On a summer day at an airfield situated at an altitude of over 4,500 meters, as several helicopters powered up their engines, the Xizang Military Region’s Air Force began a night live-fire training exercise in high-altitude terrain.
Leaving the ground, pilot Zhang Zhengguo maneuvered the aircraft toward the target airspace. Shortly after entering the valley, a strong gust of wind suddenly struck, causing the aircraft to experience severe oscillations. Zhang Zhengguo immediately guided the crew to adjust their course and lower their flight altitude simultaneously. Due to the obstruction of visibility at night, the crew members could not clearly see the ground reference points; they had to rely on night vision equipment and other devices to identify the terrain. Ultimately, through the efficient collaboration of the crew, the aircraft successfully navigated through the turbulent airflow area.

It is understood that due to factors such as the difficulty in identifying low-altitude obstacles and complex meteorological conditions, night flying in high-altitude areas has always been a critical and challenging training topic for the ground air force. In recent years, the Xizang Military Region has adhered to the training approach of “starting from basics to coordination, transitioning from low altitude to high altitude, and moving from individual aircraft to formations,” and has regularly conducted intensive flight training. They have successfully overcome numerous challenges, including helicopter night flying in high-altitude terrain and aircraft maintenance under low-light conditions.

Amidst the towering mountains, the fighter jet rapidly approached the target airspace, marking the onset of a critical phase in live-fire training. As the crew members began their search for the target, an unexpected shower suddenly arrived. The dense fog reduced visibility drastically, making it much more challenging to identify and lock onto the target.

The sudden change in meteorological conditions raised the question of whether to halt operations for safety reasons or to press on despite the challenges. After carefully analyzing the situation, the command team decisively issued the order to “proceed as planned.” The crew calmly analyzed the impact of the rainy and foggy weather on flight visibility, live-fire shooting, and other aspects, employing methods such as cross-comparison to quickly identify the target for attack.

“Fire!” As the order was given, multiple missiles roared out, accurately destroying the enemy’s command center. The initial round of artillery strikes concluded successfully.

Leaders from relevant departments of the Xizang Military Region stated that organizing night live-fire training in high-altitude areas not only places higher demands on the psychological qualities and technical-tactical proficiency of pilots, but also poses challenges to the performance of aircraft and the comprehensive ground support capabilities. During this training, they abandoned the mindset of “not conducting training in hazardous or risky situations” and did not predetermine flight routes or curtail training exercises. Multiple types of helicopters were deployed for aerial reconnaissance, target strike, and other training exercises. Six types of ammunition were fired in live-fire drills, comprehensively testing the performance of aircraft, the combat skills of officers and soldiers, and the overall integrated support capabilities.

The reporter observed on-site that the ground support teams remained in a state of constant readiness. Under the cover of darkness, the armaments team meticulously inspected the ammunition racks and efficiently completed the loading and safety verification of ammunition. The aircraft maintenance team thoroughly examined the aircraft’s hydraulic lines and avionics systems to ensure the fighter jet was in optimal condition. The fuel support personnel efficiently completed the fuel replenishment, ensuring the fighter jet could take to the skies again.

As night deepened, with the final fighter aircraft safely landing, the nighttime live-fire training at high altitudes came to a close. According to reports, this training broke through multiple bottlenecks, including night flying at high altitudes, firepower strikes under complex weather conditions, and emergency responses to unforeseen situations. It helped bridge the gap in the nighttime combat capabilities of the high-altitude ground aviation units and contributed to the steady improvement of the unit’s combat effectiveness. (Looking into the New Era)