英语文摘:China ends air defense exercise with live-fire drill

JINAN, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- China concludes a five-day air defense exercise on Saturday with a live-fire drill and precision attacks on air targets by ground-to-air missiles.

The live-fire drill, in Shandong Province, was part of the exercise code-named "Vanguard-2010," which began Tuesday in seven cities across Henan and Shandong provinces, involving more than 12,000 personnel.

Seven types of ground-to-air weaponry, including a new type of ground-to-air missile and another state-of-the-art anti-aircraft gun, were used in intercepting and concentrating fire on air targets.

Nearly 200 military aircraft, including drones, reconnaissance aircraft, fighter jets and helicopters, were involved in the five-day military drill, said Feng Zhaoju, deputy commander of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Jinan Military Command.

The annual drill, consisting of two phases, focused on an emergency evacuation, strategy, reconnaissance, early warning, ground-to-air attacks and evacuation of command posts during the first phase which ended Thursday.

Its second phase included testing of air defense abilities in a "complicated electromagnetic environment."

A "Vanguard-2009A" exercise last year involved 5,000 troops from the army and air force.

"Vanguard-2008" included a 2,200-strong armored brigade from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Jinan Military Area Command.