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| PLAN Aviation Force | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | PLAN Aviation Force |
| Native name | 海军航空兵 |
| Country | People's Republic of China |
| Branch | People's Liberation Army Navy |
| Type | Naval aviation |
| Role | Maritime patrol, anti-ship warfare, anti-submarine warfare, carrier aviation |
| Garrison | Qingdao, Jiaozhou Bay |
| Notable commanders | Liu Huaqing, Zhang Dingfa |
| Aircraft attack | Xian JH-7, Shenyang J-15 |
| Aircraft fighter | Shenyang J-15, Chengdu J-10 |
| Aircraft helicopter | Changhe Z-8, Harbin Z-9, Ka-28 |
| Aircraft patrol | Shaanxi Y-8, KJ-2000, Y-8 ASW |
PLAN Aviation Force
The PLAN Aviation Force is the naval aviation arm of the People's Liberation Army Navy responsible for maritime air operations, carrier-based aviation, and naval aviation support. It evolved alongside the People's Liberation Army restructuring and China's naval expansion under leaders like Liu Huaqing and Jiang Zemin, participating in regional operations near the South China Sea, East China Sea, and around the Taiwan Strait. The force integrates fixed-wing aircraft, rotary-wing platforms, and airborne early warning systems to project People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps power and support People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force missions.
The roots trace to early maritime aviation initiatives of the People's Liberation Army in the 1950s, influenced by Soviet models after contacts with the Soviet Union and procurement from Aviation Industry Corporation of China. During the Cultural Revolution period and the reform era under Deng Xiaoping, modernization accelerated, with notable shifts after the 1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis prompting expansion of carrier and patrol capabilities. The commissioning of Liaoning and later Shandong (CV-17) followed strategic guidance from figures like Liu Huaqing and operational lessons from exercises with the Russian Navy and encounters involving the United States Navy in the South China Sea disputes. The force participated in anti-piracy deployments off Somalia and humanitarian missions tied to the 2010 Haiti earthquake and 2008 Sichuan earthquake relief efforts.
The force is organized under naval aviation brigades and regiments aligned with PLAN Theater Commands such as the Northern Theater Command, Eastern Theater Command, and Southern Theater Command. Units include carrier air wings supporting People's Liberation Army Navy aircraft carrier operations, maritime patrol regiments operating Shaanxi Y-8 derivatives, and helicopter regiments assigned to destroyers and amphibious ships like the Type 071 class. Command relationships connect to the Central Military Commission for strategic direction and to provincial naval bases such as Qingdao Naval Base and Sanya Naval Base for operational deployment.
Key platforms include carrier fighters like the Shenyang J-15, strike aircraft such as the Xian JH-7, multirole fighters like the Chengdu J-10 in navalized roles, and airborne early warning platforms based on the KJ-2000 and KJ-500 airframes. Anti-submarine warfare uses variants of the Shaanxi Y-8 family, while rotary-wing support employs the Harbin Z-9 and Changhe Z-8 for shipborne operations, and imported Kamov Ka-28 derivatives historically. Electronic warfare, reconnaissance, and tanker roles are filled by specialized conversions of indigenous designs from AVIC and support from international suppliers during earlier procurement phases.
Major airbases include Qingdao, Lushun, Jiaxing Air Base, and island facilities on Hainan Island including Sanya and Yulin, supporting carrier strike groups and maritime patrol operations. Shipborne aviation infrastructure expanded with carrier-capable docks at Dalian and Shanghai and naval shipyards such as Guangzhou Shipyard International and Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company enabling construction and maintenance of carrier aviation facilities. Forward logistics nodes align with civil-military ports near Zhanjiang and overseas access in Djibouti for sustained deployments.
Primary missions encompass maritime air superiority, anti-ship strike against targets in the First Island Chain, anti-submarine warfare to counter People's Liberation Army Navy Submarine Force adversaries, maritime surveillance over contested waters like the Spratly Islands and Paracel Islands, and power projection from carriers in coordination with People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps amphibious operations. Secondary missions include search and rescue, humanitarian assistance, and participation in multinational exercises with partners such as the Russian Federation and engagements with observers from the United States and ASEAN states.
Pilot training pipelines involve institutions like the PLA Naval Aviation University and flight schools aligned with the PLA Air Force Aviation University model, incorporating carrier qualification aboard platforms like Liaoning and Shandong (CV-17). Personnel rotations draw from academy graduates and experienced aviators trained in combined-arms exercises with the People's Liberation Army Ground Force and Rocket Force for joint operations. Professional development emphasizes carrier deck handling, anti-submarine tactics, and integration with airborne early warning crews from units operating KJ-2000 and KJ-500 platforms.
Modernization priorities include development of indigenous carrier-capable fighters, enhancements to AEW&C capabilities, procurement of more advanced maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters, and integration of unmanned aerial systems influenced by research at institutions like China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics and procurement trends following encounters with the United States Navy and lessons from operations near Taiwan. Doctrine has shifted toward blue-water operations, networked maritime strike concepts compatible with People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force space and cyber assets, and carrier-centric power projection reflected in exercises near the Philippine Sea and cooperative deployments to regions like the Gulf of Aden.
Category:People's Liberation Army Navy Category:Naval aviation