08. Aug 2010
Chinese fighter jets train over Tibet
(Xinhua) J-11 fighter aircraft, the most modern Chinese combat planes, said to be copies of Russia's Su-27, have been shown for the first time in training over the Tibetan Plateau. Chinese state media published a picture of some of these planes in flight with a caption referring to the training exercise, but adding that China had no combat aircraft stationed in Tibet. It said that given the alertness required of aircraft maintenance personnel, and pilots preparing for flights, plus the logistical problems, the Chinese air force had declared Tibet fit to visit, but not to base aircraft units in. However, because the Chinese air force may one day have to fight in the air space over Tibet, training there was necessary.