During August 2022, China’s Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) conducted a joint exercise in the northern part of Thailand called Falcon Strike 2022. Paul Filmer supplies images for this piece.

PLAAF JH-7 © Paul Filmer - Global Aviation Resource

PLAAF JH-7 © Paul Filmer – Global Aviation Resource

Falcon Strike took place over 10 days at Udon Thani Air Base in the north of the country. Command and Control aircraft taking part were a single PLAAF Shaanxi KJ-500 and a single RTAF SAAB SF-340AEW of 702 Air Control Squadron based at Surat Thani, in the south of the country.

PLAAF KJ-500 © Paul Filmer - Global Aviation Resource

RTAF SF-340AEW © Paul Filmer - Global Aviation Resource

RTAF SF-340AEW © Paul Filmer – Global Aviation Resource

Other RTAF aircraft taking part were SAAB JAS39C/D Gripens of 701 Fighter Squadron, also based at Surat Thani, plus Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet As of 231 Attack Squadron at Udon Thani.

RTAF JAS39D © Paul Filmer - Global Aviation Resource

RTAF JAS39D © Paul Filmer – Global Aviation Resource

RTAF Alpha Jet A © Paul Filmer - Global Aviation Resource

RTAF Alpha Jet A © Paul Filmer – Global Aviation Resource

All the PLAAF aircraft were flown by the 131 Brigade out of Luliang Air Base in Yunnan Province, and included Chengdu J-10C/Hs alongside Xi’an JH-7As.

PLAAF J-10C © Paul Filmer - Global Aviation Resource

PLAAF J-10C © Paul Filmer – Global Aviation Resource

PLAAF JH-7A © Paul Filmer - Global Aviation Resource

PLAAF JH-7A © Paul Filmer – Global Aviation Resource

RTAF Alpha Jet A © Paul Filmer - Global Aviation Resource

RTAF Alpha Jet A © Paul Filmer – Global Aviation Resource

RTAF JAS39C © Paul Filmer - Global Aviation Resource

RTAF JAS39C © Paul Filmer – Global Aviation Resource

PLAAF J-10C © Paul Filmer - Global Aviation Resource

PLAAF J-10C © Paul Filmer – Global Aviation Resource

PLAAF JH-7A © Paul Filmer - Global Aviation Resource

PLAAF JH-7A © Paul Filmer – Global Aviation Resource

PLAAF KJ-500 © Paul Filmer - Global Aviation Resource

PLAAF KJ-500 © Paul Filmer – Global Aviation Resource

PLAAF KJ-500 © Paul Filmer - Global Aviation Resource

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PLAAF KJ-500 © Paul Filmer - Global Aviation Resource