China's air force team to debut at Dubai Airshow

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The Dubai Airshow is starting on Sunday, and it is showcasing the latest and greatest in military, general and commercial aviation.

Considered the biggest airshow in the Middle East, the event has been held every two years since 1989 in the United Arab Emirates and is scheduled to last from November 12 to 16 this year.

The Chinese Air Force's August 1st Air Demonstration Team will be performing during the five-day event for the first time ever. The team has staged more than 600 aerobatic shows for delegations from 168 countries and regions. It has also visited several countries for performances, including Russia and Thailand, Xinhua reports.

J-10 aerobatic fighter jets of the Chinese Air Force's August 1st Air Demonstration Team in China on November 5, 2017. /Photo via Xinhua

Consisting of seven J-10 aerobatic fighter jets, and two IL-76 transport aircraft to refuel for the J-10s, the Chinese team will perform 19 routines during the flying display section of the airshow.

“This is the fourth time that we will be performing outside of China,” Cao Zhenzhong, captain of the team told Xinhua after the last test flight on Saturday. “Although it is challenging to fly under the high temperature of the desert, we are confident we can accomplish the task with flying colors.”

Shen Jinke, spokesman of the PLA Air Force, said the air force is ready for pragmatic exchange and cooperation in more fields and many levels with air forces of other countries and to make new contributions to peace and development, Xinhua reported.

The team will visit Pakistan after the Dubai Airshow and stage aerobatic performances there on November 20, according to the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force.

Click here to watch the live coverage of the Dubai Airshow.

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