Chinese air force tests double-runway airport using multiple types of aircraft

A naval division of China’s Chengdu Military Area Command (MAC) recently conducted a comprehensive double-runway support drill for multiple types of aircraft. Major military powers have all achieved double-runway support, which is a general trend for modern air combat and comprehensive support, said Fang Dianrong, commander of the air force under the Chengdu MAC.

The support drill was conducted at a newly built double-runway airport, and warplanes took off and landed around the clock in order to test the Chinese air force’s first double-runway operational mechanism, support model, and combat functions as well as accumulate experience for building similar airports in the future.

Just after a transport aircraft and helicopter took off, four new fighters landed on the eastern runway, and two transport aircraft took off from the western runway at the same time. As many as 12 aircraft of various types took off from the two runways in the first 10 minutes of the drill.

The simultaneous take-off and landing of various military aircraft was an amazing scene. However, a double-runway airport means more than additional runway as the advanced command system based on information technology doubles the airport’s support efficiency.

“Compared with previous single-runway drills involving a few types of aircraft, this drill features more types of aircraft and shorter intervals, thus doubling the commanding and deployment difficulty,” said Jiang Nanbin, director of the Information department of the air force under the Chengdu MAC.

The support drill was conducted at a newly built double-runway airport, and warplanes took off and landed around the clock in order to test the Chinese air force’s first double-runway operational mechanism, support model, and combat functions as well as accumulate experience for building similar airports in the future.

Just after a transport aircraft and helicopter took off, four new fighters landed on the eastern runway, and two transport aircraft took off from the western runway at the same time. As many as 12 aircraft of various types took off from the two runways in the first 10 minutes of the drill.

The simultaneous take-off and landing of various military aircraft was an amazing scene. However, a double-runway airport means more than additional runway as the advanced command system based on information technology doubles the airport’s support efficiency.

“Compared with previous single-runway drills involving a few types of aircraft, this drill features more types of aircraft and shorter intervals, thus doubling the commanding and deployment difficulty,” said Jiang Nanbin, director of the Information department of the air force under the Chengdu MAC.


Source: People's Daily Online News - 28 December 2012

Photo: The Chinese Air Force J-10 Fighter Aircrafts (Photo by fyjs.cn)


(28.12.2012)