The entire "Kunpeng" series makes a collective appearance, showcasing the Air Force's strategic transformation, viewing China's "Yun" leapfrog growth from the promotional video.

[Global Times Report, Reporter Guo Yuandan] On June 28, the Chinese Air Force launched a themed online promotional video titled "What is the Y-20," featuring the Y-20A, Y-20B, and YU-20A, showcasing the spirit and mission of the "Iron Wing Kunpeng" team in achieving victory in air and space, vividly demonstrating the strategic transformation of the People's Air Force and its progress towards becoming a first-class force. Several experts interviewed by the Global Times summarized many highlights from the promotional video.

The development of the Y-20 has already "surpassed expectations"

On July 6, 2016, the first Y-20 transport aircraft was commissioned into the troops. Since then, the Y-20 family has continuously expanded, with the Y-20A, Y-20B, and others being successively commissioned, evolving from a single strategic transport aircraft to a versatile large aerial platform that integrates long-range delivery and aerial refueling; its flight paths have become increasingly distant, appearing not only in training grounds, parades, and airshows but also repeatedly venturing abroad, continuously expanding the People's Air Force's capabilities for operations in distant seas and oceanic escort missions.

The themed promotional video showcases the "Kunpeng" family's journey in strengthening the nation and military from multiple angles, leaving a deep impression on the outside world. Military expert Zhang Xuefeng told Global Times reporters on the 29th that the Y-20A, Y-20B, and YU-20A all made appearances in the video, with the large fleet appearing majestic and arrayed across the sky. "From the continuously growing family members of the Y-20, one can truly feel the pulse of our country's technological self-reliance and the development of the People's Army."

Reporters from Global Times who have been tracking the Y-20 recall that years ago, there were only a handful of Y-20s visible in media coverage, but now the airport is filled to capacity, with netizens exclaiming, "It's particularly wealthy."

"Some netizens say that this scale has surpassed expectations, but for our industrial sector and our researchers, there are no exceeded expectations. We no longer need to tackle exceeded expectations; we can even set the outline now," Zhang Xuefeng responded, indicating that the current large-scale mass production of the Y-20 series, in terms of size, technological advancement, and construction scale, far exceeds the developmental limits imagined by the public a decade ago.

"A whole array of external attachments," the Y-20's multiplier effect is strong

In the promotional video, the YU-20A can be described as having "a whole array of external attachments," with impressive scenes of aerial refueling from various types of fighter jets to bombers. The aerial refueling capability greatly expands the operational radius of combat aircraft, supporting air combat forces to venture beyond the island chain, into distant seas, and towards remote regions, making the YU-20A a true strategic capability multiplier. Moreover, the Y-20 has achieved the ability to "carry everything," realizing a systemic leap in the combat capabilities of the People's Army. The video metaphorically illustrates the Y-20's delivery capabilities: the Y-20 continuously expands its operations, opening up a major aerial artery for the mobility of forces across land, sea, and air among multiple military branches...

In this regard, Zhang Xuefeng explained that the Y-20 can deliver various main battle equipment, benefiting from its outstanding payload specifications and the wide, optimized cargo hold configuration. These advantages allow the Y-20 series to "carry a wider range of equipment types, with significantly superior delivery adaptability."

Additionally, the YU-20A, derived from the Y-20, can simultaneously refuel multiple aircraft, showcasing its "whole array of external attachments" support capability. Zhang Xuefeng stated, "The core of this capability benefits from the inherent advantages of the hose refueling system, which can provide aerial refueling for all domestic military aircraft equipped with hose refueling devices, with outstanding refueling scale and operational efficiency, and the system's versatility is extremely strong, also adaptable to foreign military aircraft that use hose refueling designs worldwide."

Building the "strongest brain," transitioning to a smart air force

The promotional video shows that over 70 years ago, Chinese Air Force pilots flew over the world's roof under extreme conditions without reliable meteorological and navigation data, high-altitude flight experience, or alternate landing sites, opening up the Kangzang route; now, with hundreds of aircraft and thousands of miles of flight distance, AI planning requires just one click, and the crew can "pack and go." This significant change allows one to intuitively feel the distinct mark of the People's Air Force's technology-intensive, digitally empowered, and transformative development.

Military expert Song Zhongping told Global Times reporters on the 29th that the fully autonomous platform has reserved ample long-term improvement potential for the Y-20 series. The entire set of equipment, power, and software is under the control of the domestic research and manufacturing system, and subsequent iterations and upgrades regarding range, payload, and special modifications are completely self-controlled, which is crucial for the long-term construction of China's strategic airlift capabilities.

In Song Zhongping's view, the upgrade from the Y-20A to the Y-20B represents a key leap in technological iteration for the Y-20 series. The Y-20B, equipped with domestically produced engines, has begun mass production and commissioning into the troops, marking that China has truly achieved a fully domestically produced large strategic transport aircraft. The development of the Y-20, from originally importing foreign models to self-reliance and independent development, is a milestone in the development of Chinese transport aircraft.