China's air force has incorporated mid-air refueling into its pilot training program as part of their advancements. People's Liberation Army attempts to enhance combat preparedness and extend its reach capabilities.
The maneuver was featured in a report aired by China’s national television network, CCTV, on Friday. The broadcast included clips from a Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) training film showing educators from the PLA Air Force’s Shijiazhuang Flight College operating two J-10 combat aircraft during a mid-air refueling exercise. This operation was assisted by a YU-20 aerial refueler.
The J-10 Considered as China's response to the U.S.-made F-16, this aircraft comes with a dual-seater version designed for sophisticated fighter and attack helicopter training. Additionally, the J-10CE model was utilized by Pakistan to outmaneuver French-built Rafales during engagements. combat with India's military close to the contested Kashmir area last month.
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As per the CCTV report, the academy intends to gradually extend fueling training. The objective is to enhance overall combat preparedness and ensure pilots are well-equipped to meet operational needs and battlefield challenges.
Song Zhongping, a previous PLA instructor, stated that this represented an important move for the air force as it aimed to develop genuine combat abilities right from the initial phase of a pilot's training.
As previously restricted to seasoned operational units, this training is now shifting towards pilot education," Song explained. "This shift paves the way for developing a strategic air force capable of operating globally.
He stated that the program would assist pilots in cultivating "an extended operational perspective from the beginning of their careers."
This will decrease the time gap from graduation to combat readiness, substantially enhancing the military’s capacity to swiftly generate a ready-to-fight cadre of personnel.
Aerial refueling is an essential capability for combat pilots as it enhances their flight duration and operational reach. This technique holds strategic significance for coordinated missions because it supports extended influence and force deployment over great distances.
The refueling procedure consists of four stages: rendezvous, contact, fuel transfer, and separation. It requires meticulous coordination and stringent safety protocols, particularly for aircraft carrying armaments.
The head coach at the Shijiazhuang Academy, Yu Hongliang, informed CCTV that incorporating aerial refueling into pilot training was formerly unachievable due to limitations with their simulators.
"The growing maturity of third-generation fighter instruction within [PLA] academies has now made it possible to incorporate high-difficulty scenarios in close coordination with frontline units," he added.
Yu mentioned that the training replicated real-life operational scenarios and employed innovative instructional techniques that enhanced the learning experience.
The YU-20 featured in the training video marks the debut of China’s first domestically produced big air refueling tanker. This aircraft employs a hose equipped with a conical basket referred to as a drogue; this apparatus allows the receiving plane to connect during flight for fuel transfer. The YU-20 has the capability to deliver up to 100 tons of fuel per mission. The tanker was part of the initial combined Air Force exercise between China and Egypt held at an Egyptian airbase during April and May - marking China's largest mobilization for a joint operation in Africa.
The training route for PLA pilots typically involved progressing through basic, intermediate, and advanced trainer jets such as the JL-8, JL-9, and JL-10 prior to advancing to combat aircraft training with operational units or specialized bases.
However, pilot training has become more efficient due to the extensive utilization of simulators, cutting down the program by approximately one year, as stated in a report released towards the end of last year from the China Aerospace Studies Institute, which operates under the U.S. Department of the Air Force.
It was mentioned that it typically took around four years to advance from fundamental aviation abilities to front-line duty within the PLA structure, whereas the U.S. Air Force accomplished this in roughly half the time at two years.
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The article initially appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), which is the premier source for news coverage of China and Asia.
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