JL-8 trainer jets of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force’s Red Falcon Aerobatic Team arrived in Laos on Saturday in preparation for its first-ever flight performance in a foreign country, with experts saying on Sunday that the visit will contribute to development of the two countries’ military ties and expand the international reputation of the Chinese aerobatic team, as well as the Chinese aircraft.
Under invitation from Laos, nine JL-8 performance aircraft of the PLA Air Force’s Red Falcon Aerobatic Team set out from an airfield in Southwest China on Saturday to participate in the celebration activities of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Lao People’s Armed Forces and deliver flight performances, Senior Colonel Xie Peng, a spokesperson of the PLA Air Force, was quoted as saying in a press release on Saturday.
It marks the first time a PLA Air Force aerobatic team will perform in Laos, and the first time the Red Falcon will fly abroad, Xie said.
The team arrived in Laos on Saturday, China Central Television reported on the day.
Flight performances are scheduled from Wednesday to Thursday in capital Vientiane, and weather permitting, challenging maneuvers will include eight-aircraft diamond spiraling, five-aircraft echelon rolling, six-aircraft side rolling and seven-aircraft scattering, according to Xie.
Xie’s remarks came after Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson of China’s Ministry of National Defense, announced the aerobatic team’s visit to Laos in a regular press briefing on Friday.
The aim of the visit is to promote exchanges and cooperation between the air forces of China and Laos and deepen state-to-state and military-to-military relations, according to Zhang.
Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military aviation expert, told the Global Times on Sunday that the Red Falcon Aerobatic Team’s flight performances in Laos will enhance the team’s experiences and capabilities through foreign exchanges and build the team into an internationally influential one.
The JL-8, the aircraft of choice of the Red Falcons and independently developed by China in cooperation with Pakistan, is known on the international market as the K-8, according to the aircraft’s developer, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).
With its outstanding performance including high reliability, simplicity of use and maintenance and low cost, as well as high efficiency in training pilots, the K-8 aircraft been exported to more than 10 countries including Pakistan, Namibia and Zambia, AVIC said.
The Red Falcon aerobatic team’s flight performances abroad could also attract more customers for the K-8, analysts said.
