Recent drill a ‘solid step towards comprehensive combat capability’, air force says

South China Morning Post 
Date: 04 August, 2018
By: Liu Zhen

China’s air force has said its new advanced fighter jet, which analysts say was developed to target Taiwan, will soon be combat ready.

The announcement came as the air force said a squadron of J-16s – described as 4.5-generation fighter jets – had conducted a combat training exercise along with J-10, J-11B and Su-30 aircraft.

“[The exercise] was a solid step towards comprehensive combat capability,” according to the PLA Air Force statement late on Thursday, which did not specify the date or location of the drill.

The Shenyang J-16, based on the Russian Sukhoi-30 fighter jet, was introduced around 2012 to 2013 but did not make its official debut until a year ago, during a military parade marking the 90th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army.

It has gone into production over the past year and been deployed in a number of air force regiments.    [FULL  STORY]