BEIJING: The representatives from 49 countries including Pakistan attended the International Military Flight Training Conference 2021 held in Zhuhai, China. Twelve Chinese and foreign guests from military and civilian circles made speeches around the theme of “Talent, Innovation, Collaboration, Development” at the conference hosted by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). An official from the PLAAF said at the conference that the air force development and future intelligentized air battles have put forward new requirements for the competence of pilots, and the PLAAF is engaged in forwarding production of new-type pilots following the guideline that talent cultivation, commanding system, and armaments development should proceed in coordination, according to China Military Online. “Cultivating air force commanders for the era of intelligent air battle will be an important brand-new topic in the development of air force,” said Li Xiaocheng, vice president of Chinese PLA Air Force Command College. According to Li, the simulated training mode will be upgraded from “simulation + network” to “virtual + intelligent”, and the training exercise pattern will be evolved from “live-fire confrontation” to “virtual-real combined intelligent confrontation”, with the training assessment upgraded from “manual-based” to “intelligent-based”. Hao Jingwen, head of the training bureau under the PLAAF Staff Headquarters, said the PLAAF is upgrading its combat equipment, flight training concept, and talent cultivation mode at a faster pace amid the trend of science and technology innovation. Initiated by the PLAAF in 2010, the International Military Flight Training Conference is an international platform for the exchange of views and practice on flight talent cultivation and development and collaborated innovation of flight training and aviation equipment. It is held biennially and has been held six times.