Luo Yang will be remembered forever
In past two days, all Chinese people have been glued to the television watching certain repeatedly aired video clips. Military experts internationally have also been busy analyzing and interpreting what was before everyone's eyes:
A J-15 jet fighter landed from the air in high speed on China's first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, its tail hook quickly catching an arresting cable on the deck to slow it to a half exactly in time; then the screen switched to another clip showing another J-15 gliding fast on the flight deck and taking off to the sky through the curved incline…
Watching the TV footage, Hong Kong citizens shared the great excitement and happiness with people all over the country. Civilians are no military expert, having no idea how difficult for a jet fight to take off from and land on the deck of a carrier. However, on seeing the tense expressions on the faces of officers and soldiers on the carrier as well as the busy preparations before the J-15 fighter's landing and taking off, even Hong Kong citizens could realize that China has made a breakthrough in aircraft-related technologies. China will further strengthen its national defence strength. Chinese people have achieved another success in national reconstruction that has attracted world attention.
In fact, as some military experts have pointed out, without having jet fighters to successfully land on and take off from it, an aircraft carrier is nothing but a moveable monster on the ocean. Only with the successful landing and taking off of the J-15 fighters, Liaoning now has truly become an aircraft carrier worthy of the name .
Needless to say, compared with Western military powers, the J-15's successful landing on and taking off from the Liaoning carrier is by no means a significant technological breakthrough. In contrast, US nuclear-powered aircraft carriers have already been able to launch an aircraft from a catapult , ejecting it into the sky like a cannonball with great power. However, the J-15's successful landing and taking off still has made some Western countries and their military experts sit up and take notice . For, the Liaoning aircraft carrier was just handed over to the navy in September of this year. That means there have been less than two months for practical training for landing on and taking off from the carrier. But all the five J-15 pilots were all succeeded in their first test landing and taking off. How is it possible that experts would not feel greatly surprised by the fast progress and high efficiency of the training?
As a matter of fact, just like in space navigation, the rendezvous of China's Shenzhou spaceship with its Tiangong space station still falls back behind the United States and Russia which started building their space stations more than 20 years ago. But earlier or later in time does not necessarily translate into difference in strength. The time difference of 20 years does not necessarily need to be narrowed in 20 years' time. Today, the Shenzhou-Tiangong rendezvous does the same as what a space station does, and China is bound to catch up or even surpass in a faster pace. China has relied on its own efforts to rebuild, bit by bit , its first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, on a “pile of wasted steel” sold by the former Soviet Union. Chinese people's most fresh and specific memory of a navy is how Western powers knocked open China's doors with their warships and guns, forcing China to cede territory and pay indemnities. Today, Chinese people's aspiration and Chinese navy's determination and confidence in building up a “Great Wall at Sea” to safeguard the Motherland are so strong that all those who attempt to invade China must think twice about taking any rash action. All Chinese people feel gratified at and proud of this.
The decisive factor for China to make all such achievements is the strength of the people. Without a large number of soldiers who love their own country and nation, be loyal to the party and people's undertaking, none of the miracles could have ever been achieved, such as the launch of the Shenzhou space ships, the operation of the Jiaolong manned deep-sea research submersible, the J-15's test flight. Right after the successful landing on and taking off by J-15 fighters from the Liaoning carrier, chief of the J-15 fighter programme and chairman and president of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation Luo Yang had a heart attack and died. All J-15 pilots and Shenyang Aircraft Corporation staff feel deeply grieved. Luo Yang had devoted his life to the success in development, production and test flight of the J-15 jet fighter. He failed to attend the celebration dinner, but his name and deeds will forever live in the hearts of Chinese people.27 November 2012
