China is expanding a flight-test facility in its western desert region to speed up development of its next-generation military aircraft, as Beijing and Washington vie for dominance in advanced air power, SCMP reported.
According to SCMP, satellite imagery of the Lop Nur facility in Xinjiang shows construction of four large hangars, new taxiways, a circular pad believed to support engine testing or aircraft turnaround, and possible fuel-storage infrastructure. The expansion coincides with China's pursuit of multiple advanced combat-aircraft programmes simultaneously, potentially giving it greater capacity to test sensitive designs and run parallel flight-test programmes away from routine scrutiny.
