KJ-200 early-warning airplane first used for disaster relief

KJ-200 early-warning airplane first used for disaster relief

(Source: China Military Online)   2013-04-25

The picture shows that a KJ-200 early-warning airplane of the Air Force of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLAAF) is about to take off from a military airfield to perform disaster-relief operation on April 24, 2013. (Photo by Wu Sulin)

　　BEIJING, April 25, (ChinaMil) -- The air force under the Chengdu Military Area Command (MAC) of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) dispatched a KJ-200 early-warning airplane to quake-hit Lushan county of southwest China’s Sichuan province at 07:37 on April 24, 2013 to provide reliable and effective command and support for helicopters’ air-drop, air-transport and rescue missions on the same day.

　　The earthquake-stricken areas in Lushan county of Sichuan province feature complex terrain, changeable weather, heavy air rescue mission and numerous disaster-relief aircraft, etc. The KJ-200 early-warning airplane above the quake-hit areas significantly improved the capabilities of commanding and controlling the air rescue operations.

　　According to Zhao Pengmin, deputy chief of staff of the PLAAN, the KJ-200 early-warning airplane can carry out air early warning (AEW) command, communication guide and radar shadow detection to ensure scientific, efficient, well-organized and safe air disaster-relief operations. It is learnt that as of 17:00 on April 24, the KJ-200 early-warning airplane had flown nearly 8 hours, commanded and controlled 83 batches of in-flight aircraft, guided PLAAF helicopters to transport 42 persons/times and air-drop and airlift 28.8 tons of disaster-relief materials.

Editor:Dong Zhaohui