China Defense Blog: PLAAF making history of the day: H-6K of the 28th Air Regiment, 10th Bomber Division

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

PLAAF making history of the day: H-6K of the 28th Air Regiment, 10th Bomber Division

Chinese air force planes fly through Tsushima Strait for first time
Source: Xinhua| 2017-12-18 20:36:11|Editor: pengying

A Chinese air force plane flies for drills in international airspace over the Sea of Japan, Dec. 18, 2017. Chinese air force planes Monday flew through Tsushima Strait for the first time and conducted drills in international airspace over the Sea of Japan, an air force spokesperson said. (Xinhua/Wu Yuepeng)

BEIJING, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese air force planes Monday flew through Tsushima Strait for the first time and conducted drills in international airspace over the Sea of Japan, an air force spokesperson said.

The drills, involving bombers, fighters, reconnaissance planes and other aircraft, were aimed to examine the high-sea combat ability of the air force, said Shen Jinke, spokesman for the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force.

The drills accomplished the planned purpose and improved the air force's manoeuvring capability on the high sea, he said, adding that Chinese planes responded to interference from foreign military aircraft.

As part of the air force's annual training program, the drills are in line with international laws and practices and do not target any particular country, region or object, said Shen.

The spokesman stressed that Tsushima Strait is not territorial waters, hence all countries enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

He described the drills as "legal and reasonable."

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Photos of the day: China Air force (PLAF) in South China Sea

Once again the PLAAF is training in South China Sea, an area of operations (AO) traditionally reserved to the Naval Air force (PLAN-AF). It is clear - for sometime now - that in time of a South China Sea crisis, the OpForce will have to deal with both Chinese air arms operating in a coordinated manner.

Photos from the Nov 24th drill that are missing from the Reuters report below:

China air force again flies round Taiwan, over South China Sea

Reuters Staff
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-defence-taiwan/china-air-force-again-flies-round-taiwan-over-south-china-sea-idUSKBN1DN12K

BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s air force has again flown bombers and other warplanes through two strategic channels near Taiwan and also over the disputed South China Sea during training drills, state media said on Thursday.

Numerous H-6K bombers and other jets recently flew through the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines and the Miyako Strait in Japan’s south, and also over the South China Sea on a “combat patrol”, the official Xinhua news agency said, citing Air Force spokesman Shen Jinke.

Shen did not say when the drills began but said all planes had finished their patrols on Thursday, which were intended to “improve maritime real combat capabilities and forge the forces’ battle methods”.

China has been increasingly asserting itself in territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas. It is also worried about Taiwan, run by a government China fears is intent on independence.

Beijing has never ruled out the use of force to bring proudly democratic Taiwan under its control, and has warned that any moves towards formal independence could prompt an armed response.

China is in the midst of an ambitious military modernization program that includes building aircraft carriers and developing stealth fighters to give it the ability to project power far from its shores.

Taiwan is well armed, mostly with U.S. weaponry, but has been pressing Washington to sell it more high-tech equipment to better deter China.

Saturday, February 25, 2017

H-6K going ole school.

H-6K, China's only long-range strategic bomber is better known for carrying six CJ-10A cruise missiles geared for long-range and stand-off attacks. It also made news recently for its "routine" drills over the West Pacific. What is being overlooked here is its ole-school, iron bomb payload -- increased by the pair of Soloviev D-30 turbofans and extra fuel capacity -- it's 9-ton can of whoop ass can make short work of any "new structure" in the South China Sea.

6x6=36!