South China Sea | New Chinese military transport aircraft declared set for deployment

Chinese state media said the country’s new Shaanxi Yun-9 military transport aircraft has completed trial runs over the South China Sea and is ready to be deployed, expanding China’s abilities in “safeguarding maritime rights” in the strategically crucial waterway.

The Global Times newspaper said Sunday that the quadruple turbo prop plane “is now able to undertake combat missions” after conducting its first long-range training missions over the South China Sea.

Word of the completion of trials was also announced by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force on Saturday on its official WeChat microblog.

Training included making air drops without assistance from ground controllers and preparing for emergency contingencies in all weather conditions, the Global Times said. That guarantees its ability to deliver supplies to China’s island outposts in the sea, many of which have been equipped with radar stations, missile batteries, hardened aircraft shelters and other military infrastructure.

The Yun-9 is a longer version of China’s mainstay Yun-8 military transport aircraft, boasting advanced features, the ability to take off and land in a variety of environments, including small islands such as those created by China from coral reefs, and relatively inexpensive production costs.

It can transport up to 20 tons of cargo, vehicles and about 100 troops, as well as serve in a medivac function with a maximum range of 4,200 kilometers. The Global Times said that among its training missions, it flew from a military airport in the southwestern province of Sichuan, landed on an island in the South China Sea and returned to base the same day. AP