A total of 27 pla aircraft including two KJ-500 early warning aircraft, a Y-9
electronic warfare aircraft, 5 H-6 bombers, a Y-20 aerial refueling aircraft, six J-10 fighter jets, four J-11 fighter jets
and eight J-16 fighter jets entered the
island of taiwan's self-proclaimed
southwest air defense identification
zone on sunday, the island's defense
authority said in a press release.
Among them the two KJ-500 early warning
aircraft, the Y-9 electronic warfare
aircraft, the 5 H-6 bombers and the Y-20
aerial refueling aircraft escorted by
four J-10 fighter jets and two J-16
fighter jets, flew to the southeast side
of the island of taiwan, according to the
press release.
This is the first time a Y-20 aerial
refueling aircraft has been spotted in a PLA flyover near the island of taiwan. media on the island reported noting that
the Y-20 refueling aircraft apparently
carried out aerial refueling procedures
with the 2J16s. The PLA has not yet announced the
commissioning of this type of aircraft
but tang chang hong the chief designer
of the original Y-20 large transport
aircraft, said at the air show china 2021
that the Y-20 can be customized for
special tasks including an aerial tanker.
Fu Chian Chao a chinese mainland
military aviation expert told the Global Times on sunday that the aerial tanker
variant of the Y-20 has reportedly
conducted aerial refuelling tests above
sea recently. The Y-20 not only is an outstanding
strategic transport aircraft but also
can spawn many variants, Fuu said.
The aerial tanker is one of the most
important power amplifiers in modern
warfare, another military expert told the
global times on sunday requesting
anonymity. Such aircraft can give other airplanes
much longer range and endurance. Experts
said noting that aerial refuelling is
also faster and more efficient as planes
do not need to return to base land and
take off again.
The PLA previously had the Ilyushin II-78 and HU-6 aerial tankers in its Arsenal. However the Iiyushin ll-78 is imported and
limited in numbers while the HU-6
carries less fuel, observer said. Training in locations to the east of the
taiwan island is of significance as pla
fighter jets, particularly those with
shorter endurance like the J-10 can now
stay in the sky for the extended time
surrounding the island and expelling any
foreign interference if the situation
arises, an expert said.
In addition to the taiwan straits the Y-20 aerial refueling aircraft is
expected to support the PLA air force's
strategic development in numerous places
where the defense of national interests
is needed like the south china sea, analyst said.
The massive pla aerial drill on sunday
came the same day a lithuanian
parliamentarian delegation arrived on
the island and shortly after a u.s
congressional delegation visited the
island on friday. Similar exercises are routine and send a
clear warning to taiwan secessionists
and foreign interference forces that the PLA has the determination and capability
to gain air superiority and control of
the sea in all directions on the island
of taiwan, expert
said.
The PLA air force is now a strategic
force and taiwan secessionists can no
longer resist. Even from the east side of
the island's central mountains. The
expert said remarking that the
secessionists now have nowhere to hide.
The Y-20 large transport aircraft of the
chinese people's liberation army air
force recently delivered hundreds of
thousands of items of newly developed
cold resistant clothing and equipment
which were revealed only a few days ago
to chinese border defense troops
stationed in the plateau regions to
brave the winter amid the border
standoff with india.
The mission demonstrated the Y-20's
outstanding operational capability in
high-altitude airfields as the cargo
plane will help enhance the PLA's
logistics support capability in plateau
regions, experts said on sunday. They said that the aircraft can also
transport heavy equipment like tanks and
helicopters to the front lines in rapid
reaction operations when necessary.
