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China's new J-16D electronic attack jet joins combat training with other warplanes

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South China Morning Post

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="This photo taken on October 17, 2019 shows a J-16 fighter jet performing in the sky during the Chinese People" s="" Liberation="" Army="" Air="" Force="" Aviation="" open="" Day="" in="" Changchun="" northeastern="" Jilin="" to="" mark="" the="" anniversary="" of="" founding="" Chinese="" Force.="" STR="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/afp/11/09/20211017-j-16-fighter-jet.jpg"/><figcaption>This photo taken on October 17, 2019 shows a J-16 fighter jet performing in the sky during the Chinese People&#x27;s Liberation Army Air Force Aviation Open Day in Changchun in China&#x27;s northeastern Jilin province, to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People&#x27;s Liberation Army Air Force. <em>STR / AFP</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>China&#x27;s new J-16D electronic attack jet has begun combat training alongside other advanced warplanes, according to state television, a dogfight strategy said to be inspired by that of the US Air Force.</p><p>The J-16D - an electronic warfare version of the J-16 multirole strike fighter - was part of a joint combat drill soon after it made its public debut at the Zhuhai Airshow in late September, CCTV reported on Saturday.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/09/28/21/drones-and-jets-china-shows-off-new-air-power">Drones and jets: China shows off new air power</a></li></ul><p>Wang Mingliang, a researcher at the PLA Air Force Command College in Beijing, told the state broadcaster that the new aircraft - which can carry a range of weapons, interference and surveillance devices - would be more effective when working with other warplanes like the J-20 stealth fighter jet.</p><p>&quot;Both the J-16D and the J-20 can evade detection by rival radar systems,&quot; Wang said. &quot;So the two aircraft will benefit each other when they team up during a future battle.&quot;</p><p>The J-16D is a multirole fighter that can jam enemy radars and was designed to accompany the J-20 and J-10C fighter jets. All three aircraft are equipped with computer-controlled active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar systems that allow them to better communicate with each other and detect enemies earlier.</p><p>Zhou Chenming, a researcher from the Yuan Wang military science and technology institute in Beijing, said the design concept of the J-16D was &quot;very similar&quot; to the F-15E Strike Eagle multirole fighter used by the US Air Force.</p><p>&quot;We can see that the American air force also conducts cohesive team training for their F-22s, F-35s and F-15Es, as well as other fighter jets,&quot; Zhou said. &quot;The Chinese dogfight training and aircraft design concepts have been inspired by their American peers, because in future combat the focus will not be on a single type of aircraft.&quot;</p><p>The J-20 is regarded as China&#x27;s answer to the American F-22 Raptor, while the J-10C lightweight fighter is seen as able to counter the US F-35, despite the Chinese jet&#x27;s weaker stealth features and engine.</p><p>Back in 2017, PLA Air Force spokesman Shen Jingke said many J-20 fighter pilots could also operate the J-16 and the J-10C, as well as other new-generation aircraft. A year later, the air force released an image of the three warplanes flying together, calling them the &quot;backbone&quot; of the People&#x27;s Liberation Army&#x27;s aerial warfare.</p><p>&quot;The role of the J-16 and the new J-16D were first revealed in the 2018 photo,&quot; Zhou said. &quot;The Chinese aircraft designers, like their American counterparts, have included artificial intelligence in the new-generation jets to help pilots respond immediately in a dogfight,&quot; he added.</p><p>At least one J-16D has been deployed to an eastern PLA airbase near Taiwan since May, according to satellite imagery released by Canada-based Kanwa Defence Review last month, amid soaring cross-strait tensions. Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the self-ruled island under its control. It has ramped up military intimidation of the island, sending a record number of PLA warplanes into Taiwan&#x27;s air defence identification zone last month.</p><p>Macau-based military observer Antony Wong Tong said PLA fighter pilots had been training for the J-20s, J-16s and J-10Cs to work together since 2019.</p><p>&quot;This is the main battle combination that will apply if there is a war against Taiwan,&quot; Wong said. &quot;That combination is very similar to the (US Air Force&#x27;s) Boeing EA-18G Growler ship-borne electronic warfare aircraft, which takes an assistant role in a joint operation with the F/A-18E/F and F-35C carrier-based fighter jets.&quot;</p><div><strong>Copyright (c) 2021. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.</strong></div><div> </div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hdGGTI2q5PY?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

China's new J-16D electronic attack jet has begun combat training alongside other advanced warplanes, according to state television.