WZ-19 and Z-9 attack helicopters fired rockets and missiles during the drill, which began around 9 am and concluded around 11 pm, and practiced a host of tactic maneuvers such as sea-skimming assault and joint strike.

Yang Baowei, deputy commander of the brigade, was quoted in the statement as saying that the exercise was aimed at honing the unit's operational capability at sea, at night and against sophisticated electronic countermeasures. The event also tested pilots' ability to respond to rapidly changing situations in action, he added.