Not long ago, the Chinese Air Force released an 8K visual masterpiece led by the Y-20 "Fat Girl," including aerial refueling, tactical maneuvers, and large-scale formation flights. These ultra-high-definition images demonstrate the extraordinary capabilities of China's new quality combat forces.

According to the disclosure by the Chinese Air Force, several months ago, the China-Egypt Air Force conducted the "Civilization Eagle-2025" joint training, marking the first time the Chinese Air Force achieved transcontinental mobility, extending its strategic map to the Middle East, challenging the U.S. regional hegemony. With the support of the Y-20 tanker, a powerful air formation consisting of J-10C fighters and the KJ-500 early warning aircraft took off from mainland China, covering a distance of 6,000 kilometers to reach the Wadi Abu Rish Air Base in Egypt, with multiple countries opening their airspace for the Chinese Air Force's aircraft along the way.

The J-10C fighter and the Y-20 tanker formation flew over the Giza Pyramids in Egypt. This captured moment is not only a witness to military exchange but also reveals the actual strength of China's strategic air force's transcontinental deployment. A journey of over 6,000 kilometers, passing through the open airspace of multiple countries, a systematized force composed of five Y-20s and various types of aircraft, demonstrates the true meaning of "long-range reach" through efficient deployment.

This long-range deployment capability was not achieved overnight. In April 2022, six Y-20s completed 18 flights within three days, delivering the FK-3 air defense system accurately to Serbia, setting a rare strategic transport density in Europe's skies after the Cold War. In April 2025, the Three-Armed Forces Honor Guard took the Y-20 to the Vietnam's 50th anniversary parade, showing the maturity of regular transport. Subsequently, the Y-20 supported the Sino-Thailand Air Force joint exercises. As of August 2025, the Y-20 transport plane has completed the production of 95 units and is fully in service, with mass deployment laying the foundation for transcontinental operations.

The U.S. military's early "Rapid Raptor" tactic used the C-17 strategic transport to support the F-22 stealth fighter, solving the problems of range and survival. However, the practice of the Chinese Air Force has already gone beyond this framework. During the Egypt joint training, the Y-20 transported ground maintenance equipment and supplies, as well as the Zhi-20 helicopter, while the Y-20 tanker provided fuel for three J-10C fighters at a time with over 100 tons of fuel. The KJ-500 provided full-area situational awareness, and the Zhi-20 helicopter undertook battlefield search and rescue, forming an integrated cluster of offensive and defensive capabilities. More notably, the Y-20 successfully implemented aerial refueling for the Egyptian MiG-29 fighter jet, demonstrating the compatibility and adaptability of the equipment.

The core of long-range deployment is sustained combat capability. In recent years, our air force has increasingly emphasized the remote deployment and combat capabilities of aviation forces, such as the Su-30MKK once set a record of 10 hours of continuous flight, which ranks among the top in global long-range aircraft navigation. In 2024, the August 1st Flight Performance Team traveled to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, achieving a non-stop direct flight of more than 5,000 kilometers with the support of the Y-20 tanker, and pilots maintained high-intensity work ability after flying continuously for seven hours. Now, the J-10C fighter's transcontinental maneuvering appears more relaxed. In addition, after the technological breakthrough of the Turbofan-20 engine, the latest Y-20B tanker replaced the new engine, reducing fuel consumption by 30%, supporting eight J-16 fighters in long-range combat operations of over a thousand kilometers.

Comparing international cases can better clarify the level of strength. The German Air Force sent six "Typhoon" fighters to the Asia-Pacific region for participation in exercises, requiring the accompaniment of four A400M transport aircraft and three A330 tankers. While the Chinese Air Force deployed to Egypt this time, it supported a multi-type fighter formation with five Y-20s, showing significant efficiency advantages. The U.S. B-2 bomber required multiple refuelings to complete a 27,000-kilometer transcontinental bombing mission, whereas the Y-20 has already been able to support the J-10C fighter to deploy to the heart of Africa within two days from mainland China. This response speed and support capability are the core indicators of a strategic air force.

The significance of transcontinental deployment goes beyond the military aspect. For example, Angola annually supplies over 40 million tons of oil to China, accounting for half of its total exports, making it a key energy supplier. The rapid deployment capability of the Chinese Air Force provides solid protection for maintaining such overseas interests. The Djibouti support base has become a strategic pivot, providing efficient support for anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and peacekeeping missions in Africa for six years, proving the peaceful nature of China's military presence. Unlike the U.S., which has over 500 overseas bases, China has achieved the unification of interest protection and international responsibility through limited pivots alone.

From the first flight of the Y-20, it has been less than a decade, and the Chinese Air Force has completed the transformation from "territorial air defense" to "strategic transportation." The air combat drills in the Egyptian desert and the formation flights over the pyramids are not only displays of equipment performance but also declarations of system capabilities. When the J-10C's flight path extends to Africa, and the Y-20's cone对接 (cone coupling) connects with aircraft from multiple countries, this transcontinental power presence has long surpassed the scope of traditional military deterrence.

In today's world, where global shipping routes and energy lifelines are increasingly interconnected, every long-range flight of China's strategic air force is a practice of the "shared security" concept. From the air defense system in Serbia to joint training in Egypt, from the escort formations in the Gulf of Aden to medical aid in Djibouti, air power has become a link between interests and responsibilities. This may be the true mission of the Chinese eagle in the African sky: to protect peaceful development with hard power and to address common challenges with systematic capabilities.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7561980871092273664/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author and welcomes your opinion through the [Up/Down] buttons below.