China's air force starts anti-terror drill transport to Russia
31/7/2007 16:35
A Chinese air force unit, consisting of 6 Ilyushin IL-76 transport
aircrafts, today headed for east Russia for a joint anti-terrorism drill that is
sponsored by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
The transporters
took off from an airport in west China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at
8:30am and would fly for about four hours and 2,900 kilometers before arriving
at the drill venue.
The aircrafts were carrying more than 200 combat officers
and soldiers with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), who will be
deployed at Russian airports for the drill.
Another two air force units,
using the same transporters, will take off from Xinjiang to deliver more
soldiers and armament in the upcoming days.
The combat officers and soldiers,
one of the first PLA groups to arrive at the drill venue, will soon start
training for the drill.
The Russian-made Ilyushin IL-76 transporter, a major
equipment of air transportation and airborne troops of PLA, will also be used as
navigating planes for PLA fighters and bombers to arrive at the venue.
"It
will be a milestone in PLA air force history for its long distance transport of
group aircrafts with comprehensive logistics for the first time," Zheng Yuanlin,
commander of the first transporter unit, told Xinhua before departure.
Qiao
Qingchen, commander of the PLA Air Force and member of China's Central Military
Commission, went to the airport Tuesday morning to see the officers and soldiers
off.
The "Peace Mission 2007" drill will be carried out in Chelyabinsk in
Russia and in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang.
The SCO members -- China,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan -- will stage the
joint anti-terrorism drill from Aug. 9 to 17, which will involve 6,000 military
personnel, including 4,700 Russian soldiers and 36
aircrafts.
Xinhua
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