Exercises Modernization

Simulated Flight Training Now Offers the Experience of Flying Real Aircraft! An Air Force Aviation Unit Uses Digital-Intelligent Means to Enhance Training Effectiveness

模拟飞行训练有了实装飞行体验！空军航空兵某部运用数智手段提升训练效益

MOD China (国防部) 18 August 2026

Summary

An unidentified PLA Air Force aviation unit recently ran a round-the-clock air combat exercise pairing 4 airborne aircraft against 4 ground-simulator-generated 'digital warplanes,' including two remotely operated by pilots from a sister unit — what the unit calls 异地组网对抗 (remote networked adversarial exercises). The article documents the unit's use of 数智手段 (digital-intelligent means) to link live and simulated aircraft across locations, extending a broader PLA effort to reduce flight hours and equipment wear while sustaining adversarial training tempo. The unit and aircraft type are not identified, so the scale and generalizability of this approach across PLAAF aviation brigades remains unknown.

Translation

An Air Force Aviation Unit Uses Digital-Intelligent Means to Enhance Training Effectiveness——

Air Combat: "Digital Warplanes" Take to the Skies

Ten thousand meters above the ground, Red Force warplanes stand in battle-ready formation, prepared at any moment to sortie and meet the "enemy." In a ground-based simulator cabin thousands of kilometers away, Blue Force "digital warplanes" twist and maneuver, actively seeking opportunities to attack…. Recently, during a round-the-clock air combat training exercise conducted by an Air Force aviation unit, airborne warplanes and "digital warplanes" generated by ground-based simulator cabins engaged in fierce "combat."

On the display screens, both sides' aircraft continuously shifted attitude, and the aerial offensive and defensive exchange repeatedly fell into a stalemate. At a critical moment, a Red Force pilot seized a favorable opportunity and successfully "hit" a "digital warplane," successfully turning the tide.

"Combining real-aircraft flight with simulated training not only improves training cost-effectiveness, reduces equipment wear, and lowers safety risks, but also uses various simulated environments to temper pilots' situational awareness and combat proficiency under complex conditions." The unit's leadership explained that they are actively exploring digital-intelligent means (数智手段) such as remote networked flight simulators and the integration of virtual and real elements, driving improvements in the quality and effectiveness of flight training.

This reporter entered the unit's simulated training room, where a person in charge explained that this air combat exercise was conducted between 4 real aircraft and 4 "digital warplanes" generated by ground-based flight simulators. To enhance coordination capabilities, the unit specifically invited pilots from a sister unit to remotely operate two of the "digital warplanes" and train alongside them. "From initially being able to practice only basic flight maneuvers to now conducting round-the-clock aerial combat, simulated training has achieved remote networked adversarial exercises (异地组网对抗)." the person in charge explained.

With the roar of engines filling the air, the participating aircraft returned safely. Looking at the rows of technologically sophisticated simulated flight training cabins nearby, this reporter found it hard to imagine that the Blue Force "digital warplanes" that had just performed so impressively in the training exercise came from this very simulated training room. Zhou Jiangang, a technician and Second-Class Master Sergeant in the unit's simulated training room, said that today, by leveraging the remote networking mode (异地组网模式), they can dispatch "digital warplanes" anytime and anywhere to conduct coordinated training with different sister units. As he spoke, Zhou Jiangang exported a training data package from the simulator and transmitted it back to the flight squadron. "During the exercise, the Blue Force pilots employed multiple new sets of tactics (新战法), which opened the Red Force pilots' eyes." Zhou Jiangang said these data packages can provide precise data support for pilots conducting after-action reviews.

"Simulated flight training now offers the experience of flying real aircraft!" Pilot Deng told this reporter that during this training exercise, he used a ground-based flight simulator to operate a "digital warplane" and led new pilot Xiao Liu in successfully completing an in-flight emergency response (空中特情处置) under a realistic combat scenario. "The realistic feel of the controls, the visual impact of the sky and ground flipping, and the sense of urgency brought on by incoming missile proximity warnings — it was like being on a real battlefield." Xiao Liu told this reporter that the simulated training gave him a much deeper understanding of the aircraft's boundary performance (边界性能), accumulating valuable experience for future real-aircraft training.

"As simulated training methods continue to expand, pilots have generated many new operational concepts (作战新理念) through exploration and practice, and some have already been validated in combat-realistic training (实战化训练)." The unit's leadership explained that they will continue to use digital-intelligent means (数智手段) to drive the networked integration of multiple types of warplanes, allowing "digital warplanes" to fly into higher and more distant airspace.

Original Chinese

空军航空兵某部运用数智手段提升训练效益—— 空中对抗，飞来“数字战机” 万米高空，红方战机严阵以待，随时准备前出迎“敌”；千里之外的地面模拟舱内，蓝方“数字战机”闪转腾挪，积极寻找进攻时机……近日，空军航空兵某部一场跨昼夜空中对抗训练中，空中战机与地面模拟舱的“数字战机”展开激烈“交锋”。显示屏上，双方战机不断变换姿态，空中攻防几度陷入胶着。关键时刻，红方飞行员抓住有利时机，成功“命中”一架“数字战机”，顺利扭转局势。 “将实装飞行与模拟训练相结合，既能提高训练经济效益、减少装备损耗、降低安全风险，又能借助各种模拟环境，锤炼飞行员复杂态势下的感知能力和作战水平。”该部领导介绍，他们积极探索飞行模拟器异地联网、虚实结合等数智手段，推动飞行训练提质增效。笔者走进该部模拟训练室，一名负责人介绍，这场空战对抗在4架实装战机与4架由地面飞行模拟器生成的“数字战机”之间展开。为增强协同能力，该部专门邀请兄弟单位的飞行员远程操控其中两架“数字战机”，与他们一同训练。“从最初只能练习基础飞行动作到如今跨昼夜空中搏杀，模拟训练已实现异地组网对抗。”这名负责人介绍。马达轰鸣响彻耳畔，参训战机顺利返航。看着身旁一台台科技感十足的模拟飞行训练舱，笔者很难想象，刚刚在训练场大显身手的蓝方“数字战机”，就来自这间模拟训练室。该部模拟训练室技师、二级军士长周建刚说，如今，他们借助异地组网模式，可以随时随地派出“数字战机”，与不同兄弟单位开展协同训练。说话间，周建刚从模拟器导出训练数据包并传回飞行大队。“对抗中，蓝方飞行员使用了多套新战法，让红方飞行员眼前一亮。”周建刚说，这些数据包能够为飞行员们复盘提供精准数据支撑。 “模拟飞行训练有了实装飞行的体验！”邓飞行员告诉笔者，这次训练，他使用地面飞行模拟器操控一架“数字战机”，带领新飞行员小刘成功完成实战背景下的空中特情处置。“逼真的操控感、天地翻转的视觉冲击感、导弹临近告警带来的紧迫感，如同置身真实战场。”小刘告诉笔者，模拟训练让他对战机边界性能有了更加深入的了解，为日后实装训练积累了宝贵经验。 “随着模拟训练手段不断拓展，飞行员们在探索实践中催生不少作战新理念，有的已在实战化训练中得到验证。”该部领导介绍，他们将持续以数智手段推动多型战机共同组网，让“数字战机”飞向更高更远的空域。