Exercises

A Naval Aviation Regiment Conducts Anti-Submarine Search-and-Attack Training Under Low-Meteorological Conditions

海军航空兵某团开展低气象条件下搜攻潜训练见闻

PLA Daily (解放军报) 30 July 2026

Summary

A PLA Naval Aviation regiment conducted anti-submarine search-and-attack training in low-visibility, turbulent maritime conditions, with crews deploying sonobuoy arrays, tracking a submerged submarine contact, and completing simulated attack runs while managing continuous low-altitude turbulence through 'small-amplitude, high-frequency' flight-attitude corrections. The article documents a deliberate effort to train through adverse weather rather than around it — the regiment pre-surveyed fog and turbulence characteristics of the mission sea area and used cockpit drills to refine sea-skimming technique before the flight. This fits a documented pattern in PLA naval aviation of embedding environmental stress into peacetime training cycles, though unit designation, aircraft type, and geographic location are withheld, limiting assessment of which fleet or platform is involved.

Translation

Hunting Sharks in the Foggy Sea — A Naval Aviation Regiment Conducts Anti-Submarine Search-and-Attack Training Under Low-Meteorological Conditions

■ Qin Qianjiang

In summer, fine rain fell without cease and thin fog hung over a certain airfield.

"Keep a close watch on the weather window — prepare for takeoff!" Facing complex meteorological conditions, a Naval Aviation regiment seized the "flyable window" to launch an anti-submarine search-and-attack training exercise under low-meteorological conditions.

Shortly after the aircraft became airborne, it encountered turbulence and the fuselage began to buffet. The radar operator activated the airborne weather radar to monitor the airspace situation in real time. "A continuous band of cloud formations with turbulent airflow lies ahead," the radar operator reported the meteorological information and recommended altering course to detour around the hazard. After Aircraft Commander Zhao and Pilot Wang assessed the situation, they decisively maneuvered the aircraft to turn and avoid the cloud formations, proceeding smoothly toward the mission airspace.

"Complex meteorological conditions are both a 'stumbling block' for flight training and a 'whetstone' for honing flying skills," a regimental leader explained. Conducting training under low-meteorological conditions requires pilots to overcome adverse factors such as low visibility and complex airflow, placing higher demands on psychological quality and technical-tactical proficiency. During the training preparation phase, they dispatched key flight personnel to conduct a thorough survey of the meteorological characteristics — including fog and turbulence — of the mission sea area, assessed the potential impact on aircraft flight, anti-submarine equipment, and tactical employment, and used cockpit training and ground drills to refine and improve flight control and sea-skimming maneuver skills, ensuring the training could be conducted safely.

Outside the cabin, fog blanketed the mission sea area, and multiple pockets of weak turbulence lurked at low altitude, posing a challenge to anti-submarine search-and-attack deployment. The crew carried out operations in accordance with tactical procedures. The sonar operator took the lead in deploying a sonobuoy array to conduct an all-around search of the target sea area, and quickly detected an anomalous underwater echo signal. At that moment, low-altitude turbulence struck without warning, continuously disrupting the aircraft's flight attitude. The fuselage shook repeatedly, detection data fluctuated frequently, error margins increased, and the difficulty of target verification rose sharply.

Faced with the sudden situation, the crew responded with composure. Relying on real-time data from the weather radar, Pilot Wang anticipated changes in airflow intensity, flexibly switched control modes, and applied "small-amplitude, high-frequency" corrections to the flight attitude, ensuring the aircraft maintained a stable attitude in the complex airflow environment. The crew simultaneously adjusted equipment parameters and continued tracking the suspicious underwater signal.

Through the crew's coordinated teamwork, the aircraft stabilized in an ultra-low-altitude sea-skimming state. By means of cross-comparison, the crew confirmed the target to be a submarine underway underwater. The crew then strictly followed the tactical plan and efficiently completed training subjects including simulated tracking and attack, with the entire sequence of operations executed in a standardized, smooth, and tightly coordinated manner.

It is understood that this training exercise was conducted throughout in a complex low-meteorological maritime and aerial environment. The participating crews overcame the challenges posed by adverse meteorological conditions including turbulence and cloud formations, and their capabilities in low-altitude precision control, multi-station coordination, and target verification were effectively tested.

Original Chinese

雾海“猎鲨” ——海军航空兵某团开展低气象条件下搜攻潜训练见闻 ■秦钱江夏日，某机场细雨连绵、薄雾萦绕。 “紧盯气象窗口，做好起飞准备！”面对复杂气象条件，海军航空兵某团抢抓“可飞窗口期”，展开一场低气象条件下搜攻潜训练。战机升空不久，就遭遇气流，机身出现颠簸。雷达操纵员开启机载气象雷达，实时观察空域情况。“前方出现连片云团且气流紊乱。”雷达操纵员报告气象信息，建议改变航线绕行避险。赵机长和王飞行员研判态势后，果断操控战机转向避开云团，平稳驶向任务空域。 “复杂气象条件既是飞行训练的‘拦路虎’，也是砥砺飞行本领的‘磨刀石’。”该团领导介绍，低气象条件下开展训练，飞行员需克服能见度低、气流复杂等不利因素，对心理素质和技战术水平提出更高要求。训练筹备阶段，他们派出飞行骨干细致摸排任务海区雾、乱流等气象要素特征，评估其对战机飞行、反潜设备及战术运用的潜在影响，利用座舱训练、地面演练精进和提升飞行操控与掠海机动技能，确保训练安全展开。机舱外，任务海区雾气弥漫，低空潜藏多处弱乱流，给搜攻潜部署带来考验。机组成员按照战术流程展开作业，声呐员率先布设声呐浮标阵，对目标海域展开全方位侦搜，很快捕获水下异常回波信号。正在此时，低空乱流突然袭来，持续扰动战机飞行姿态。机身不断晃动，探测数据频繁变化、误差增大，目标核验难度陡增。面对突发情况，机组成员沉着处置。王飞行员依托气象雷达实时数据，预判气流强弱变化，灵活切换操控模式，采取“小幅度、高频次”方式修正飞行姿态，确保战机在复杂气流环境中稳定飞行姿态。机组成员同步调试设备参数，持续追踪水下可疑信号。在官兵默契配合下，战机稳定在超低空掠海状态。机组成员通过交叉比对，确认目标为水下航行潜艇。随后，机组严格按照战术预案，高效完成模拟跟踪、攻击等科目训练，整套操作规范流畅、衔接紧密。据了解，此次训练全程依托复杂低气象海空环境展开，参训机组克服乱流、云团等不利气象条件带来的考验，机组低空精准操控、多战位协同及目标核验能力得到有效检验。