A Southern Theater Air Force aviation brigade recently completed a continuous cross‑day‑and‑night flight exercise designed to test the unit’s ability to operate in complex meteorological conditions and under limited visibility. Multiple aircraft types and mission sets were integrated into a red‑blue confrontation scenario that stretched from first light through the deep night.
Pilots launched in quick succession after tower clearance, manoeuvring rapidly to assigned operating areas and conducting a series of intense attack and defence sequences. As darkness fell, aircrews relied on cockpit instruments and night‑vision systems to maintain formation, search for targets and execute demanding night intercept and penetration tasks under low‑visibility conditions.
The final aircraft returned to base around midnight, after which maintenance crews immediately began inspections and repairs while flight personnel conducted data‑driven debriefs using flight parameters and video replay. The exercise embedded multiple simulated contingencies and adverse weather to evaluate the brigade’s all‑domain response tempo and resilience under stress.
The training reflects broader People’s Liberation Army Air Force priorities of extending combat effectiveness beyond daylight hours and building proficiency in instrument and night operations. Emphasis on multi‑platform coordination, rapid turnarounds for maintenance and systematic after‑action review aligns with China’s push to field forces capable of sustained, high‑intensity operations.
Because the unit operates in the Southern Theater, the exercise carries regional significance: it improves readiness for missions in the South China Sea and approaches to the Taiwan Strait where operations often require night‑time, all‑weather capabilities. For neighbouring states and outside powers, the drills signal an incremental strengthening of China’s capacity to sustain air operations across the full 24‑hour cycle and complicate contingency planning for potential adversaries.