MANILA, June 17 (PNA) — China will have the capability to maintain and sustain large military aircraft once it completes its airstrip at Fiery Cross (Kagitingan Reef) which lies of the West Philippine Sea.
This was disclosed by Department of National Defense (DND) spokesperson Dr. Peter Paul Galvez in a press briefing Wednesday.
“I’m not so sure (on the state of the airstrip’s completion), they were saying that it’s like 75 percent, I’m not so sure on how long it is but its already more than halfway, they were saying that it is three kilometers long approximately, (with that length), it can (handle) large aircraft, like cargo and military ones, ” he added.
And once they had that kind of facility, the DND spokesperson said China will have the capability to maintain and sustain such aircraft which will be likely a cause of concern for all nations having overlapping claims in the West Philippine Sea.
“If they can sustain maintain yung airfield na yun they can put there a jet anytime and you know it can be (used)in enforcing (an) ADIZ (air defense identification zone) anytime,” Galvez said. (PNA)