New Delhi: One of the Chinese military’s most recent cutting-edge acquisitions that is expected to be the backbone of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force for the next 20 years, the Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter aircraft, has started its operational role about two weeks ago by training for battles that are India-centric amid the realisation that control of the skies will be pivotal in case of a possible India-China conflict.
The “real” combat training exercise of the fifth generation secret stealth fighter is believed to have taken place in Tibet.
“The J-20 is also practising beyond-visual-range air combat, and other aircraft, including the Y-20 and J-10C, are training at unspecified airports on a ‘plateau region’ in order to improve their capability in long-range military transport and air combat”, the PLA Daily reported.
Quoting a former PLAAF officer, the military daily said, “Potential military conflicts in the plateau regions have been on the rise since the border friction with India last year, so increasing military training in the plateau region is highly necessary.”
