Pakistani pilot given flight experience of China's new fighter jet

BEIJING: A Pakistan Air Force pilot has been given a flight on one of China's new fighter jets during the Pakistan and China air forces joint training exercise.

Haseeb Piracha, who heads Pakistan's Southern Air Force Command, was able to fly for an hour onboard one of China's third generation fighters, the J-11 BS, official sources said here on Thursday.

The Air Vice Marshal was accompanied by Xin Xin, a vice-chief of staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force.

This marks the first time that a Pakistani top military official has flied China's new fighter jet.

The Chinese warplane performed acrobatic maneuvers during the flight, drawing praise from Haseeb. After the flight, Haseeb said "this is all that I can bear, but Xin Xin could bear much more".

Haseeb was in China for the "Shaheen VI" joint military training exercises in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which involves the air forces of China and Pakistan.

The exercises included Chinese J-11 fighters, JH-7 fighter-bombers, KJ-200 AWACS aircraft and ground forces, including surface-to-air missile and radar troops.

Pakistan's involvement includes that country's JF-17 Thunder fighter jets and early warning aircraft.

The joint training exercise concluded yesterday. The "Shaheen" joint drills were first launched by the Chinese and Pakistani air forces in March, 2011.