卫星图像显示中老宾昆机场联合训练中心已投入运作

中国与老挝在宾昆机场联合设立的训练中心已正式启动运营。1中国国防部9月29日宣布中老两军宾昆机场联合保障和训练中心、中老友谊航空学院正式运行，用于协助老挝培训空军飞行员。1

商业卫星供应商Vantor在9月30日拍摄的卫星图像显示，该训练中心已出现8架飞机和逾24辆军用保障车辆。1这些飞机被安全分析人士认定为K8轻型攻击机，由中国与巴基斯坦联合研制。1澳洲战略政策研究所高级分析师范登布林克表示，选择宾昆建设设施"更可能是抓住现有机会，而非满足明确的军事行动需求"。1分析人士认为这可能是中国在东南亚建立的首个功能完备的海外军事基地。1中国现有的海外军事设施还包括南海设施、柬埔寨云壤港的使用安排和吉布地的后勤基地。1

Satellite imagery has revealed the operational deployment of military aircraft and vehicles at a newly established training facility in Laos. Commercial satellite provider Vantor captured images on September 30 showing eight K-8 light attack aircraft and more than 24 military support vehicles at the Binkunn Airbase facility 1. The aircraft have been identified by security analysts as K-8 light attack planes, developed jointly by China and Pakistan 1.

China's Defense Ministry formally announced the operational status of the Binkunn Airbase Joint Support and Training Center and the China-Laos Friendship Aviation Academy on September 29, with the facilities designated to assist Laos in training air force pilots 1. Senior analyst Van den Brink from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute suggested that the selection of Binkunn "is more likely seizing existing opportunities than meeting explicit military operational needs" 1. China maintains other overseas military facilities, including installations in the South China Sea, an arrangement at Cambodia's Ream Port, and a logistics base in Djibouti 1.