Hong Kong Media: "China Likely Tested Joint Combat Capability Including J-16 Around Taiwan"

Chinese military fighter jet J-16 Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] It has been reported that China has recently increased the number of sorties involving fighter jets, early warning aircraft, and electronic warfare planes around Taiwan in order to train its air force pilots in new tactics.

On the 18th, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that military observers have been paying attention to the recent joint sorties of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, including J-16 fighter-bombers and KJ-500 airborne early warning aircraft, around Taiwan over the past few months.

Last month on the 15th, the PLA sent a total of 28 military aircraft into Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), including 14 J-16 fighters, 6 J-11 fighters, 4 H-6 bombers, 2 KJ-500 early warning aircraft, 1 Y-8 electronic warfare plane, and 1 Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft.

According to SCMP, military expert Lu Li, a former instructor at the Taiwan Naval Academy, assessed that China is testing a new Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC). He explained, "In the PLA's CEC scenario, the KJ-500 plays the role of detecting enemy targets," and "the J-16, which receives this shared information, strikes the enemy." He also added that this information-sharing based cooperative engagement capability was inspired by the United States.

Lu Li further stated, "These cases appear to target Taiwan primarily," and "this means that the PLA can challenge the island defense systems possessed by the United States."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.