The Chinese Air Force's multinational and intercontinental exercises attract attention; experts say: enhancing various practical combat capabilities, showcasing China's responsible great power role.

【Global Times Report by reporters Liang Rui, Ma Jun, Li Yu】Since August, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has consecutively conducted bilateral exercises with multiple countries, including the "Shen Ying-2026" airborne joint training with Belarus, the "Eagle Strike-2026" air force joint training with Thailand, the "Civilization Eagle-2026" air force joint training with Egypt, and the "Falcon Shield-2026" air force joint training with the United Arab Emirates. Several Chinese military experts interviewed by Global Times reporters stated that these exercises not only enhance the PLA's combat capabilities from various dimensions but also demonstrate China's military responsibility as a major power, contributing just forces to world peace.

Demonstrating Intercontinental Projection Capability

In the early hours of August 21, Beijing time, various types of aircraft and participating personnel from the Chinese Air Force arrived at a certain base of the Egyptian Air Force after an intercontinental flight to participate in the "Civilization Eagle-2026" air force joint training. The Chinese Air Force dispatched a systematic array of aircraft, including fighter jets, refueling aircraft, special mission aircraft, and helicopters. It was reported that during the transit, the refueling aircraft not only undertook air refueling tasks but also served as an airborne command node. On the way to Egypt, the Chinese Air Force's Y-20 tanker aircraft provided air refueling for the J-16 fighter jets.

Military expert Song Zhongping told Global Times reporters that this year marks the second joint training between the air forces of China and Egypt. Last year, the main fighter aircraft participating from the Chinese Air Force was the J-10C, while this year the J-16 was dispatched, indicating that the Chinese Air Force is systematically planning to send different models of main fighter jets abroad. The J-16 is a heavy multi-role fighter, and its participation signifies that both sides can further enrich the training subjects.

According to CCTV reports, the Chinese Air Force formation traveled over 6,000 kilometers and flew for nearly 9 hours to reach Egypt, during which the Y-20 conducted multiple rounds of air refueling for the J-16 fighter jets. This not only tested the J-16's own long-range endurance capabilities but also assessed the support capabilities of the Y-20—both aircraft types formed overseas collaborative support through actual training, which has practical combat significance. For the J-16, this long-distance flight is a rare test, accumulating valuable experience for future deployments over even greater distances.

Song Zhongping also believes that the continuous participation in training in Africa for two consecutive years indicates that the Chinese Air Force's intercontinental training is transitioning from capability verification to normalization. In the future, the Chinese Air Force needs to frequently go abroad to strengthen exchanges with more friendly countries. The Egyptian Air Force has unique combat experience, and the Chinese Air Force's exercises in unfamiliar airspace will also help accumulate combat experience in different climatic environments.

Recent Exercises Each with Their Focus

Prior to this, the "Shen Ying-2026" airborne joint training between China and Belarus officially began on August 12 and is scheduled to last until August 24. Chinese military expert Wang Yanan told Global Times reporters that this exercise focuses on joint urban counter-terrorism operations, mainly conducting reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance, seizing and defending control, and clearing and holding exercises, aimed at improving joint counter-terrorism operational capabilities. The Belarusian side may adopt practices from the Soviet military era, emphasizing low-altitude small-scale parachuting techniques. Wang Yanan believes that this joint training is not a one-way learning process but rather a process for both sides to establish a cooperative foundation in the field of counter-terrorism and become familiar with each other's operational habits.

The China-Thailand "Eagle Strike-2026" air force joint training successfully concluded on August 20 at the Udon base of the Royal Thai Air Force. In this joint exercise, the Chinese side dispatched various types of aircraft, including fighter jets, fighter-bombers, early warning aircraft, and refueling aircraft, as well as ground-based air defense equipment. The video shows the Chinese Y-20, J-10C, and J-10S, while the Thai side had models such as the "Gripen" and "Alpha Jet."

Wang Yanan stated that from the participating aircraft types, the J-10C is one of the main equipment of the Chinese Air Force, and its reappearance abroad reflects its mature and reliable combat capabilities; the Y-20 undertakes large transport tasks, ensuring the long-range delivery of air defense equipment, aviation materials, and technical forces. The combination of fighter jets, early warning aircraft, refueling aircraft, and large transport aircraft forms a complete system for small-scale long-range deployment and combat verification. Wang Yanan introduced that in terms of exercise subjects, joint air defense has practical significance in the current international situation. Humanitarian rescue is a conventional subject that the Chinese military has long participated in, with considerable experience. This joint exercise not only tested long-range delivery and deployment capabilities but also reflected the pragmatic cooperation between China and Thailand in the defense field.

Additionally, from late August to mid-September, China and the United Arab Emirates will hold the "Falcon Shield-2026" air force joint training in Hotan, Xinjiang, where the two air forces will conduct command simulations, flight training, and mixed-force exercises. This is the fourth time the air forces of China and the UAE have held this series of joint training, aimed at enhancing the technical and tactical levels of the participating troops and deepening the traditional friendship and pragmatic cooperation between the two militaries.

Contributing Just Forces to World Peace

Wang Yanan stated that the significance of the PLA's joint training with foreign militaries mainly lies in two aspects: first, laying the foundation for possible future joint actions—familiarity with each other is essential for effective cooperation on counter-terrorism and major international security issues; second, joint training itself helps enhance regional stability, reaching consensus with friendly countries on security issues, and normalizing military cooperation, which has a safeguarding effect on regional security. Overall, the PLA is continuously enhancing the level of international joint training, constructing a more open and flexible military cooperation framework.

Regarding the PLA's increasing participation in overseas joint training, Song Zhongping believes that this represents the continuous improvement of the Chinese Air Force's long-range projection, air refueling, and rapid overseas deployment capabilities. At the same time, the Chinese Air Force is also accumulating various capabilities in conventional operations and non-traditional security fields (such as counter-terrorism, anti-piracy, humanitarian rescue, disaster prevention, and reduction). Going abroad is not only to safeguard its own development interests but also to demonstrate China's responsibility as a major power, contributing just forces to world peace.