AI-powered medical train debuts at China-Laos joint humanitarian rescue exercise
An unmanned ground vehicle operates on a muddy road. (Photo: China Military Bugle)
A medical train equipped for the first time with a domestically developed casualty reception command and decision-support system that deeply integrates large AI models throughout the entire treatment process was used in the China-Laos "Peace Train-2026" joint humanitarian medical rescue exercise in Vientiane, Laos, according to China's Ministry of National Defense (MOD).
A scene in which search-and-rescue drones took to the air for wide-area reconnaissance, tracked unmanned vehicles moved in to evacuate the injured, and medical teams carried out rapid triage in field tents before transferring seriously injured patients to a medical train unfolded on Saturday in Vientiane, Laos, as the China-Laos medical rescue exercise entered its full-process drill phase, simulating a coordinated emergency response under conditions designed to closely resemble a real disaster, the MOD said on its WeChat account on Sunday.
"A large number of casualties have been found in the area. Chinese and Lao medical units should immediately proceed to the disaster site for search-and-rescue operations and prepare to receive the injured," the joint command center ordered.
Fu Lei, a member of the Chinese exercise team, monitored the command screen as information from the simulated disaster zone was transmitted in real time.
A joint search-and-rescue team equipped with drones, robotic dogs and other unmanned systems was dispatched to the scene. Tu Long, a team member, used data transmitted by the unmanned equipment to pinpoint the locations of casualties before a joint Chinese-Lao rescue team moved in.
"Twenty casualties have been found, including one in critical condition," the team reported.
The search-and-rescue and medical teams then worked together to evacuate the casualties, combining unmanned transport vehicles with field ambulances and casualty transport vehicles.
Xu Wen, a medical service staff officer, and other team members checked transfer forms, registered casualty information and monitored vital signs before conducting rapid triage based on the severity of injuries and arranging further evacuation.
The system provides intelligent recommendations for command and coordination, casualty triage and treatment planning, enabling end-to-end information management from casualty admission to medical treatment.
Inside a field medical tent, Chinese and Lao medical personnel formed a joint team to provide emergency treatment to a critically injured patient who had been trapped under rubble for 26 hours. Other casualties, after receiving initial stabilization treatment, were transferred in an orderly manner to a medical train for further care.
For the first time, the medical train used a domestically developed casualty reception command and decision-support system that integrates large AI models throughout the treatment process. The system provides intelligent recommendations for command and coordination, triage and treatment planning, while enabling end-to-end information management from casualty admission to medical treatment.
Compared with traditional rescue systems, AI can significantly improve the speed and accuracy of large-scale disaster response and battlefield medical rescue while rapidly generating targeted rescue plans, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times.
"In both battlefield and non-combat emergency operations, speed is critical," the expert said. "Accurately assessing the situation, including the location and condition of casualties and the scale of a disaster, is essential for quickly developing an appropriate response plan."
AI system can process complex information and provide rapid, precise recommendations that may be difficult to achieve through human assessment alone, making the technology particularly valuable for disaster relief and emergency rescue operations in the field, Song noted.
The China-Laos medical rescue exercise kicked off on September 7 in Vientiane. This marks the sixth edition of the joint exercise series between the two militaries since 2017, the China Military Bugle reported.
The exercise is focuses on disaster-site search and rescue, mass casualty treatment and psychological intervention. Additionally, it aims to explore operational models for cross-border joint medical rescue and further enhance the medical support coordination and emergency response capabilities of the two militaries, according to He Zhen, chief director of the Chinese exercise directorate.