'Fresh blood'

Hao Bo, a senior colonel in the squadron, regards the overall military situation as fluid and challenging. In response, the unit is always fully prepared to engage an enemy.

"Since the 1950s, our squadron has been revered, and it still is today because of our strong fighting capacity. A pioneer force like ours always bears its mission in mind, and constantly inspires and trains new pilots," he said.

The 47-year-old, who will retire next year, has spent the past 20 years training generations of new pilots for the squadron. He believes that a good talent structure has ensured that the squadron has constantly remained at full strength, both physically and mentally.

"I have the responsibility of helping to select the best-performing pilots during training. Psychological competence is more important than flying technique, and only by watching the young pilots perform a number of tasks, can we assess whether they are good enough," he said.

Yu Changyi, a 31-year-old pilot with the squadron, said efficient coordination between the pilots is one of the most important factors in winning battles. However, the partnerships are not fixed because pilots constantly move between units.

"Every year, new people are enrolled. The senior pilots need to help them grow into skilled pilots as quickly as possible to ensure the training period is as short as possible and help accustom them to combat situations," he said.

Wang, from the Air Force Command College, said effective team building is the key to success. A successful team should include experienced members and vigorous freshmen, and new talent must be introduced regularly.

"Some flying skills cannot be learned from books; they are kind of a feeling that needs to be taught one-on-one. When there are several old hands in a team, the younger members feel more secure. By the same token, the older pilots can be motivated by the younger ones," he said.

"With the rapid development of modern weapons systems, battle skills and team construction must catch up to help our airmen adapt to new equipment and perform to our maximum potential," he added.

"It is our long-standing maxim, and also a basic law, that the military trains for real combat. We must avoid any slackness or complacency if we are not engaged for long periods of time, because external threats will always exist."