A KJ-500 airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft attached to an aviation division with the PLA Navy receives seasonal maintenance in its hangar in late December. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhang Dingyi)

 
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Naval Aviation University recently received the Y-9 transport aircraft. Analysts said on Wednesday that this will enable cadets to better learn about the Y-9 before they graduate as they are expected to fly the standard version as well as a wide variety of special mission variants when they enter active service.

A brand-new Y-9 transport aircraft recently received a water salute ceremony at an undisclosed base affiliated with the PLA Naval Aviation University, js7tv.cn, an online news outlet affiliated with the PLA, reported on Monday.

At least three Y-9 transport aircrafts were delivered to the base, according to the report .

This means the educational institution now has a training equipment that is the same as the one used by combat units, the report said.

Prior to the delivery, the base organized a team that took several months to learn about the aircraft, including studying basic theory, holding training simulations and practicing actual flying, js7tv.cn reported.

"The commissioning of the new aircraft means the university's personnel training is even closer to combat units and  to the conditions of real combat," mentioned Senior Captain Zhao Shuqi, commander of the base, adding that "we will make the maximum use of the new equipment and help the training of new talent goes on a fast track." 

With the Y-9 platform, the university can train pilots to fly the base transport aircraft version and special mission aircraft variants developed based on it since they share many basic characteristics, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Wednesday.

These could include versions of the aircraft for electronic warfare , anti-submarine warfare, early warning, psychological warfare and medical service, analysts said.

China displayed these special mission aircrafts at the National Day military parade on October 1, 2019 in Beijing.

As the Chinese aviation industry is building more warplanes for the PLA, more pilots need to be trained, the expert said, noting that using the same type of aircraft as in real missions for training is the most effective way.

Many among these types of special mission aircraft are frequent participants in the PLA's routine exercises near the island of Taiwan, according to press releases by the defense authorities on the island.

According to data by Taiwan's defense authorities, the PLA conducted about 950 warplane sorties for drills inside of Taiwan's self-proclaimed air defense identification zone in 2021, a number far surpassing the 380 in the previous year.

Talking about the PLA drill figures, Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a press conference on Wednesday that the situation in the Taiwan Straits could get even more complicated and severe in 2022, and the Chinese mainland's struggle against the Democratic Progressive Party authorities' provocations to seek "independence" and the interference from foreign forces could get even more incisive and fierce, China Central Television reported on Wednesday.