China deploys attack aircraft at new Laos military facility

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Vientiane, Laos: China has moved light attack aircraft and military vehicles to a newly announced joint training facility in Laos, according to satellite images reviewed by Reuters.

Images taken on September 30 show what security analysts identified as eight K-8 aircraft and more than 20 support vehicles at Ban Keun, near the Laotian capital Vientiane. Construction work is still under way around the runway.

The facility was announced by China's defence ministry a day earlier and is being closely watched by regional military officials and security experts. Some analysts believe it could eventually become China's first fully developed overseas military base in Southeast Asia.

The K-8, also known as the Hongdu JL-8, is a Chinese-Pakistani aircraft used for training and light attack missions. Both China and Laos operate the type, with Laos having four aircraft, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Analysts are watching for air defence systems, fuel and ammunition storage and surveillance equipment that could indicate the facility has wider military purposes. The runway also appears designed to allow a future extension that could accommodate larger aircraft, including surveillance and electronic intelligence planes.

Ban Keun has historical military significance. During the Vietnam War, the site was used by Air America, an airline secretly owned by the CIA, to transport US-backed Hmong forces and supplies across Laos.