2024-07-26 05:58:25
Beijing: China is resorting to military exercises these days to steal the technology of fighter aircraft of Western countries. The Chinese Air Force began the second joint military exercise with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force, known as ‘Falcon Shield’, from mid-July 2024. This exercise has raised the tension of the US, especially about the ability to collect intelligence about Western aircraft through these exercises. Satellite images have revealed that China is conducting mock attacks on US aircraft and aircraft carriers in the desert of Xinjiang. These pictures, dated May 29, show a model aircraft carrier and more than 20 replicas of jets resembling US stealth fighters. Military experts have indicated that Chinese PLA Air Force pilots are reportedly practicing air strikes on replicas of US F-35 and F-22 aircraft.
UAE-China military exercise: Falcon Shield
China’s Ministry of National Defense announced that the joint air exercise with the UAE is being held again in Xinjiang province. The Chinese Defense Ministry did not mention the exact airport in its statement. But, London-based think tank International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) has reported through satellite imagery that the exercise is being conducted at Hotan Airport in Xinjiang. In 2023 also, the first air exercise Falcon Shield-2023 between China and the UAE was held at the same airport.
Tension due to presence of Mirage-2000 in China
According to the IISS, the UAE deployed at least six Dassault Mirage 2000-9DAD/EAD ground-attack aircraft during Falcon Shield 2023 and 2024, supported by Airbus MRTT tanker/transport aircraft. Additionally, two Boeing C-17A Globemaster heavy transports appeared briefly in satellite images following the 2023 exercise, presumably used to transport support equipment and personnel. Falcon Shield 2024 includes a new element – a floating shelter typically used for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations.
China practicing with western aircraft
The UAE operates the French-made Mirage 2000 along with the Lockheed Martin F-16E/F Block 60, a model developed by the US and four other NATO countries. However, the F-16E/F Block 60 has not been part of the Falcon Shield exercise. Training exercises featuring Western and modern Chinese fighter jets are increasingly common. A notable aspect of the Falcon Shield exercise is its location in China and the direct involvement of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) against Western aircraft. This is possibly the first time China has conducted a direct military exercise involving Western fighter jets. However, this does not mean that Chinese and Western aircraft have never encountered each other. Chinese jets operated by Pakistan have encountered Western aircraft in past military exercises.
China–Pakistan military cooperation
China’s military exercises with Pakistan have also played a strategic role. With a mix of Chinese-made jets and American F-16s in its arsenal, Pakistan is inadvertently becoming China’s eyes and ears on Western technology. Pakistan, an important defense partner for China, operates Chengdu JF-17 and J-10C aircraft, which were developed by China. Prior to the Falcon Shield exercise, China had conducted joint military exercises with Pakistan. In September 2023, the two allies conducted the Shaheen-X joint air exercise in northwest China, with the Pakistan Air Force showcasing its J-10C and JF-17 fighter jets.
Pakistan is also providing information about western fighter planes
In June 2024, the US Air Force Central Command (AFCENT) and the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) conducted Falcon Talon 2024, a bilateral exercise involving the deployment of Pakistani F-16 and JF-17 Thunder jets jointly developed by Pakistan and China. Additionally, the Pakistan Air Force regularly participates in international exercises such as Spears of Victory in Saudi Arabia and the Zelzal series with Qatar. The recent Spears of Victory included participants from Bahrain, France, Greece, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the UK, and the US.
China eyes Eurofighter Typhoon
The Zelzal series, a bilateral event between Pakistan and Qatar, allows Western aircraft to train with Chinese jets. In January 2024, Pakistan’s new J-10C fighter aircraft joined the ‘Zelzal-II’ exercise with Eurofighter Typhoons in Qatar, a crucial test for the J-10C. It should not be surprising that whatever little information Pakistan might have gained from the exercise with the Eurofighters would have been promptly shared with China. The J-10 remains a frontline fighter for the PLAAF as well as the Pakistan Air Force.