PLA trains to fight Asian enemy allied with English-speaking 'third force'
Scenarios involve fighting Asian enemy allied with America over disputed islands
It could have been just another routine military drill with the pseudo enemy's jets retreating. But then the pilots of the People's Liberation Army were caught off guard by chatter over the radio - in English.
By the time they had figured out that they had to confront a third party, their field command - an early-warning plane - had already been shot down, the PLA Daily reported.
Analysts said the inclusion of an English-speaking third party in PLA drills was aimed at sending a message that the Chinese military is preparing for possible intervention by the United States if China clashes militarily with neighbouring countries over territorial disputes.
The "third party" was a surprise scenario added to the drill to strengthen the air force's real combat response capability, the army newspaper said.
The drill took place early last month. As a battle between the PLA air force and its pseudo opponent, the "blue army", reached its climax, the PLA pilots suddenly heard in English over the radio: "Target on a radial 180.60." Followed by "Roger," the PLA Daily reported.
"Who is that? Why is there a foreign language?" some PLA pilots asked, according to the newspaper.