Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

The article said that the PLA is currently equipped with at least eight Russian-made S-300PMU2 air defense missile battalion

LONDON, May 24 news: American military experts Luojie Ke Chi Courand company Reeve (RogerCliff) has in the United States-China Economic Security Commission testified that over the past decade, Chinese air force air missile capacity has increased significantly. In 2000, when, in addition to four Russian-made S-300 (SA-10B) missile battalion, the Air Force’s most anti-aircraft missiles by the 1950s a modern version of the SA-2 missile modified form, the other Some French short “Sidewinder (Crotale)” Chinese version of the variant missiles.

Chinese Air Force over the past decade the number of surface-double

now, the Chinese air force air missile inventory has more than doubled the total and the vast majority of them are as modern missile system. In the original four S-300 (range 100 km) missile battalion, based on the Air Force has increased by at least 16 power more powerful S-300PMU1 (range up to 150 km range) and power comparable with the former Red Flag – 9 missile battalion. In addition, it also has at least eight S-300PMU2 (range of 200 km) missile battalion. Surface-improvement is also accompanied by China’s defense improved network coverage, Xinhua News Agency had reported in 2007 that a nationwide “air intelligence network” has been building completed.

recent years, the PLA Air Force mission, another key shift is to begin implementation of disaster relief. Disaster relief has always been the mission of the armed forces of China: China, promulgated in 1998 put the first Defense White Paper “involved in emergency rescue and disaster relief work” as the PLA’s main tasks at the same time praised the PLA during this period in the field contributions, over the past 20 years. However, since 2004, Chinese President and CMC Chairman Hu Jintao announced the PLA’s “new historical mission”, particularly the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, disaster relief has become the new priorities of the PLA. The aim is that when the PLA leaders received a rescue mission command, they will not simply an ad hoc basis to perform this task, but in the effective organization, trained and armed after the implementation of the task. Having said that, but the PLA is organized for the task, trained and armed is not yet clear.

However, in practice since 2004, the Chinese Air Force tactical transport aircraft (such as Y-7 and Y-8 turboprop transport aircraft), the number of medium-sized transport aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft began to decrease. This may be because those who have been out of the body is too old, not running, but from a certain extent, some are unmanned reconnaissance aircraft may be gradually replaced. Therefore, the aircraft inventory reduction may not be representative of air power has been reduced. And there is no clear evidence that China is dedicated to the procurement of aircraft to support disaster relief operations.

In addition, the Chinese Air Force, other tasks – to carry out airborne operations for surveillance and reconnaissance (war), to provide early warning services to carry out transport operations and search and rescue mission – the relative importance does not seem to occur significant changes, although in some cases military forces will change China. As previously mentioned, the number of the PLA Air Force tactical transport aircraft began to decrease in 2004, while the number of strategic transport aircraft (such as the Il-76) has only a slight increase on the lower level. Therefore, the PLA’s air superiority does not seem to increase, perhaps but declined.

Similarly, as previously mentioned, since 2000, the number of the PLA Air Force reconnaissance aircraft was declining. This does not mean the Air Force reconnaissance, surveillance and early warning to reduce the importance of the task. PLA Air Force may have been left in their plane to upgrade the sensor, while the plane’s role may gradually being replaced by unmanned aerial vehicles; In addition, the Chinese satellites are now able to perform the role previously held by reconnaissance aircraft. Moreover, access to AWACS airborne radar and a nationwide intelligence network is completed, China to carry out aerial reconnaissance and to provide airborne early warning capability has increased dramatically. Thus, while there is no indication that the PLA Air Force perform surveillance, reconnaissance and early warning tasks relative priority of other tasks has increased, but the PLA Air Force’s ability to perform these tasks have been fully enhanced, and its ability to perform other tasks have also been enhanced.

In addition, there is no evidence that the PLA Air Force search and rescue mission priority has increased, but compared with the past decade, the Air Force’s ability to perform the task seemed to have improved, because the Air Force procurement search and rescue helicopters.

is worth noting that the PLA Air Force, another of its current mission – air mission emphasis is still unclear. Some evidence suggests that the task of the PLA in recent years has improved the degree of attention. The overall size of the Air Force transportation units still maintain the status quo, but over the past decade the PLA’s air capability has not been significantly enhanced. However, China’s defense industrial sector has been in the development of a series of air, dropped tools, which indicates that China hopes to improve its airborne ground to enhance combat capability. In possible conflict with Taiwan, the air transport capacity to enhance the potential usefulness is obvious; for possible outbreak of conflict in this, the biggest challenge is to ground transportation to mainland China and Taiwan waters between . However, the Air Force does not seem to vigorously promote the development of its air transport capacity. This may indicate that the relevant departments in Taiwan conflict, the viability and effectiveness of the Air Force are skeptical, or People’s Liberation Army Air Force air operations less attention.

Chinese Air Force long-range strategic projection capability remains limited

People’s Liberation Army Air Force to perform the final task is to space missions. It is believed that in 2004 “national military strategy” mentioned part of the Air Force not only “offensive and defensive actions to prepare,” but also “air and space.” However, unlike the former Chinese Defense White Paper has never mentioned “air and space” related matters. In fact, the PLA is now fighting for the control of space operations. Today, China’s space assets by the General Staff and the General Armament Department control. However, the PLA Air Force and Second Artillery Force have advocated to control China’s space by the action, which the Air Force’s air and space of this thesis is based on a comprehensive environmental statement. While this contention is difficult to predict the final outcome, but if the People’s Liberation Army Air Force to win, then to carry out its space operations will become one of the tasks.

Chinese defense white paper in 2008 that the Chinese Air Force may now be responsible for an additional mission – strategic projection. White said that the Chinese Air Force “has been with the implementation of long-range high-precision combat and strategic projection capabilities,” and Air Force are also working to strengthen, including the implementation of a “strategic project”, including a series of operations. The Air Force, it is referred to strategic airlift. Therefore, the Chinese Air Force requirements to enhance a “strategic project” is that it only refers to the ability of the strategic airlift capabilities. Moreover, as mentioned above, in the past decade, the Chinese Air Force in the very limited progress in this area.

with the People’s Liberation Army Air Force, as in recent years, the PLA Navy’s air mission has not changed fundamentally, however, the Navy’s ability to carry out air operations have been enhanced. Navy responsible for the main task is to carry out air attacks at sea. However, in 2000, the Navy’s most effective air attack strength is 20 equipped with C-801K anti-ship cruise missiles of the JH-7 fighter-bombers, and a large number with 20 anti-ship cruise missiles, improved 1950 version of the H-6D sub- Sonic Bomber (aircraft to the Soviet Union in the 1950s as the prototype Tu-16). Now, JH-7 is the number of the last four times, and can carry a 180 km range to improve C-803K anti-ship cruise missiles. At the same time, H-6D the number is almost the last two times. Most notably, the establishment of a PLA naval squadron, equipped with its Su-30MK2 supersonic Kh-31A (AS-17A)-to-ground missiles.

Chinese Navy is responsible for defending some of China’s coastal airspace security, and the Chinese navy air force once China’s airspace in defense against attacks play an important role. With the Chinese Air Force fighters and surface to air missile capability and coverage have improved, Naval Air Force’s air defense task significantly diminished, is not only responsible for guarding the naval base in enemy air raids.

In fact, these improvements are mostly newer, stronger platform and military hardware. Of course, the new platform and hardware will not necessarily translate into improved capabilities. Organization, theory, effective use of new equipment training to ensure that maintenance and supply logistics as well as platform and hardware are required. However, as noted above, China has made progress in these areas. Conversely, if there is no update, more platforms and hardware, will be difficult to improve combat capability, as the design of the 1950s to improve the level of performance is limited.

20 1990 to 2005, most of the Chinese Air Force and Navy platforms and new hardware is imported, mostly from Russia, some of which technology and equipment from Israel and other countries. However, in recent years, China has increased the production of such equipment. For example, the field of aircraft in the air, now China’s production sector of the single-engine fighter F-10, the combat with the U.S. F-16 is comparable. Also produced heavy fighter F-11B, which is an improved version of the Russian Su-27 in combat in it than the U.S. F-15 advantage. China is now also produced early warning unit, which with the U.S. E-2 “Hawkeye” and the E-3 airborne early warning and command system to compete. China is now developing heavy transport aircraft, and therefore did not pass the Chinese Air Force transport aircraft to expand its imports of air power. Finally, China is developing long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles, its range and flight time with the U.S. “Predator” and “Global Hawk” with the contest.

China BVR air to air missile performance match the U.S. missile

in arms, China has produced over the horizon active radar AAM PL-12, it with the U.S. AMRAAM, the Russian R-77 (AA-12) and a series of lasers, television and satellite-guided precision-guided weapon comparable. In the surface-area, as mentioned above, China can now produce HQ-9 air defense missile, believed that the performance of the system with the Russian S-300PMU1 (SA-20) under a high.

course, China is certainly the further development of air capabilities, including fifth-generation fighter, the rumors on this project full-size model picture already there. Last year, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force chief of staff He Weirong that this aircraft is scheduled to be put into use during the period 2017-2019, it is unclear how such a performance of the aircraft. Full-size model picture shows a smaller version of the aircraft radar cross section, may be related to the U.S. F-22 and F-35 fighters are different. According to China’s pace of development of electronic capabilities, this aircraft is likely equipped with active electronically scanned array radar and advanced data link. But not sure whether they have the same with the F-22 thrust vectoring and supersonic cruise capability.

In addition to the fifth-generation fighter plane, it is unclear what China is about the development of other aerospace capabilities. China is developing a commercial jet aircraft and jet transport aircraft can lay the foundation for the development of aerial refueling. Meanwhile, the Chinese in these two projects will also help get the technology development of long-range heavy bombers, but there is no indication that China has a tanker or heavy bomber program. Air Show has showcased unmanned aircraft models, but these may be just the concept of engineering is to show off the company’s design capability, rather than the actual development projects. How China’s future Air Force will be the ability to require further research and analysis.

related problem is that China’s Second Artillery Army, in particular, short-and medium-range ballistic missiles, conventional forces will no longer need the traditional air power. The answer is “No” – they still need traditional aerial platform. However, China’s short-and medium-range ballistic missiles, conventional forces do have a unique ability to improve the efficiency of traditional aerial platform, rather than no longer need them. The most important of these capabilities is the speed and penetration. Ballistic missiles can reach targets within a few minutes after launch. This will target the warning time to a minimum. For example, if the target is an Air Force base, before the arrival of the missile, only a few aircraft to the ground into the air. Missile flying into the air to reach the aircraft is not defensive base from attack, and if not protected, the ground plane will be destroyed. Moreover, if the attack destroyed the base runway, the aircraft can only be trapped in there. In addition, the ballistic missile is also difficult to intercept.

current ballistic missile defense system operational effectiveness, there are still real problems, even the best missile defense system can not resist China may launch a large number of missiles. In the United States military, stealth machine can reduce the warning time and to ensure penetration. However, for countries that do not stealth machine, conventional ballistic missiles can achieve the same effect, at least hit near the goal.

compared with the aircraft, ballistic missiles, the single-use means that there are significant deficiencies. For example, conventional ballistic missiles, China’s entire library of about one thousand tons of high explosives on the target to attack. In contrast, the U.S. Air Force aircraft several times a day from time to time the delivery of this amount of high explosives. In addition, although reports that China’s conventional ballistic performance is good, but not as sophisticated precision-guided weapons.

However, speed and conventional ballistic penetration can still collapse the enemy’s air power, to effectively enhance the effectiveness of conventional aerial platform. For example, conventional ballistic missiles can be used to attack enemy air bases, aircraft flying into the air at the ground before the wreck, destroy the aircraft runways, the aircraft stuck in the ground, so that the second artillery or ground-launched cruise missiles with precision-guided weapons systems aircraft be more accurate follow-up attack. Similarly, if China can successfully developed ballistic missiles against ships at sea movement (reports that China is developing such missiles), it could destroy the enemy carrier-based air power. As a result, China’s Second Artillery Corps can not only replace the Chinese air force, or even make it a force multiplier.

report concludes that China’s air force is no longer a third world level, the Chinese Air Force capabilities, coupled with the ability to improve the conventional Second Artillery, which means that China’s current air combat increasingly The more challenging to continue to pay serious attention to the development of Chinese air force is critical to U.S. security interests. (Spring)