The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force staged a thrilling aerial showcase on Saturday morning, featuring advanced aircraft in combat formations and aerobatic maneuvers at the 2025 aviation open-day activities and the Changchun Air Show in northeast China's Jilin Province.
Hosted by the PLA Air Force, the open-day activities run from September 19 to 23, with the air show taking center stage.
A YY-20A tanker flew in a pre-refueling formation with two J-16 fighter jets, showcasing its refueling ability during real combat. Compared with the previous H-6 tanker, the YY-20 tanker has a larger fuel capacity, enabling it to perform aerial refueling for various domestically developed fighter jets, which significantly enhances the strike radius of fighter jets.
A formation of two H-6 bombers from the PLA Air Force’s Harbin Flight Academy performed a low-altitude flyby, marking the bomber’s debut at the aviation open-day event. The H-6 bomber’s appearance offered a comprehensive glimpse into China’s integrated combat system, highlighting both offensive and defensive capabilities. The H-6H variant is the PLA Air Force’s first bomber equipped for precision strikes.
Meanwhile, two J-16 fighter jets demonstrated a dual-aircraft combat circling maneuver, which is of significant practical value, as engaging in aerial dogfights often requires getting behind the opponent to launch weapons. A notable feature of the J-16 is its two-seat configuration. With an additional pilot, it allows for easier control of the weapons and facilitates better observation and decision-making.
Additionally, a KJ-500 early warning aircraft escorted by four J-20 stealth fighter jets made a system demonstration, showcasing the aircraft's ability of being the eyes and ears of the entire fleet during real combat.
After disbanding with the KJ-200, the four J-20 fighter jets conducted a flyby in a diamond-shaped formation, after which they performed a crossing maneuver in two groups.
Designed by the Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, an Aviation Industry Corp of China subsidiary in southwest China's Sichuan Province, the J-20 is China’s first stealth-class combat aircraft and so far the largest and heaviest fighter in service in the military.
China’s PLA air force unveils combat formations, precision bombers at Changchun Air Show
