Is China military trying out new combat tactics with J-16 sorties?

Recent air force sorties by the People’s Liberation Army near Taiwan indicate the Chinese military may be training its pilots in new combat tactics, with a key role for the J-16 fighter bomber helped by early warning and electronic warfare aircraft, analysts said.

Military observers have noted an increased presence of the KJ-500 airborne early warning and control system (Awacs) and different generations of fighter jets, along with the multi-role J-16, during the PLA’s numerous approaches towards the self-ruled island in recent months.