Military medics arrive at Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Feb. 13, 2020. Ordered by the Central Military Commission, 11 transport aircraft of the People's Liberation Army Air Force Thursday sent medics and supplies provided by the armed forces to virus-hit Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province. This was the first time for China's domestically developed large transport aircraft Y-20 to take part in non-military action. It was also the first time for the Air Force to send large and medium transport aircraft on active service to carry out urgent air transport tasks on a large scale. (Xinhua/Li Yun)

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WUHAN, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- Ordered by the Central Military Commission, 11 transport aircraft of the People's Liberation Army Air Force Thursday sent medics and supplies provided by the armed forces to virus-hit Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province.

This was the first time for China's domestically developed large transport aircraft Y-20 to take part in non-military action. It was also the first time for the Air Force to send large and medium transport aircraft on active service to carry out urgent air transport tasks on a large scale.

The participation of the Y-20 in this task is an actual test to the strategic delivery capabilities of the Air Force, said Du Baolin, commander of a division in the Air Force that was equipped with the Y-20.

The Y-20 can carry out long-distance air transport tasks under complex meteorological conditions.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19, the Air Force has sent several batches of medics and supplies to virus-hit areas. Its troops stationed in Hubei, the epicenter of the outbreak, have also taken part in transporting medical equipment and daily necessities.