A video released by China's Ministry of National Defense on November 10, 2023 showed a J-20 stealth fighter jet of the PLA Air Force launching an air-to-air missile from its side missile bay. Photo: Screenshot from WeChat account of China's Ministry of National Defense

China for the first time displayed a live-fire missile launch by a J-20 stealth fighter jet in a celebration video released on Friday, a day ahead of the 74th founding anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force.

The video also showed the procedure how the PLA Air Force intercepts and expels foreign military aircraft, demonstrating the PLA Air Force's confidence and expertise, analysts said.

Released by China's Ministry of National Defense, the video contained footage taken during the PLA Air Force's training that reflects its achievements in development and enhanced capabilities. 

In a story concerning a combat sortie by the air force of the PLA Southern Theater Command, a foreign military aircraft attempted to approach a PLA exercise area, before two J-16 fighter jets received orders to immediately take off and deal with the situation.

Deterred by the Chinese warplanes, which took measures including radio communications, warning maneuvers and infrared warnings, the foreign military aircraft was forced to leave.

The video clip showed how the PLA Air Force intercepts and expels foreign military aircraft, Zhang Xuefeng, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times on Friday.

"The first step is to issue verbal warning through radio communications on the incoming foreign military aircraft, in which the Chinese pilots identified themselves as the PLA Air Force and asked the foreign military aircraft to leave the area. At the same time, the Chinese pilots took warning maneuvers within visual range, including swaying the wings and displaying weapons carried under the wings. This is a relatively restrained way of displaying force, which is also a professional way widely used across the globe," Zhang said.

In the clip, the foreign military aircraft attempted close-in harassments and even provocation despite radio communications and warning maneuvers by the J-16s. When it was about to reach the line, the Chinese aircraft took the measure of infrared warning, which is to launch infrared flares within visual range, a more striking way of warning to the foreign military aircraft.

"Firing infrared flares from a certain distance is not lethal, but is a clear warning signal. In the end, the foreign military aircraft vacated the area," Zhang said.

Throughout the entire procedure, the PLA Air Force pilots took maneuvers and made unwavering decisions showing a high level of skill, expertise and confidence, Zhang said.

The video said that the PLA Air Force conducts combat alert and aerial patrol missions all the time, launches combat sorties more than 10,000 times a year, and is always ready for combat and ready to defend China's territorial airspace.

It reflects the high level of combat readiness of the PLA Air Force, and also indicates the complexity of aerial threats China faces, Zhang said.

The highlight of the video is close-up footage on a live-fire missile launch by a J-20 stealth fighter jet, observers said.

In the clip, the J-20 launched an air-to-air missile from its side missile bay, as the missile quickly flew out of view with plume behind it.

The design of the J-20's weapon bays are unique and reliable, Zhang said.

With the J-20 being China's most advanced fighter jet in active service, the reveal of how it launches a missile is an epitome of the achievements the PLA Air Force has reached in equipment development, Zhang said.

Another part in the video showed that airborne troops with parachutes on their backs boarding a whopping seven Y-20 large transport aircraft.

Having as many as seven Y-20 large transport aircraft in one location reflects the continued increase in the PLA Air Force's strategic power projection capabilities, Zhang said.

Since the commissioning of the Y-20, this type of aircraft has carried out many types of important missions, sending emergency aid supplies to many countries to as far as the South Pacific.

This displays China's emphasis on peaceful engagement and its image as a responsible major power, Zhang said, noting that the Y-20 is a pioneer in the Chinese military's image as a powerful force, a civilized force and a peaceful force.