Two Chinese J-11B fighter jets take off from a military airfield during the Shaheen-VI joint air training exercise in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in 2017. File photo: eng.chinamil.com.cn

Chinese and Pakistani air forces wrapped up the half-month-long Shaheen VIII joint exercises in northwestern China on Friday, during which systematic mock battles were conducted for the first time.

Multiple types of warplanes, surface-to-air missiles and radar installations from the two air forces took part in the mock battles, according to a statement released by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force on Saturday.

The red team was from China's air force, and the blue team was a combination of Chinese and Pakistani troops, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Saturday.

About 50 warplanes, including fighter jets and early warning aircraft took part in the mock battles consisting of seizing air superiority and ground attack, the PLA Air Force statement said.

This marked an unprecedented joint exercise between China and a foreign country with the most number of personnel, types of weapons and combat units involved, the statement said.

During the exercises, pilots from both countries also boarded each other's warplanes and discussed combat techniques, CCTV reported.

Chinese warplanes including J-10, J-11, J-16, Su-30 fighter jets, JH-7 fighter bombers and KJ-500 early warning aircraft were seen in the CCTV report.

The Shaheen series joint exercises started as a one-on-one dogfight, but now it has evolved into systematic mock battles featuring more warplanes, multiple military branches which include ground forces that deploy missiles and electronic countermeasures, Xin Xin, commander of the red team air formation, told CCTV.

From Shaheen I to Shaheen VIII, both air forces have improved combat capabilities in learning from each other, and the Chinese air force will continue to boost friendship, exchanges and cooperation between the two to higher levels, the PLA statement said.

Global Times