The Chinese Air Force has set a new record again! On January 29, the Bayi Air Show Team flew over the country with seven J-10s and headed straight for the Middle East, with the destination being Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, where they were going to participate in the Saudi International Defense Exhibition. This feat involved the test of the pilot and the airframe platform, as this time there was also the participation of the tanker-20 tanker.
The whole process is a daily routine for the Bayi Air Show Team, but it is a big challenge for the pilots and the aircraft. It's like going on a long trip, but in the sky. First of all, the aircraft must be able to withstand long-distance flights, and the distance of this operation, let's simply calculate: the flight distance from Tianjin to the Middle East is equivalent to a quarter of the distance around the earth. And, during this long journey, you have to cross other people's airspace, such as through Pakistan and Iran. But luckily, we have two friends by our side to support us, making the flight safer and more reliable.
But this time, they weren't going to stop for a break. You know, the maximum transfer range of the J-10 is only about 3,200 kilometers, and the distance to Riyadh is 4,000 kilometers. So, in the air, they need to do a refueling, and that's when the Tank-20 comes into play.
It was an unusual mid-air refueling mission. In the past, if you wanted to fly this far, you had to stop at at least one domestic airport and two foreign airports to rest. Not only is this time-consuming and labor-intensive, but it also increases the difficulty of the task. However, with the blessing of the Yunyou-20, it is all much simpler. It's like a super refueler that can refuel three planes at the same time. Moreover, it has a super refueling capacity, which can hold up to about 75 tons of oil, which is equivalent to the full weight of a H-6 bomber. And that's not even counting the distance it has to fly! Therefore, it is not a problem to add two or three tons of oil to seven J-10s, and it can even bring some spare supplies with it.
There are a total of seven J-10 performance aircraft in this formation, six of which are responsible for flight performances, and the seventh is a spare aircraft to prepare for special situations. These seven planes flew bravely and directly along the way, as if they were a flying symphony orchestra, showing the beauty of the Chinese Air Force's flight.
This feat not only tested the performance of the aircraft, but also tested the physical strength and skill of the pilot. But in any case, this is a huge test of the actual combat capability of the Chinese Air Force. And the Bayi Air Show Team once again demonstrated its strength and style because of this feat.