The Sino-Pakistan Shaheen IX air exercise was just concluded. And it was quite a big exercise.
It's quite obvious, the main target of the exercise is India. The J-10C and J-11B is used to simulate Rafale and Su-30MKI. The two best fighter aircraft in the IAF.
The J-10C and J-11B are very suitable to simulate India's fighter jets in mock battles, Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, told the Global Times on Monday.
Many aspects of the J-10C mid-sized fighter jet, including the size, aerodynamic characteristics, aviation and weapon systems and overall combat capability, are comparable to the France-made Rafale, a type of fighter jet in service with the Indian Air Force, Fu said, noting that the J-11B heavy fighter jet has very similar appearance with India's Su-30 fighter jet but with superior avionics system.
Again, there were more joint operations and EW exercises.
The deployment of Chinese special mission aircraft like early warning aircraft and electronic warfare aircraft would contribute to the improvement of joint operations in an integrated combat system, Fu said.
But this time, they are doing large scale confrontation exercises. Clearly this exercise is not aimed at terrorists. It's definitely aimed at the big one: India.
Air forces from both sides focused on large scale confrontation, including large scale aerial battles and use of forces in mass and close-quarters aerial support, CCTV said, noting that more than 200 sorties were conducted by both sides, as both forces' combat capabilities were boosted in learning from each other.
The scope of the exercise also includes the use of paratroopers, and Chinese Naval aviation forces. Maritime scope of exercise is also included. Very suspiciously aimed at the Indian Navy. Don't know of this is a response to India's not-so-subtle threat to choke the Malacca Straits from China.
"Unlike previous Shaheen series exercises, this time we comprehensively deployed aviation forces and paratroopers, and added real combat-oriented training courses like maritime training for the first time," said Ding Yuanfang, a Chinese Air Force deputy brigade commander, on CCTV.
Both sides also deployed special operation units, and the Chinese Naval Aviation also sent warplanes to the drills, CCTV reported.
As usual. This big Shaheen IX exercise goes relatively unnoticed in the Westernand Indian media. Indian media is still busy blabbering about 'IAF advantage over PLAAF', 'Rafale>J-20', 'India's resolve against China', 'Why India should help Tibet', 'India>Pakistan', etc.
This is a blessing in disguise actually. Pakistan and China. India's two nemesis' are further improving on how to deal with one of India's most powerful military might, its Air Force. The 2019 Operation Swift Retort by the PAF was the fruit of the previous Shaheen exercises. Pakistan and China are working on the correct things: The men, strategies, tactics, and operational readiness, over just equipment. And all this while India is busy glorifying its new toys. They were shocked by the PAF in 2019 precisely because of this.
If the IAF cannot handle the PAF like what they imagine to be. What then could they achieve against the PLAAF? Or worse, both of them.
Ideally, this Shaheen IX exercise should serve as a wakeup call for IAF improvements. And also deterence against military adventurism by India against Pakistan and China. But it looks like business as usual with India. Let's see if they still dare to try another 'surgical strike' on Pakistan or China.
hehehe.... well you reap what you sow, good luck in your dreams of getting the F35. Ahhh I forgot, you didn't need it since you have the LCA to deal with J20
