J-16s vs Rafales: Chinese air force puts jets to the war-game test
State broadcaster offers a look at a PLA exercise simulating an air combat scenario between Chinese and foreign forces
China’s state broadcaster has given a rare glimpse of PLA war gaming, with footage of a simulated encounter between Chinese and French multi-role fighters.
The CCTV report on Friday said this year was the first year that the entire People’s Liberation Army and People’s Armed Police Force were promoting pilot war-gaming at scale.
PLA war games are usually highly classified but the report indicated that this one was among a number that took place in Xuchang, Henan province, at a gathering attended by 20 units from across the military and its academies. Other war games were conducted by army and submarine forces, according to the report.
In the footage, two PLA Air Force officers stood in front of a board simulating an air combat scenario between Chinese and foreign forces. On the left side of the board was the label “task”, with “forces” including “J16 x8”, referring to eight of the 4.5-generation fighters built by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation.
On the right side of the board under “threat” was “Rafales x6”, indicating six French-made Rafale fighters. These jets are operated by a number of countries, including France, Egypt and India.