Watch: Air chief flies hi-tech Chinese fighter jet during Shaheen IX exercise

Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Chief of the Air Staff, flew an “air superiority sortie” in a hi-tech Chinese fighter aircraft during the ongoing joint Air Exercise Shaheen IX.

Speaking after the sortie, the air chief said the Chinese military aviation technology is at par with contemporary requirements and has full capacity to meet the challenges of modern warfare.

Lauding the professionalism of People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) pilots, he said that their outstanding air combat skills are reflective of a robust and modern combat training programme of PLAAF.

He expressing his satisfaction over the conduct of the exercise and said it was heartening to see the two air forces inter-operating across a wide spectrum of airpower employment options. He also said that in modern times competition in the air domain centers not only around mastery of technology but also on its artful application in both strategy and tactics.

The air chief said that the Shaheen series of exercises will go a long way in enhancing the professional skills and operational preparedness of both the air forces in addition to developing a mutual understanding of each other’s combat skills and promoting inter-operability.

It is pertinent to mention here that the joint Air Exercise Shaheen IX that commenced on Dec 9 has now entered its last phase.