Chinese state media reported that a Southern Theatre Command air force aviation brigade has recently carried out multiple batches of full‑element, high‑intensity flight training spanning day and night. The exercises, described as aimed at honing ‘‘all‑weather’’ combat capabilities, involved repeated sorties designed to test pilots, support crews and systems under continuous operational tempo.
The phrase ‘‘full‑element’’ in the official account implies more than flying hours: it signals integrated drills that combine aircrew, maintenance, command‑and‑control, sensors and weapons handling across a 24‑hour cycle. Night operations are a particular focus, requiring night‑vision training, updated avionics and tighter logistics for refueling and armament, all while maintaining high sortie rates.
These exercises matter because the Southern Theatre Command covers sensitive maritime areas including the South China Sea and the approaches to Taiwan, where Beijing has recently intensified air and naval activities. Regular cross‑day‑night drills increase the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s (PLAAF) capacity to sustain operations, shortening response times and improving survivability in contested environments.
Technically, the reported training underlines the PLA’s broader push to modernize tactics and operational concepts: emphasis on continuous operations tests command interoperability, sustainment pipelines and the integration of sensors and precision munitions at night and in poor weather. For neighbours and external powers, such drills are both a readiness signal and a practical step toward closing capability gaps that previously limited sustained nocturnal air operations.
While routine from a military‑professional perspective, state publicity around the exercises also serves a domestic and deterrent messaging purpose. The release reinforces narratives of improving combat proficiency to a Chinese audience and communicates to regional observers that the PLA is increasingly comfortable operating across the full spectrum of conditions and hours.