as China has built up its capabilities and the Air Force needs to reform its military priorities as a result, according to a report by an Air Force think tank.
“Under the guise of a quiet countenance, China has been systematically working towards closing the power gap by enhancing its regional military capabilities, economic influence and international standing,” the report said. “This shift has led China to challenge U.S. dominance both regionally and globally in an effort to alter the existing rules-based order.”
China is challenging U.S. power through regional and international “order-building efforts,” using both hard power and soft power.
Beijing wants to shift the global balance of power in its favor and as a result the United States needs to alter military strategies and technologies to maintain its decisive role in the world and counter China’s growing capabilities, especially in the Indo-Pacific region, the report said.
For the Air Force, that shift means greater innovation and an increased focus on building long-range range military capabilities are needed, the report’s authors argue. Air Force weapons and systems should move away from expensive fighter aircraft to more survivable high-technology weapons and inexpensive “attritable platforms” that can be lost in battle without severely affecting Air Force power.
For the short term, China is working to expel the United States from the Indo-Pacific region and develop global power projection capabilities. Thus, new Air Force weapons should be cheap, easily replaced and asymmetric, such as low-cost drones and supersonic cruise missiles that can penetrate China’s defenses.
China’s network-centric warfare should also be targeted by Air Force systems that can disrupt sensor grids on land, sea, air and space.
Air Force bases in the region, especially in Japan, are vulnerable to Chinese missiles, drones and hypersonic weapons, highlighting the need for better base defenses, the report said.
The 72-page report, “Charting the Course: How the PLA’s Expected Regional and Global Strategies Should Influence the U.S. Air Force’s Lines of Efforts,” was written by Air Force Maj. Joshua Campbell. It was published by the Air Force’s China Aerospace Studies Institute.
• Contact Bill Gertz on X @BillGertz.
• Bill Gertz can be reached at bgertz@washingtontimes.com.
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