China’s naval air force will expand its night-flying combat capabilities after a group of military instructors were certified to teach take-offs and landings on the country’s aircraft carriers after dark.
Pilots who can take off from and land on a carrier at any time give greater combat flexibility.
Until now, only pilots in the US, the UK, Russia and France had mastered it, but the Chinese are joining their ranks as
President Xidemands the country build a military force that can rival other world powers.
China is also building its own fleet of aircraft carriers.
“The biggest challenge for night-time landing is the low visibility without any surrounding environment for reference,” a carrier aircraft landing commander told the
PLA Daily, the official newspaper of the People’s Liberation Army.
“You can only rely on the deck lights for an accurate landing in a small deck landing area, which is a great test of the pilot’s skills and courage.”
The PLA’s Naval Aviation University in the port city of Yantai has devised a group training programme with lectures, drills and simulations, according to the military newspaper.
On a recent night, Wang Yong, an aviation instructor, successfully landed a J-15 fighter jet on the deck of the aircraft carrier Liaoning in the Bohai Sea in northern China, and then was followed by several other instructors.
“The risk factor at night is many times higher than that for daytime landing,” Wang said. “It requires pilots not only to have excellent flying skills but also a strong heart and strong psychological qualities.”