中国人民解放军空军
People's Liberation Army Air Force |
|
| Founded | November 11, 1949 |
| Country | People's Republic of China |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Role | national defense and to the provision of assistance in emergency relief |
| Size | 400,000 personnel
2,000 combat aircraft [1] |
| Engagements | Korean War, Vietnam War, Sino-Vietnamese War |
| Commanders |
Current
commander | General Xu Qiliang |
| Insignia |
| Roundel | |
| Aircraft flown |
| Attack | Q-5 (Due to be retired by the JH-7 within the decade). |
| Bomber | JH-7, H-6 |
Electronic
warfare | KJ-200, KJ-2000. |
| Fighter | J-11, J-10, JF-17, J-8II, J-7, Su-30, Su-27, Sukhoi Su-30MKK |
| Interceptor | J-8II |
| Trainer | L-15, JL-8, JL-9 |
| Transport | Y-9, Y-8, Y-7, Il-76 |
The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) (simplified Chinese: 中国人民解放军空军; traditional Chinese: 中國人民解放軍空軍; pinyin: Zhōngguó Rénmín Jiěfàngjūn Kōngjūn) is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China. It currently consists of approximately 400,000 personnel and about 2000 combat aircraft,[1] making the PLAAF the largest air force in Asia and the third largest in the world behind the United States Air Force, and the Russian Air Force.
[edit] History
Although the Eighth Route Army (PLA's predecessor) had operated a few aircraft since the Second Sino-Japanese War, the first organized air arm of the PLA was the Nanyuan Flying Group, formed in the summer of 1949 with about 40 ex-Nationalist aircraft, responsible for the air defence of the soon-to-be capital city of Beijing, China.
The Soviet Union helped found the Air Force on November 11, 1949, shortly after the establishment of the People's Republic, and began to provide aircraft in late 1951. Production technology came two years later. Soviet involvement also extended to training combat pilots. Soviet instructors trained the new pilots in Soviet tactics. Those new PLAAF pilots took part to some degree in the Korean War, where they along with their Soviet counterparts often engaged American aircraft in combat.
By 1956 China was assembling its own aircraft, but initially these were copies of Soviet types. The first of them was the J-2 (copy of MiG-15); some western observers referred to the upgraded MiG-15bis variant as J-4, but the PLAAF never used the "J-4" aircraft designation. By 1958, increased cooperation with the Soviets allowed China to produce both the J-5 (MiG-17) and the J-6 (MiG-19) manufactured under license.
The 1960s proved to be a difficult period for the PLAAF. This was due to the break in relations with the Soviet Union, and as a consequence of the withdrawal of Soviet aid in 1960 the Chinese aircraft industry almost collapsed. The industry declined markedly through 1963, further hindered by the high priority accorded to the competing missile and nuclear weapons program. The aircraft industry began to recover in about 1965, as China began providing the forces of North Vietnam with J-2s, J-4s, J-5s, and some J-6s on the onset of the Vietnam War. The 1960s also saw the first indigenous Chinese design, namely the J-8.
The PLA Air Force underwent reorganization and streamlining as part of the reduction in force begun in 1985. Before the 1985 reorganization, the Air Force reportedly had four branches: air defense, ground attack, bombing, and independent air regiments. In peacetime the Air Force Directorate, under the supervision of the PLA General Staff Department, controlled the Air Force through air army headquarters located with, or in communication with, each of the seven military region headquarters. In war, control of the Air Force probably reverted to the regional commanders. In 1987 it was not clear how the reorganization and the incorporation of air support elements into the group armies affected air force organization.
The largest Air Force organizational unit was the division, which consisted of 17,000 personnel in three regiments. A typical air defense regiment had three squadrons of three flights; each flight had three or four aircraft. The Air Force also had 220,000 air defense personnel who controlled about 100 surface-to-air missile sites and over 16,000 antiaircraft guns. In addition, it had a large number of early-warning, ground-control-intercept, and air-base radars manned by specialized troops organized into at least twenty-two independent regiments.
In the 1980s the Air Force made serious efforts to raise the education level and improve the training of its pilots. Superannuated pilots were retired or assigned to other duties. All new pilots were at least middle-school graduates. The time it took to train a qualified pilot capable of performing combat missions reportedly was reduced from four or five years to two years. Training emphasized raising technical and tactical skills in individual pilots and participation in combined-arms operations. Flight safety also increased.
In 1987 the Air Force had serious technological deficiencies — especially when compared with its principal threat, the Soviet Union — and had many needs that it could not satisfy. It needed more advanced aircraft, better avionics, electronic countermeasures equipment, more powerful aircraft weaponry, a low-altitude surface-to-air missile, and better controlled antiaircraft artillery guns. Some progress was made in aircraft design with the incorporation of Western avionics into the F-7 (a copy of the MiG-21) and F-8, the development of refueling capabilities for the B-6D bomber and the A-5 attack fighter, increased aircraft all-weather capabilities, and the production of the HQ-2J high-altitude surface-to-air missile and the C-601 air-to-ship missile.
Although the PLAAF received significant support from Western nations in the 1980s when China was seen as a counterweight to Soviet power, this support ended in 1989 as a result of the Chinese crackdown on the Tiananmen protests of 1989 and the later collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Ironically, while the Soviet Union was China's former foe, after the fall of the USSR, Russia became China's principal arms supplier to the effect that Chinese economic growth allowed Russia to sustain its aerospace industry.
Between the Vietnam War and the early 1990s, the PLAAF's flying consisted mostly of large numbers of near-obsolete Soviet planes. The main mission scenario under consideration by the PLAAF during this time was to support the PLA in defending China against a massive Soviet tank invasion. Under the doctrine of People's War, Chinese air strategy involved large numbers of short-range low-technology fighters.
[edit] Modernization program
In the late 1980s, the primary mission of the PLAAF was the defense of the mainland, and most aircraft were assigned to this role. A smaller number of ground attack and bomber units were assigned to interdiction and possibly close air support, and some bomber units could be used for nuclear delivery. The force had only limited military airlift and reconnaissance capabilities.
In the early 1990s, the PLAAF began a program of modernization, motivated by the collapse of the Soviet Union, as well as the possibility of military conflict with the Republic of China (Taiwan) and perhaps also involving the United States. This process began with the acquisition of Su-27s in the early 1990s and the development of various fourth-generation aircraft, including the domestic J-10, and the JF-17 in collaboration with Pakistan. The PLAAF also strove to improve its pilot training and continued to retire obsolete aircraft. This resulted in a reduction of the overall number of aircraft in the PLAAF with a concurrent increase in quality of its air fleet.
The 21st century has seen the continuation of the modernization program with China's huge economic growth. It acquired 76 Su-30MKK's from 2000 to 2003, and 24 upgraded Su-30MK2's in 2004. It also produced around 100 J-11s from 2002 onwards and bought 3 batches (at a total of 76) of the Su-27SK/UBK. Production of the J-10 fighter began in 2002 with an estimated 100 aircraft in service currently. The PLAAF also began developing its own tanker aircraft, which it previously lacked, by modifying old H-6 bomber (Chinese copy of Tu-16 Badger). In 2005 it announced plans to buy approximately 30 IL-76 transport planes and 8 Il-78 tanker planes, which would greatly increase its troop airlift capability and offer extended range to many aircraft, though as of 2009 this deal is still on hold.
Predictions of PLAAF future fleet will consist of large quantities of J-10 and J-11 as its main force, and JH-7A as the PLAAF backbone precision strike fighter. JF-17/FC-1 if inducted by the Chinese airforce will fulfill the previous roles of the J-7 and J-8, while future stealth fighter projects entering service will be inducted into the air fleet in small numbers, assigned to elite PLAAF selected pilots. The transport fleet will comprise of Y-9 medium range transport aircraft, along with the Soviet IL-76, and heavy transport aircraft similar to the USAF C-17 that China is currently developing. Its helicopter fleet will comprise of Z-15 troop transporter, and the Z-10 attack helicopter for its ground forces. AWACS/AEW will be refined variants of existing service fleet of KJ-2000 and KJ-200, with UAV/UCAV in early stages of service in the PLAAF.
[edit] Organization
- Headquarters Air Force (HqAF)
The HqAF consists of four departments: Command, Political, Logistic, and Equipment, which mirrors the four general departments of the PLA.
-
- Military region air forces (MRAF)
- Division (Fighter, Attack, Bomber)
The PLAAF typically uses the system of threes in its organization at Division level and below, i.e. 3 Regiments per Division, 3 Squadrons per Regiment, and so on. There are also Independent Regiments within the MRAFs. There are also two Airborne Corps (the 15th Airborne Corps, and the 16th) under direct control of PLAAF Headquarters.
PLAAF Order of Battle
The August 1st (aerobatic team) is the PLAAF only aerobatics team and was formed in 1998.
[edit] Leadership
The PLA Air Force has had 10 commanders and 11 political commissars since its inception, including three political commissars who later became commanders.[2]
Deputy Commanders:
Deputy Political Commissars:
- Chief of Staff: Yang Guohai
- Director of Political Department: Wang Xiaolong
[edit] Aircraft Inventory
[edit] Current Aircraft Inventory (includes PLANAF aircraft)
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service[3][4] | Notes | Image |
| Fighter Aircraft |
| Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon |  China | multirole fighter | J-10
J-10S
J-10B | ~168 | Chinese domestic 4-4.5th-generation multi-role fighter with technology implemented from cancelled J-9 project. J-10B; 4.5th generation multi-role fighter refined variant of the 4th generation J-10A. |  |
| JF-17 Thunder[1] | China Pakistan | multi-role fighter | JF-17
JF-17S | 4 Prototypes (Under evaluation in China, and in service in Pakistan) | Joint produced 4th-generation fighter jet, reportedly acquired by the PLAAF to replace its J-7s and Q-5s. Joint project China and Pakistan[2] |  |
| Shenyang J-8II Finback | China | Interceptor |
J-8B
J-8D
J-8H
J-8F
JZ-8
JZ-8F | ~288-315 | Chinese domestic 3rd generation interceptor, later variants possessing 4th generation capabilities. |  |
| Chengdu J-7 Airguard | China | Interceptor | J-7I
J-7II
J-7D/E
J-7G
JJ-7
J-7GB | ~599-720 | Chinese domestic 3rd generation interceptor derived from the Soviet MiG-21 [3] |  |
| Sukhoi Su-30MKK Flanker-G | China
 Russia | air-superiority multi-role fighter | Su-30 total
Su-30MKK
Su-30MK2 | 100
72
24 | Russian developed 4th generation multi-role fighter, developed according to PLAAF requirements. |
| Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker | Russia | air-superiority multi-role fighter | Su-27 total
Su-27SK
Su-27UBK | 76
34
42 | Russian bought 4th generation Su-27 air superiority fighter [4] |  |
| Shenyang J-11 | China | air-superiority | J-11 total
J-11A
J-11B
J-11BS | ~120
~96
~24
| Chinese 4-4.5th generation air-superiority fighter originally developed from the Sukhoi Su-27 airframe. J-11A production is the base model of the 4th generation Su-27 manufactured from supplied kits from Russia with Chinese components, while the 4.5th generation J-11B is a modernised indigenous multi-role fighter developed in China using the Su-27 airframe. [5] 200 J-11A licensed for production, ~96 J-11A are in service, with ~24 J-11B serving along side the J-11A. | - |
| Bomber Aircraft |
| JH-7 Flying Leopard | China | fighter-bomber | JH-7
JH-7A
| ~133-182 | Chinese domestic 4th generation strike bomber. |  |
| Xian H-6 | China | bomber | H-6
HY-6 | ~162-180 | Chinese produced Tupolev Tu-16 Soviet bomber with modernized Chinese electronics and weapons [6] |  |
| Ground Attack |
| Q-5 Fantan | China | ground attack bomber | Q-5A
Q-5I
Q-51A
Q-5II
Q-5D
Q-5E/F | ~224-252 | Chinese domestic 3rd generation ground attack fighter derived from the Shenyang J-6. Steadily being phased out, and replaced with Xian JH-7A Flounder [7] |  |
| Trainer Aircraft |
| L-15 Falcon | China | trainer | | At least 2 prototypes | Chinese domestic advanced lead-in trainer, and light weight fighter (LIFT)[8] |  |
| JL-9 Mountain Eagle | China | trainer | | | Chinese domestic trainer, and light weight fighter [9] |  |
| JL-8 Karakorum | China | trainer | K-8 | 200
(400 JL-8s were ordered by PLAAF and PLAN). | Chinese domestic basic trainer. |  |
| JL-7 Baby Eagle[10] | China | trainer | | 300 planned[11] | Chinese domestic trainer | |
| Nanchang CJ-6 | China | trainer | CJ-6A | ~400 | |  |
| Transports |
| Xian Y-14 | China | transport | | | Twin-engine turboprop transport |
| Harbin Y-12 | China | transport | | 2 | |  |
| Harbin Y-11 | China | transport | | 15 | |
| Shaanxi Y-9 | China | Multi-purpose transport | | | under development [12] |
| Shaanxi Y-8 | China | Multi-purpose transport | | 80+ | Y-8 design derived from the Soviet Antonov An-12 short-medium range transport |  |
| Xian Y-7 | China | transport | | 23 | Based on the Antonov An-24; Y-7H based on Antonov An-26 (Cold War era) [13] |
| Shijiazhuang Y-5 | China | utility transport | | 300 | Based on the Soviet Antonov An-2, made since 1950s. A light utility, transport aircraft mostly on reserve [14] (Cold War era) |
| Ilyushin Il-76 |  Soviet Union | transport | Il-76MD | 14 (30 more to be delivered) | Soviet Ilyushin Il-76 medium-range transport | |
| Bombardier Challenger 600 |  Canada | VIP transport | CL 601 | 12 | |
| Tupolev Tu-154 | Soviet Union | VIP transport | Tu-154M | 16 | some converted for electronic warfare |
| Attack Helicopters |
| CAIC WZ-10 | China | multirole attack helicopter | | 6 Prototypes as of 2006-Evaluation phase | Chinese domestic attack helicopter |  |
| Harbin WZ-9 | China | Attack heli | | 100+ | Chinese domestic attack helicopter variant of Z-9. |
| Change Z-11W | China | Attack heli | | 20 | Chinese domestic attack helicopter variant of Z-11 |
| Aérospatiale SA 342 Gazelle |  France | attack helicopter | AS 342 | 8 | French bought attack helicopter |
| Transport Helicopters |
| Changhe Z-11 | China | utility helicopter | | 20 | Chinese helicopter influenced by Eurocopter AS 350 Ecureuil |
| Harbin Z-9 | China | transport helicopter | | 100+ | Chinese license produced Eurocopter SA 365 Dauphin |
| Changhe Z-8 | China | transport helicopter | | 40+ | Chinese licensed produced Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon |
| Harbin Z-6 | China | transport/utility helicopter | | | upgrade of the Harbin Z-5. |
| Harbin Z-5 | China | transport/utility helicopter | | | no longer in production |
| Mil Mi-17 | Soviet Union | transport helicopter | | 240 | Soviet bought Mi-17 |
| Mil Mi-8 | Soviet Union | transport helicopter | | 20 | Soviet bought Mi-8 helicopter |
| Eurocopter AS 332 Cougar | France | transport helicopter | AS 332 | 6 | French Eurocopter Cougar helicopter |
| Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk |  United States | transport helicopter | S-70C | 24 | American bought civilian S-70 helicopter |
| AEW |
| KJ-2000 | China | AWAC / AEW&C | | 4+ | Uses IL-76 airframe |  |
| KJ-200 | China | AEW&C | | | Uses Y-8F600 airframe |
| Y-8 AWACS | China | AEW&C | | | |
| Y-8J AEW | China | AEW&C | | | |
| UAV and UCAV |
| CH-3 | China | stealth attack UCAV | | | |
| CH-1 [15] | China | stealth attack UCAV | | | |
| WZ-2000 | China | stealth attack UCAV | WZ-2000B | unknown | a stealth attack UCAV developed by China. |
| Xianglong Unmanned Reconnaissance Aerial Vehicle | China | Stealth long range URAV | | unknown | long-range high-altitude URAV developed by China. First unveiled in the Zhuhai Airshow.[16] |
| Yilong UCAV | China | long range attack UCAV | | unknown | Attack UCAV developed by China. First unveiled in the Zhuhai Airshow.[17] |
| PW-2 | China | stealth UAV | | | |
| TF-10 | China | stealth UAV | | | |
| TF-8 | China | stealth UAV | | | |
| SH-1 UAV | China | long range UAV | | unknown | UAV developed by China. First unveiled in the Zhuhai Airshow.[18] |
| Dufeng II UAV | China | long range UAV | | unknown | UAV developed by China. First unveiled in the Zhuhai Airshow.[19] |
| WZ-5 | China | long range UAV | | unknown | long-range high-altitude UAV developed by China. First unveiled in the Zhuhai Airshow.[20] |
| IAI Harpy |  Israel | UCAV | | | |
| WZ-5 | China | UAV | | | |
| ASN-206 | China | URAV | | | |
| ASN-207 | China | URAV | | | |
| ASN-104 | China | URAV | | | |
| ASN-105 | China | URAV | | | |
| ASN-15 | China | URAV | | | |
| TJ-1 | China | target drone | | | |
| Chengdu J-7 | China | target drone | | | |
| ASN-9 | China | target drone | | | |
| ASN-7 | China | target drone | | | |
| Shenyang J-5 | China | target drone | | | |
| ASN-2 | China | target drone | | | |
| CK-1 | China | target drone | | | |
| Others |
| Ilyushin Il-78 | Russia | aerial re-fueling tanker | | 4 | |
Many of the main types of PLAAF aircraft have been specially modified and carry no clear distinct designation. The following types of modifications have been reported:
- Harbin H-5: A number of these older aircraft had been modified as HD-5 aircraft and operated with electronic countermeasures suites. They are being phased out.
- Ilyushin Il-76: One of the many platforms which the Chinese have attempted to use for an airborne early warning aircraft under the KJ-2000 program.
- Shaanxi Y-8: A large number of trials and programs have made use of this utilitarian airframe:
- A few have been modified for electronic countermeasures as a replacement for the Harbin HD-5 being phased out.
- 2 or more have been given a ventral canoe housing an electronic support measures array beneath the forward fuselage, as well as an antenna farm on the loading ramp.
- 2 have been included in the KJ-200 airborne early warning program.
- 2 have been modified similarly to the KJ-200 program for air surveillance and command.
- Some have been given the British Marconi Electronic Systems Argus-2000 airborne early warning system
- 4 have been modified as maritime patrol aircraft
- 2 have been modified for electronic intelligence gathering, with a variety of electronic equipment.
- 1 has been modified as an airborne command post, recognizable by a farm of antennas above the cockpit.
- 1 is being tested with cheek mounted radar for battlefield surveillance.
- 1 is operated as a radar test bed, nominally in civil guise.
- 1 is operated as an avionics test bed, nominally in civil guise.
- Some of the Y-8 aircraft in service are of the recent Y-8-F600 modernized variant.
- Shenyang J-5: While the Mikoyan MiG-17 and the locally built derivative, the J-5, have been retired from PLAAF service, some have been converted to drones and UAVs for various purposes. [21]
- Tupolev Tu-154: Two or more of these airliners have had three bulges built underneath their fuselages for use in the electronic support measures role. Another handful have been modified for electronic intelligence gathering.
- Xian Y-7: At least one was modified for maritime patrol work under the name Fearless Albatross and participated in the 2nd half of the joint Sino-USA maritime search and rescue exercise held near Chinese coast. Another example is operated by the government as an avionics testbed in civil guise. A few may also have been modified as training aircraft.
- Shenyang J-6: Shengyang J-6 officially retired from service at 2006,but it was reported few JZ-6 reconnaissance examples still in limited active service until 2009.
[edit] Future aircraft
China continues to develop its aircraft technology. China is undergoing a massive upgrade of Air Force technology. While few details are available regarding aircraft development programs due to security, some reported efforts include:
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service[3] | Notes |
| Projects Under Development |
| Chengdu J-10B | China | 4.5th generation stealth fighter | | | An upgrade to the J-10A,featuring modifications in electronics and aerodynamics. J-10B utilises DSI, probable increased use of composite materials, further reduced RCS, IRST, new HUD, stretched tail fin & fin stabilizers with MAWS and ECM integrated, and a stretched nose, indicating a possible new radar. |
| Shenyang J-11C | China | carrier-borne fighter | | | name for a carrier-launched fighter based on the J-11B |
| Shenyang J-XX | China | 5th generation stealth fighter | | | name for single or multiple 5th generation stealth fighter programmes |
| Chengdu J-13 | China | 5th generation stealth fighter | | | Fifth generation stealth fighter being developed by Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute. It is competing for the J-XX. Failed in competition for J-XX project. |
| Shenyang J-14 | China | 5th generation stealth fighter | | | Fifth generation stealth fighter assumed to be a parallel project with the J-XX |
| Shenyang J-15 | China | stealth carrier-borne fighter | | | name for a semi-stealth carrier-launched fighter |
| Shenyang DarkSword[5] | China | stealth air superiority UCAV | | | stealthy, long-range, high speed, air superiority UCAV being developed by Shenyang. Model shown at Zhuhai airshow. |
| Zhanying (Combat Eagle) | China | stealth strike UCAV | | | a stealth strike UCAV with forward swept wings, with similar niche to X-45. Model shown at Zhuhai airshow. |
| Scan Eagle | China | stealth spy UAV | | | a stealth spy UAV |
| Yak-152K | China | trainer | | at least 1 prototype | an advanced trainer developed by China and Russia |
| Harbin Z-15 | China | transport helicopter | | | under development [22] |
| Y-20 | China | transport | | | under development |
[edit] Retired aircraft
- Former aircraft operated by the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF):
[edit] Gallery
| | | Surface-to-Air Missile Coverage over the Taiwan Strait. Note: This map depicts notional coverage provided by China’s SA-10, SA-20 SAM systems, as well as the soon-to-be acquired S-300PMU2. Actual coverage would be non-contiguous and dependent upon precise deployment sites. |
[edit] Markings
The markings of the PLAAF are a red star in front of a red band, it is slightly similar to the insignia of the United States Air Force. The Red star contains the Chinese characters for eight and one, representing August 1, 1927, the date of the formation of the PLA. PLAAF aircraft carry these markings on the fins as well.
[edit] Citations
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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