Parade practice boosts combat capability
Reporter: Han Bin 丨 CCTV.com
08-26-2015 06:36 BJT
China’s strategic bombers will fly over Tiananmen Square in formation for the first time on September 3, according to media reports.
The H6K, is key for long-range attacks and will boost the construction of bomber troops in the Air Force.
Liu Rui was one of the first pilots to fly China’s strategic bomber – the H6K. His regiment is also the first to be equipped with it. He said China’s new generation bomber can carry long-range missiles and has extended range attack capability. The H6K has symbolic meaning, too.
“The significance of such a bomber in active service is that it marks the strategy shift from being only defensive towards both attack and defensive abilities. We understand that the best defense is being able to attack,” Liu said.
This new modified variant got a lot of buzz when President Xi Jinping visited the PLA Air Force bomber regiment on the eve of Chinese New Year in the city of Xi’an.
Xi went on board to learn about its performance and operations. The pictures showed new details of China’s technology and indicated new opportunities for the sector.
“I think the visit reflects President Xi Jingping’s wishes for a strategic transformation of the Air Force. It indicates directions of the PLA Air Force,” Liu said.
The PLA said that the H6K has flown numerous missions, including long-distance training over the open sea. It has been reported that its combat radius extends as far as 3,500 kilometers.
It is seen as a new strength in Chinese strategic deterrence force. The H6K is expected to get a lot of attention in the upcoming parade.
Liu explained the challenge in formation flying. At a speed of 500 kilometers an hour, it would take only half a second for two bombers to collide if they fall out of position. So pilots must be at the top of their game.
“Important tasks will help strengthen capabilities. Every soldier has a mission to fulfill. The parade is a great honor for the armed forces to demonstrate its new spirit. It will certainly raise overall strength and lay a positive foundation for training to win a war,” Liu said.
In response to security threats from different dimensions and the military guideline of active defense, the PLA Air Force is under transformation to prevail in system to system operations featuring information dominance, precision strikes, long range attacks, and joint operations. This H6K type bomber is equipped to help get the job done.
Liu and his colleagues are in the final rehearsals. They want to show the best of their routine training. The parade is encouraging them to think more and to take combat capability to the next level.