PLA aerobatic team to star at Moscow airshow

The Bayi Aerobatic Team of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force left Tianjin for Moscow on Sunday to stage its first overseas airshow with J-10 jet fighters. The team will join with its Russian counterpart at the 11th Moscow Airshow at the Ramenskoye Airport between August 27 and September 1. [Xinhua Photo]

The Bayi Aerobatic Team of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force left Tianjin for Moscow on Sunday to stage its first overseas airshow with J-10 jet fighters.

The team will join with its Russian counterpart at the 11th Moscow Airshow at the Ramenskoye Airport between Aug. 27 and Sept. 1.

Since it was established 51 years ago, the team has performed for 668 delegations from 166 countries and regions, but the Moscow tour marks the team's first show abroad.

The participation will help strengthen political ties, mutual military trust, and cooperation between the armed forces of China and Russia, said Zhuang Kezhu, commander of the air force of the Beijing Military Area Command.

The Bayi team was initially equipped with J-5's and has been gradually updating the fleet. The third generation of home-built J-10 fighters made their maiden appearance at the 7th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in 2008.