Military experts on significance of test flight of Y-20

Key Words: Y-20; heavy air freighter; freighter; military

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On Jan. 26, China's Y-20 heavy air freighter successfully performed its first test flight. Experts believe the Y-20 will greatly increase the capacity of military delivery.

According to the Ministry of National Defense, the Y-20 is a large, multipurpose air freighter developed by China with its own expertise. It is able to perform the tasks of long distance transportation of freight and people in complex weather conditions. The success of the first test flight of the Y-20 has important implications for propelling the Chinese economy and the modernization of national defense, coping with rescue and relief work, humanitarian aids etc. After this test flight, this plane will perform further relevant tests and test flights as planned.

Military expert Chen Hu said that long distance delivery is still a weakness of Chinese air force, therefore, the emergence of the Y-20 means Chinese air force has made a solid step toward building a strategic air power.

Another analyst said that the success of Y-20's first test flight means China has become the fourth country after the U.S., Russia and Ukraine to be able to make 200-ton scale military transport aircraft. The first successful flight of the Y-20 is a milestone of the Chinese industrialization and military modernization.

Military expert Qiao Liang said the Y-20 is of great military and civil significance. Judging from the pneumatic appearance of the Y-20, the design should have referenced C-17 of the U.S. and Il-76 of Russia. Combining the advantages of those two, Y-20 is superior.

Military expert Du Wenlong also has similar view that large air freighter is not only powerful in military missions but also extraordinarily conducive in emergency rescues. The development and research of Y-20 also drive the development of many supportive industries, such as material technologies, engine technologies and some manufacture technologies as well. All above mentioned industries will take the opportunity to accelerate their innovations and researches, toward a faster development growth of Chinese aviation industry chain.

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