China’s J-20 stealth fighter shown in training dogfight on state television
- Warplanes seen firing dozens of decoy flares, which are used to counter heat-seeking missiles
- Official broadcaster CCTV aired footage of the combat exercise as tensions escalate in the region
Footage from a drill aired on official broadcaster CCTV recently showed two of the warplanes firing dozens of decoy flares, which are typically used during dogfights.
The flares burn at high temperatures and are used to counter heat-seeking missiles fired by the adversary that target aircraft engines.
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Stealth fighters like the J-20 have a cross-section design to reduce visibility and a radar-absorbent coating that makes it difficult for the enemy to detect them and harder for radar-guided missiles to target them.
But in an encounter with enemy aircraft within visual range, or if other types of missiles are being fired, decoy or countermeasure flares are needed, according to military commentator Song Zhongping.
“This training [using decoy flares] is essential for actual combat situations,” said Song, who is based in Hong Kong. “It’s a very useful tactic for a close-up dogfight between fighter jets, or if they’ve been targeted by a surface-to-air missile from a ground air-defence system.”
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