According to PLA assessment, why is static defense considered obsolete?

• A. Because modern offense uses rapid thrusts targeting weak points from unexpected directions
• B. Because static defenses are too costly
• C. Because they rely on cyber operations
• D. Because they require more manpower

Answer: (D)

Static defense is seen as obsolete because fixed fortifications demand large manpower to hold, supply, and man those positions. In modern warfare, the emphasis is on speed, mobility, and surprise across multiple domains. When you rely on stationary, labor-intensive defenses, your forces become predictable targets and slow to react to threats that can strike from unexpected directions or bypass strongpoints entirely. Reducing the need for large body counts to sustain a defense allows for dispersed, flexible formations that can maneuver, counterattack, and integrate with other arms more effectively. So the key point is that the manpower burden of fixed defenses makes them cumbersome and vulnerable in contemporary operations, which is why they’re viewed as obsolete. While rapid offensive actions and other factors like cost or cyber capabilities influence planning, the defining issue driving the obsolescence assessment is the heavy manpower requirement.