Video | Experts Deeply Analyze the Aerial Technique "Serpentine Maneuver" of the Y-20A Transport Aircraft

2025 September 3rd Military Parade

Yunyou-20 and multiple fighter jets

Forming a refueling aircraft formation

The debut of the Yunyou-20A represents a profound "cross-border" transformation. It has transitioned from a strategic transport aircraft to a large refueling aircraft, actively reshaping the spatial and temporal boundaries of air combat with its powerful multi-point, multi-aircraft refueling capability.

The Yunyou-20A greatly extends the operational radius and significantly increases the loiter time of various aircraft types, including fighter jets, bombers, and early warning aircraft, making it an important asset in building a strategic air force.

Serpentine Maneuver

An important self-defense skill of the Yunyou-20A

For a large transport aircraft like the Yunyou-20A, performing a steep turn significantly reduces lift area, testing the aircraft's aerodynamic shape and power.

Although the Yunyou-20A is large, it is also a nimble "heavyweight"! The Yunyou-20A can create an "S" shaped flight path, like a serpent flying in the sky; this tactical maneuver is called the "serpentine maneuver"!

Air Force Officer Xue Bai: The main difficulty of the serpentine maneuver lies in the flight process, where the aircraft needs to suddenly change from a left bank of 45° to a right bank of 45°. This requires the pilot to have precise control over the pressure plate while also observing the ground. The serpentine maneuver allows the aircraft to quickly evade the attack envelope of portable air defense weapons, increasing battlefield survivability.

Yunyou-20A Adaptability

Compatible with all refuelable aircraft types in our country

Since its induction, the Yunyou-20A has provided refueling support for long-distance flights of Air Force aircraft multiple times.

In February 2024, the Yunyou-20A assisted the August 1st Flight Demonstration Team in achieving its first "one-stop direct flight";

In April 2025, the Yunyou-20A and the J-10C fleet went to Egypt for joint air force training;

In February 2026, the Yunyou-20A assisted the August 1st Flight Demonstration Team in a one-stop direct flight to Singapore...

Military Commentator Zhang Xuefeng: The Yunyou-20A employs a very typical hose refueling method. One of its features is that it can refuel multiple aircraft simultaneously; for example, the hoses extending from the pods on both sides can refuel two fighter jets in mid-air at the same time. It also has a larger cone tube that can extend from the central part, primarily for refueling large aircraft, such as large transport aircraft, early warning aircraft, and bombers. Although it can extend three hoses at once, it can generally refuel a maximum of two fighter jets simultaneously.

Currently, any aircraft equipped with a refueling probe, whether fighter jets or bombers, can be refueled by the Yunyou-20A. Previously, during joint air training with Egypt, the Yunyou-20A also refueled the MiG-29 fighter jets equipped by the Egyptian Air Force. (Source: China Central Television's Defense Military Channel "Forging Sword" program)