China sends three Su-30s to attend competition in Russia

China has dispatched three Su-30MKK fighters to participate in the Aviation Dart 2014 pilot competition in Lipetsk, Russia. Pilots from China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force have arrived in Russia at on July 21, 2014.

The event, slated from July 22 to July 28, will see Chinese pilots flying three Su-30 fighters and competing with their international counterparts over flying abilities and air-to-surface combat skills among other areas.

Yu Hejie, a commanding officer with the PLA Air Force, said China's participation in the event signifies the mutual strategic trust and pragmatic cooperation between Chinese and Russian armies.

The participation of the PLA Air Force in Aviation Dart 2014 will help Chinese pilots to establish a closer relationship with their Russian counterparts and allow Chinese and Russian pilots to learn how to work together in a combat environment, said Colonel Shen Jinke, the spokesperson of the People's Liberation Army Air Force.

Various aircraft from the Russian Air Force, including attackers like the Su-25, Su-25SM, tactical bombers like the Su-24 and Su-34, fighters like the Su-27 and MiG-29, strategic bombers like the Tu-22M3 and cargo planes like the Il-76 will be in the exercise as well.