The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is the third largest in the world

The Chinese Air Force is evolving its operational doctrine, missions, and roles, including concentrating on long-range precision strikes and giving higher importance to personnel development, yet the Indian Air Force has a clear advantage of a much larger number of airfields at much closer distances and at lower altitudes

by Air Marshal Anil Chopra (Retd)

The Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Amar Preet Singh during his ‘meet-the-press’ before Air Force Day underscored the delay in manufacturing of Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and highlighted how China had pulled ahead in both technology and aircraft production capacity. But he clarified that China was significantly behind in combat experience and international training exposure.

Like the Americans and the Russians, the Chinese realised very early that one who controls the aerospace controls this planet. They began setting up aircraft building plants, initially with the help of the Soviet Union, and later during their honeymoon with the Americans, they could get better technologies. As they began becoming an economic power, they started aeronautical research and development in a big way. In parallel, they made leaps into space.

PLAAF Doctrinal Shift

Today, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is fast transiting from a tactical, army-centric force to an air force with a global reach. The state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) is developing and producing state-of-the-art airborne platforms and is fast catching up with the best in the world. Three Chinese defence production companies are now within the top ten globally.

PLAAF is also trying to reorient its flying training and tactics. There is much greater emphasis on technological support, even for operations. As Xi Jinping drives to create the PLA into a “world-class” military, the PLAAF is evolving its operational doctrine, missions, and roles, including concentrating on long-range precision strikes and giving higher importance to personnel development. It is building specialisation for offensive operations, air defence, army support, reconnaissance, early warning, and surveillance, information operations, and strategic transport forces.

PLAAF also wants “integrated air and space capabilities and coordinated offensive and defensive operations”. Most PLAAF platforms now use space-based sensors and systems. The PLAAF is training for the hybrid nature of warfare, including precision and effect-based operations, using network-based operational planning. PLAAF has low exposure to military conflict and modern air exercise but is trying to compensate through state-of-the-art platforms, weapons, and joint training.

The PLAAF is the largest air force in the region and the third largest in the world, with more than 2,500 aircraft (not including UAVs or trainers), of which 1,700 are combat aircraft. PLAAF is closing the gap with Western air forces across a broad spectrum of capabilities, such as aircraft performance, command and control, and electronic warfare.

The PLAAF is shifting its focus from territorial air defence to forward-postured offensive defence. The PLAAF is boosting its capabilities for strategic early warning, long-range precision air strikes, air and missile defence, information countermeasures, airborne operations, strategic projection, and comprehensive support.

PLAAF Coming Out of Army Shadow

For China’s global ambitions, President Xi Jinping is driving air, space, and maritime capability. The Chinese Air Force now has service-specific strategies. The PLAAF primary missions now are air deterrence, air offensive, air blockade, and maritime and ground force support operations. Air offensives would entail large-scale strikes with the goal of rapidly gaining air superiority, reducing an adversary’s capacity for military operations, and creating conditions for early victory. It would entail attacks on airfields and seaports as well as air, land, and sea transportation routes with the goal of cutting the enemy supply lines by attacking logistics facilities and key choke points. It would also include battlefield close air support, strategic and theatre airlift, and airborne operations.

Fighters

With nearly 300 fifth-generation J-20 fighter aircraft built, China has a sizeable fourth-generation-plus aircraft fleet and is fast growing in numbers. The PLAAF’s nearly 1,200 modern fighters include the J-10, J-11B, J-16, Su-27, Su-30 MKK, and Su-35. It already is a fourth-generation-plus only force. The second fifth-generation fighter FC-31/J-31 is being revived for PLAAF and PLA Navy and for exports. China plans to have 1,000 J-20s in 2035 to match the US Air Force. They are designed with network-centric warfare technology. China has already managed to develop its own aero engines. The same is being refined further.

Bombers

China’s bomber force comprises variants of the H-6 Badger bomber, and the PLAAF has worked to maintain and enhance their operational effectiveness. The extended-range H-6K variant features more efficient turbofan engines, and can carry six ALCMs, providing long-range, standoff, precision-strike capability. The PLAAF is developing new medium-to-long-range H-20 stealth bombers to strike regional and global targets. It is targeted to reach initial operational clearance (IOC) by 2025. IAF has no dedicated bombers, but a group of fighters can deliver similar ordnance.

Transport Aircraft And Force Multipliers

China already has nearly 70 Y-20 large transport aircraft (66-tonne payload) to supplement the nearly 17 Russian Il-76 aircraft (40 ns). Y-20 can transport up to two Type 15 tanks or one Type 99A tank over a distance of 7800 km. It uses the same Russian engines as the Il-76. The Chinese equivalent WS-20 engine is nearly ready. Y 20 has flight refuelling and AEW&C variants. China currently has around 30 AEW&C of KJ-2000, KJ-200, and KJ-500 classes. The largest being IL-76-based. These aircraft extend the range of a country’s integrated air defence system network. But the numbers are still too few for its continental size and possible confrontation with the USA. Similarly, China has only 20 FRA, including eight Xian YY-20A. Numbers will go up soon. China also has nearly 25 dedicated electronic warfare aircraft.

Helicopters And Training Aircraft

The Z-10 attack helicopter has been co-designed with the Kamov design bureau of Russia, and is armed with an HJ-10 Air-to-Ground Missile (AGM) similar to the AGM-114 Hellfire. The Z-19 is the smaller variant. The Z-18 is a Chinese medium transport helicopter that can carry 27 troops or five tonnes of cargo. The Z-18J is the AEW variant. The Z-20 helicopter is the Chinese equivalent of the Sikorsky S-70.

Nanchang CJ-6 has been the basic training aircraft for many decades. Hongdu JL-8 is the Jet trainer. The Karakorum K-8 variant of the same is with Pakistan and is being exported to many countries in Asia and Africa. Hongdu L-15 is a supersonic lead-in fighter trainer. China has done well in indigenous trainer production.

UAVs, UCAVs, And Drones

China has a growing high-end military drone force backed by a large unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) industry, including private start-ups. They produce all genres of UAVs, including stealth, VTOL, micro-UAVs, unmanned airships, flying wings, sailplanes, UFO-style flying discs, and even ornithopters (flapping wings). PLAAF’s current in-service Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone is the BZK-005 (Giant Eagle). The GJ-1 and GJ-2 are MALE UAVs capable of the strike role and are the variants of the export oriented Wing Loong I and Wing Loong II systems.

They are considered equivalents of MQ-1 and MQ-9, respectively. PLAAF high-altitude (HALE) UAV is a jet-powered WZ-7 (Divine Eagle). The GJ-11 (Sharp Sword) is the stealthy UCAV, and the WZ-8 is a supersonic reconnaissance UAV. GJ-11 could be used for autonomous missions, autonomous swarming, manned-unmanned-teaming (MUMT), loyal wingman, and other concepts. The Divine Eagle AEW variant will augment existing manned AEW&C platforms. The “Anjian” (Dark Sword) UCAV is a delta-winged platform similar to the American Global Hawk HALE UAV. The CH-4 is a U.S. General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper that looks alike. CH-3 has a semi-active laser and can carry an anti-radiation missile (ARM) and an air-to-surface missile (ASM). The Pakistani Burraq UAV is based on the CH3 UAV and has been supported by China. Clearly, China has a stable of home-made UAVs and is much ahead of India.

Aerial Weapons And SAMs

PLAAF is developing smart, intelligent, and precision ammunition with surgical strike capability. They have IR/TV-guided Air to Surface Missiles (ASM) for ground and sea targets with an estimated range of about 180 km. PLAAF has the supersonic Russian and Chinese made anti-radiation missiles (KH 31P, YJ-91). There is an inventory of laser-guided and satellite-guided bombs. The top-end Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Air-to-Air missiles (AAM) include the latest PL-12 and PL-21, which outrange the Western counterparts like AIM-120 AMRAAM and Meteor. China also has many Russian R-27, R-77, and R-73 AAMs. The extended-range radar-guided PL-15 and PL-21 are termed AWACS killers.

China has a significant inventory of DH-10 land-attack cruise missiles with a 2,000 km range and their air launch variants. PLAAF’s SAMs include Russian-sourced SA-20 (S-300PMU1/2) battalions and domestically produced CSA-9 (HQ-9) battalions. CSA-X-19 (HQ-19) is the domestically produced ballistic missile defence weapon. China has acquired six batteries of the Russian S-400 air defence systems.

Airborne Corps

The PLA Airborne Corps consists of six airborne brigades, a special operations brigade, an aviation brigade, and a support brigade and is under PLAAF. The airborne troops are envisaged for a preemptive attack on the enemy’s key military targets in the rear area to disrupt preparations for an offensive. Currently, the PLAAF can lift one division of 11,000 men with light tanks and self-propelled artillery. The Airborne Corps has demonstrated it can move a regiment plus paratroopers with light armoured vehicles to anywhere within China in less than 24 hours. This is a significantly bigger capability than India’s paramilitary regiments.

Joint Training And Exercises

The PLAAF regularly exercises with other PLA ground and naval forces. These include large force engagements. They do regular exercises in the Tibet region, and of late the frequency of exercises has increased even in winter. With Pakistan Air Force (PAF), PLAAF has been doing regular Shaheen series of exercises since 2011. The exercise helped the two sides for interoperability and also gave the PAF exposure to the SU-30 capabilities. The Americans had restricted the use of the F-16. However, the Chinese have had adequate inputs about the F-16s during interaction with Pakistani pilots. There are also reports that some PLAAF pilots are learning to speak English. Nearly 60 per cent of Pakistan Air Force aircraft and equipment is now of Chinese origin. Pakistan could offer some airbases to China during hostilities.

PLAAF Technology Vision 2035

China has achieved networking and information-led operational capability, and is working towards artificial intelligence (AI)-backed intelligent warfare. There is significant progress in the research and development of sixth-generation fighter aircraft, which will have artificial intelligence integrated systems and will fly in conjunction with drones. Aircraft is expected to be inducted by 2035. China is investing heavily to develop avionics and jet engines. China’s biggest strides are coming in air-to-air missiles. PLAAF believes that with a one or two million dollar weapon, they could destroy a few hundred million dollar AEW&C aircraft. China has already demonstrated and operationalised hypersonic weapons capability that could threaten American or Indian aircraft carriers. China is pushing ahead in cyber, electronic warfare, space, quantum computing, and some other technologies.

Clear Lead Over India

China has a clear lead over India in terms of the status of technologies and the number of high-end platforms and weapons. PLAAF has increased capability to cover vast airspace in TAR and is increasing capability to look deep into Indian airspace. China’s extensive constellation of surveillance satellites with short revisit cycles adds significant punch to target locating and tracking capability. China has a clear lead over India’s space program. In 2023, China had 67 space launches, compared to India’s seven. China’s 35 satellite-based global space navigation system is operational. India’s NavIC is a work still in progress.

The PLAAF’s increased focus on electronic warfare, cyber, and ‘base protection forces’ is meant to make the PLAAF a contemporary and modern force. Indian armed forces are just beginning to harness the space, cyber, and information warfare resources.

PLAAF believes in using high-tech weaponry for force projection that would allow quick victory in “limited wars”. China would execute integrated deep strikes and concentration of superior firepower to destroy the opponent’s retaliatory capabilities. This pro-active doctrine essentially seeks to take the battle into enemy territory. PLAAF doctrine also points towards the unification of air and space defence requiring integrated command and control.

Implications And Options India

The Indian Air Force has a clear advantage of a much larger number of airfields at much closer distances and at lower altitudes. Even though IAF is currently at an all-time low in numbers of fighter aircraft, it can currently field more missions across the Himalayas. China is building more airfields and will use long-range vectors. The IAF has much greater actual war exposure and is carrying out a large number of air exercises with all the major air forces of the world, which gives it a clear training edge.

India needs to rebuild IAF to 42 combat squadrons. While we need to accelerate development and production of indigenous fighters, the process of acquiring 114 fighters must be hastened. IAF also needs much more AWACS and FRA aircraft. Surface-to-surface missiles and Cruise missile inventories have to go up, and so has to be ammunition stocking. There is also a need to continue to strengthen infrastructure along the Himalayan border and at forward airfields. India also needs to increase cyber and electronic warfare capability.

The number of combat UAVs also needs to increase. India needs many more satellites to increase intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. India has to invest much in defence research and development and new technologies and get more ‘atmanirbhar’ in defence production. Considering that Chinese are literally sitting on our border, out-of-budget funding may be allotted to hasten purchases of critical capabilities. China is a closed society. A lot of what comes out of the Chinese-controlled media is part of information warfare and influence operations (IWIO) to make adversaries feel confident. India must guard against this. With the fastest-growing large economy and high level of determination and training, India is well placed to respond to any threat and must continue to be on guard.

The writer is former Director General, Centre for Air Power Studies. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. This piece first appeared on FirstPost.