Facing challenges of high-tech WARFARE: PMA trains Cadets in AI, Drones, and Cyber Warfare

Baguio City – The Philippine Military Academy is now gearing future cadets toward artificial intelligence, drone technology, and cyber warfare as part of its intensified efforts to prepare military officers for modern-day security threats.

According to regional news reports, during the commencement exercises of the “Talang Dangal” Class of 2026 on May 16, Caesar Bernard Valencia announced that the academy began implementing an enhanced curriculum last year to equip cadets for a multi-threat, multi-domain, and highly technical battlefield environment.

Valencia emphasized that modern warfare now goes beyond traditional combat, warning that threats today also come from malware attacks, hostile drones, and manipulated narratives spread through technology.

“The challenges of modern warfare now extend beyond the traditional battlefield, and threats now emanate from malwares, hostile drones, and manipulated narratives,” Valencia said.

Valencia further revealed that the PMA Class of 2026 underwent micro-credential courses in Artificial Intelligence, data analytics, electronics, hybrid warfare, and advanced systems.

“They are not merely new subjects, but investments in readiness,” he added.

Meanwhile, the academy stressed that despite the rapid evolution of warfare through technology and digital threats, future officers will continue to be grounded in the PMA’s core values of courage, integrity, and loyalty as they prepare for the demands of modern national defense.