China counters its fighter jet pilot shortage by recruiting extra cadets

Name: Washington’s hardened position on Beijing’s claims in South China Sea heightens US-China tensions
Uploaded: 2020-08-11T11:00:08.000Z
Duration: 2 min 32 s
Description: Washington’s hardened position on Beijing’s claims in South China Sea heightens US-China tensions

New intake larger than expected, with almost half to be trained to fly aircraft carrier-based fighter jets

Pilots needed to meet the Chinese navy’s expanding needs, after the commissioning of its second aircraft carrier

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A J-15 fighter jet lands on China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning – but it is adding to its fleet, requiring more pilots. Photo: AFP

Kristin Huang

Published: 7:00pm, 11 Aug 2020Updated: 11:24pm, 11 Aug 2020

China’s military has made efforts to cover its shortage of naval pilots by recruiting more cadets than expected this year, Chinese state media reported on Monday.

Almost half of those recruited will be trained to fly aircraft carrier-based fighter jets. The country is facing a shortage of pilots as it commissions more vessels into service.

The naval pilot entrance test, open to high school students and graduates aged between 16 and 19, is held by the Chinese navy every year.

Typically, people apply during their final year in high school and their score in the gaokao, China’s higher education entrance exam, is taken into account.

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Washington’s hardened position on Beijing’s claims in South China Sea heightens US-China tensions

According to a report by state broadcaster CCTV, the gaokao scores of this year’s intake were higher on average than the first-tier universities’ baseline mark.

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