Pakistan, China launch joint air force training exercise Shaheen 5

Pakistan and China have launched a joint bilateral air force exercise named Shaheen (Eagle) 5 in Pakistan.
This is the fifth edition of such drill between the two countries that will take place from April 9 to 30, 2016.
This edition of exercise seeks to boost bilateral relations between all-weather friends China and Pakistan. For its part Pakistan wants to upgrade its air force, now dependent on a mostly outmoded fleet of US, French and Chinese fighter jets.
Backgroud

• The first edition of Shaheen drill was held in Pakistan in March 2011, the second in China’s western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in September 2013 and the third was held in Punjab, Pakistan, in May 2014.
• Shaheen-4 i.e. fourth edition of the bilateral exercise was held in China last in 2015. It had featured fighters, fighter bombers as well as airborne early warning and control aircraft.

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2016