BEIJING, Aug. 28 -- China will showcase its aerial prowess with a refueling demonstration during the Sept. 3 military parade.
Aerial-refueling maneuvers test the range and loiter time of receiver aircraft, said Zhu Zhijie, head of a tanker aircraft regiment, an essential skill for any pilot.
This procedure will illustrate the long-range combat ability of the Air Force, as it is a difficult maneuver to pull off during a parade.
"Transferring fuel from a tanker to a receiver requires steady airflow. The parade formation, however, will be flying at a height of 500 meters and will have to deal with severe turbulence," said Zhu.
In addition, the formation will only have 15 minutes to completely refuel, added Zhang Qinghai, head of an aviation unit with the Air Force.
It will be China's first military parade to commemorate the end of World War II and the victory of China's resistance against Japanese aggression.
The parade will feature 12,000 troops, 500 pieces of equipment, and nearly 200 aircraft.
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