China, Russia Conduct First Bomber Landaways

SINGAPORE—Chinese and Russian air forces have conducted the first so-called landaways with their bomber forces, with video showing Russian Tupolev Tu-95MS Bear turboprop bombers landing at an unspecified base near Shanghai and People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Xian H-6K bombers touching down at an unspecified base in Russia. 

The landaways followed a scheduled joint patrol mission in North Asia.

The Russian ministry of defense said the Tu-95MS departed Ukrainka Air Base at Amur Oblast and was in the air for 8 hr., escorted by Sukhoi Su-30SM and Su-35S fighters in certain segment of the flight. 

The Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) and Republic of Korea Air Force scrambled fighters as the aircraft entered their respective air defense identification zones. Russian defense ministry videos show JASDF F-15Js, a U.S. Air Force F-22A and unidentified F-35s shadowing the formation.

Japan’s ministry of defense reported a pair of Tu-95MS, a pair of H-6Ks and two Shenyang J-16 fighters flying together over the East China Sea. 

Chinese state television also revealed that the J-16s were supported by PLAAF’s new YY-20 tankers, which provided aerial refueling during the mission. 

While such joint patrol flights are not new, the landaways at the respective bases signal an elevated level of cooperation between the two militaries, going beyond tactical flying to include collaboration in areas of air traffic and ground logistics. It will be worth observing how both parties will further integrate their bomber operations, which could possibly see joint air-to-air refueling of assets moving forward.