Senior Colonel Xie Peng, spokesman of the Chinese Air Force, said that at about 10:00 a.m. on March 2, seven J-10 demonstration planes of the August 1 Air Force of the People's Liberation Army took off from an airport in North China to Thailand to participate in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand and the 88th anniversary of the founding of the Thai Air Force and perform flight shows. According to a follow-up report by CCTV, the August 1st Air Show Team refueled with Yunyou-20 and flew continuously for about 4 hours, covering a distance of over 3600 kilometers and providing one-stop direct access to Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok, Thailand. These two short messages, which add up to less than 150 words, contain a huge amount of information. According to public reports, since 2024, the Bayi Air Show Team has flown out of the country three times, traveling to countries such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia. At the end of January 2024, accompanied by a domestically produced Y-20 tanker, the Bayi Flight Performance Team flew directly to Saudi Arabia to participate in the International Defense Exhibition. At that time, Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, pointed out that for the first time in this mission, the Y-20 aircraft was used for accompanying support, and a one-stop direct flight through aerial refueling demonstrated the practical training level of the Chinese Air Force. The straight-line distance from northwest China to the Saudi capital Riyadh is about 4000 kilometers. From any perspective, this is a practical exercise that closely resembles actual combat. The personal qualities of pilots, team command and coordination, and overall performance of military aircraft must all be rigorously tested. No wonder the website "Pakistan Today" praises the visit to Saudi Arabia, which marks the maturity of China's key aerial refueling technology and reflects the fruitful achievements of China's military strategic transformation and air force construction in recent years. In late August 2024, one Y-20 and seven J-10 demonstration aircraft from the Chinese Air Force's August 1st Flight Show Team went to Egypt to participate in an air show and perform flight shows. Air Force spokesperson Colonel Xie Peng introduced that this is the first time that the Air Force August 1st Flight Performance Team has gone to Africa for a flight performance, and it is also the longest distance traveled. Looking at the map, it can be seen that the Bayi Flight Performance Team travels tens of thousands of kilometers back and forth, and it is a true intercontinental flight. Military experts say that this "long journey" spans multiple time zones, experiences rapid temperature changes, and is difficult to ensure. It not only tests the pilots' flying skills and physical endurance, but also reflects the Chinese Air Force's long-range maneuvering delivery capability and practical training level. And the performance after arriving abroad is even more a special battle. A successful flight performance is better than taking down an enemy plane This is Premier Zhou Enlai's earnest message to the August 1st Air Show Team back then. According to Pakistan's "International Defense Analysis" website, during their stay in Egypt, the August 1st Flight Show Team piloted the J-10 fighter jet and showcased China's advanced aviation technology and the pilots' superb skills through a series of impressive and difficult maneuvers. The Nigerian "Africa Military" website also believes that Chinese military aircraft shone at the Egypt Air Show, especially the brilliant appearance of the J-10 fighter jet by the August 1st Flight Show Team, which "strengthened military exchanges and cooperation between (China) and African countries such as Egypt". It is worth noting that currently only China, the United States, and Russia have formed flight demonstration teams using active fighter jets, while other countries use light aircraft or trainer planes. Aviation experts point out that the original intention of designing fighter jets was for actual combat, not for performance. Due to their fast speed and large size, fighter jets have higher difficulty in demonstrating flight stunts. But the advantages of fighter jets are also very obvious, such as a powerful and imposing image, impressive aerial momentum, and especially the ability to complete many cool super maneuvers, which is more conducive to showcasing power. It is reported that in the more than 60 years since its establishment, the Chinese Air Force August 1st Flight Show Team has equipped 7 types of domestically produced fighter jets, conducted over 700 flight shows for delegations from more than 170 countries and regions, and carried out 12 overseas flight show missions, polishing the "national business card" and showcasing China's military prestige. (New Society)