The reporter learned from the Army Aviation Department of the PLA General Staff Headquarters on Jan. 6 that the military training of the PLA's army aviation force would seek new leapfrog development. By setting sights on boosting four different capabilities, namely "rapid delivery of military strength, precision strike, effective air domination and timely support", the army aviation force will take "building itself into a rapid mobile force compatible with integrated joint operations" as its goal, to speed up the pace of transforming itself "from a unitary arm to an integrated arm, from a force with only transport capability to a force with both transport and striking capabilities, and from playing the supplementary role to playing the main combat role in battle".

　　The army aviation is a young arm of the PLA, with most of its pilots being freshly transferred from other services and arms. At the moment it is confronted with the heavy task of adapting itself to the ongoing transformation of the army. Under such circumstances, the army aviation force of the PLA will, in the New Year, carry out strict military training under realistic combat scenarios and maintain the tempo of military training in a scientific way. In addition, it will also accelerate the fostering of talents by various means. To this end, the army aviation force has decided to make a success of its annual military training conference, and take it as a starting point for promoting fulfillment of various training tasks and ensuring flight safety in the New Year.

　　By Li Chuanxin and Hu Junhua

　　(Jan.9, PLA Daily)