Joining fighter jets and special mission aircraft, attack and transport helicopters of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) were spotted near the island of Taiwan in a drill for the first time on Tuesday, with military experts saying on Wednesday that choppers can provide more tactical options in landing operations, and this displayed the increased combat readiness of the PLA in the region.Ī total of seven PLA aircraft - a Y-8 command, control and communications aircraft a Y-8 reconnaissance aircraft a Y-8 electronic warfare aircraft two J-16 fighter jets a Mi-17 cargo helicopter and a WZ-10 attack helicopter - entered the island of Taiwan's self-proclaimed southwest air defense identification zone on Tuesday, the island's defense authorities said in a media release late on the same day. The flight training covered the subjects of two-plane formation flight, island defense penetration at low-altitude, maritime assault, etc.Photo:China Military
Two attack helicopters attached to an army aviation brigade under the PLA Eastern Theater Command fly in alongside formation above the sea at an ultra-low altitude during a flight training exercise on June 9, 2021.
