China's heavy military transport aircraft conducts first airborne training

China's Y-20 heavy military transport aircraft has undergone its first airborne and air delivery training, the Chinese air force said today.

It marked a leap in the air force's strategic delivery and long-distance airborne combat abilities, air force spokesperson Shen Jinke said.

The air force is a strategic service, and its strategic capability should be in line with the constantly expanding national interests so it can carry out diverse military missions, he said.

The strategic capability of the air force should be able to extend wherever China's national interests reach to provide reliable air security assurance for the country's development, he added.

The Y-20, which joined the People's Liberation Army Air Force in July 2016 and has a maximum take-off weight of around 200 tonnes, is ideal for transporting cargo and people over long distances in diverse weather conditions, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.