Beijing’s upgraded Su-35 fighter jets put through paces over South China Sea as ‘Sword of the South’ air brigade takes flight
- State media says great effort was made to speed up modifications and training
- ‘Intense’ exercises took crews closer to combat conditions, a pilot says
Pilots of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force have tested the sea warfare capabilities of their advanced Su-35 fighter jets over the South China Sea, state media reported.
An air force brigade from Southern Theatre Command took part in the exercises after modifications to the Russian-built Sukhois, PLA Pictorial magazine said on Monday.
The exercises included a repeated three-aircraft attack on a target at sea, combined fire-and-manoeuvre tactics, and night-time operations, the magazine said without revealing details of the drills.
All of China’s 24 Su-35s are assigned to a brigade near Zhanjiang in Guangdong province, where the southern command covers South China Sea operations.
Tensions in the area have increased as the US Navy has carried out what Washington calls “freedom of navigation exercises” close to islands and reefs Beijing claims as its own.