China and Pakistan have conducted several joint air force exercises together. What is the name given to their recurring bilateral air exercise mentioned here?

Introduction / Context:
Defence cooperation exercises between countries are often given specific code names that appear in news reports and competitive exams. China and Pakistan, which share strategic and military ties, regularly conduct joint air exercises. Knowing the correct name of such exercises is useful for questions on international relations and defence. This question asks you to identify the name of the joint air exercise conducted by the air forces of China and Pakistan.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The exercise in question is a joint air exercise between China and Pakistan.
• We are given four possible names: Black Flag, Desert Eagle, Red Flag, and Shaheen.
• Some of these names are associated with military exercises involving other countries.
• We assume standard knowledge of widely reported defence exercises.

Concept / Approach:
China and Pakistan conduct a series of joint air exercises under the name Shaheen, often numbered by edition. These exercises are designed to improve interoperability between the two air forces and to share tactics and training. Names like Red Flag are associated with United States Air Force exercises, and Desert Eagle refers to other regional training events. Black Flag is also connected to different air combat training programs and not to the China Pakistan bilateral arrangement. Therefore, Shaheen is the correct choice for the recurring China Pakistan air exercise.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the key words that the exercise is a joint air exercise between China and Pakistan. Step 2: Recall that these countries conduct an exercise called Shaheen, followed by a number indicating the edition. Step 3: Check the options and identify Shaheen as option D. Step 4: Recognise that Red Flag is associated with the United States and its allies, not China Pakistan. Step 5: Conclude that Shaheen is the name of the joint air exercise between China and Pakistan.

Verification / Alternative check:
News reports and defence ministry releases from both China and Pakistan mention the Shaheen series as their bilateral air exercises. They include coverage of participating aircraft, locations, and objectives. These reports do not refer to Black Flag or Desert Eagle as China Pakistan exercises. Comparing multiple credible sources confirms that Shaheen is consistently used for this purpose, validating it as the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Black Flag is linked with other air combat training programs and is not the official name of China Pakistan joint air exercises, so option A is incorrect. Desert Eagle is also a name used for different regional events, not this specific bilateral cooperation, so option B is wrong. Red Flag is a famous United States Air Force exercise conducted at Nellis Air Force Base, and not related to China Pakistan exercises, so option C is incorrect. Only Shaheen correctly identifies the China Pakistan joint air exercise.

Common Pitfalls:
A typical mistake is to confuse Red Flag with any high profile air exercise because it is often mentioned in media. Another pitfall is guessing based on the meaning of words rather than actual facts, for example picking Desert Eagle just because it sounds like a desert region exercise. To avoid such errors, make a small list of major defence exercise names and the countries involved and revise them periodically, linking Shaheen specifically with China Pakistan air cooperation.

Final Answer:
The joint air exercise conducted by the air forces of China and Pakistan is known as Shaheen.