PLA teams prepare for International Army Games

Teams from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) are preparing for the upcoming International Army Games (IAG) scheduled to start on August 3 across 10 countries, which this year will include a joint team from the PLA's Naval Aviation and Air Force for the first time.

A PLA Naval Aviation brigade is currently conducting intensive training for the "Aviadarts" competition to be held in Russia as a part of the IAG.

During a recent exercise, JH-7 fighter bombers flew to a target zone more than 100 kilometers away, took multiple combat maneuvers and launched attacks on the target in difficult weather conditions, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Sunday.

"This will be the first time the Naval Aviation troops step out of the country's border for the IAG, and we value this opportunity," naval officer Feng Xianzheng told CCTV.

The increasing presence of Chinese naval units in the IAG is an indication that the Navy is becoming more confident in foreign communication and exchange, Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military analyst, told the Global Times on Monday.

Having Naval Aviation's fighter bombers involved will help Chinese Navy pilots gain more experience from their foreign colleagues, especially from Russians who have been in combat, Wei said.

The Navy will also send marine troops for the "Seaborne Assault" competition in Russia and, for the first time, divers for the "Deep Sea" competition in Iran, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Other teams, including engineering troops of the Army and paratroopers of the Air Force, are also conducting exercises for various competitions in the games.

The first batch of Chinese main battle tanks, airborne infantry fighting vehicles and transport vehicles had arrived in Russia by Thursday, CCTV said in a separate report.

The PLA Army is also ready to host four competition items in Korla, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

The Chinese military has taken part in the IAG six years in a row and hosted certain competitions in China for three consecutive years, the PLA Daily reported.