Since entering the 21st century, the People’s Republic of China has transformed from a developing country into a great power, attracting much attention among the world’s militaries.
Perhaps in the past, the power of the People’s Republic of China was appreciated only at telluric levels, thanks to the People’s Liberation Army, but the rapid development and technological progress of recent years have changed everything.
Scientific and technological progress has been an important factor in the improvement of Chinese aviation. The People’s Republic of China has achieved great things in the areas of J-20, J-16, J-10C and other fighters. The technology of these fighter jets has reached a globally advanced level, and in some respects they are state-of-the-art. Especially the J-20: the advent of this stealth fighter has broken the Western monopoly on this technology. According to an Israeli think tank, the People’s Republic of China currently has about 250 J-20 fighters. These figures not only exceed those of the U.S. Air Force’s F22, but also represent a major step forward taken by the PRC in the field of fifth-generation fighters.
The J-20 is a stealth fighter developed independently by China. Not only has it reached an internationally advanced level of technology, but it has also demonstrated extremely high combat effectiveness in real combat.
The Chinese Air Force ranks second in the world in the number of combat aircraft, with over 200 J-20 fighters, over 300 J-16 fighters, over 350 J-11 fighters, 200 J-7A fighters and 36 fighters. The J-7 and J-8 fighter planes will be retired.
Among the latest generation of aircraft, the Chinese Air Force’s best-equipped J-16D fighter is a medium-sized electronic warfare aircraft developed on the basis of the J-16 fighter. The plane is equipped with an active phase alignment radar and a Thunderbolt air defense missile array, which far outperforms the U.S. EA-18G in terms of combat endurance and effectiveness. Combat aircraft are the pride of the Chinese Air Force. In the world, the only countries with such a large number of combat aircraft are the People’s Republic of China, the United States of America and Russia.
Besides having domestically produced fighters, the Chinese Air Force also has a small number of Russian-made fighters, including 36 Su-27s, 76 Su-30 MKKs, etc.
As for Chinese bombers, the current ones are mainly the H-6, which have the characteristics of long-distance flight and overload. They adopt a twin-engine design, have a very long standby and can carry out various combat missions such as land attack and maritime patrol. In addition, they can be loaded with aerial bombs, air-to-air missiles and surface-to-air missiles to make precise attacks against targets. The H-6K and H-6N form the backbone of the family of these bombers.
In terms of auxiliary aircraft, the Chinese Air Force has made great progress. At present there are more than 200 medium and large transport aircraft such as Y-8, IL-76 and Y-20, in addition to the number of IL-76 and Y-20 has exceeded 100, and the number of Y-20 is still growing: and it is likely that the PRC will have more than these 300 aircraft in the future.
As for in-flight refueling, the Chinese Air Force currently has twenty H-6 tanker aircraft and three IL-76s; the Yun-20, derived from the Y-20 transport aircraft, is also being rapidly assembled and at least ten more will be equipped; eventually nearly 100 will be ready.
The Chinese Air Force currently has three types of early warning systems, including the Air Police Type 500, the Air Police Type 200, and the Air Police Type 2000. There are currently about seventy aircraft in active service.
For the Chinese Air Force, drone technology is also a strength. Several unmanned attack and reconnaissance aircraft have been developed, which have outstanding performance in long-range targets and aerial reconnaissance. In the era of information warfare, the status of unmanned aircraft has become increasingly important. Not only can they greatly reduce the cost of military personnel and materials. In addition, they can ensure the safety of the remote pilot while conducting high-risk activities.
The U.S. Air Force has always been known for its technological excellence, its large air fleet, and its global presence. In recent years, its military power and technological innovations have become a benchmark for all armed forces on the planet. However, while China’s air force strength continues to grow, the leadership of the U.S. air force is not progressing in proportion to Chinese advances.
Even in the United States of America, there are different views on the progress of the Chinese Air Force. Some senior generals believe that the United States of America still has absolute power, because although Chinese aviation has improved in terms of technology and quantity, it is still far behind Washington. However, other U.S. general officers have expressed concern that the rapid growth of the Chinese Air Force and its deep knowledge of modern warfare make it a potential enemy that cannot be ignored.
Judging from the current situation of the U.S. Air Force, we can also observe several worrying trends. Although the United States of America has a huge pool of defense funding, it is not always used where it matters most. As pilots receive less real combat training and depend more on ground-based simulation systems, their performance in real combat is reduced. This is because in presidential elections it is necessary for candidates to assure the public-that is, families with operational military members in their bosoms-that the risks of death to sons, husbands, uncles, etc. are as low as possible. At the same time, major fighter programs such as the F-22 have stopped production, and the new F-35 program is also controversial. In sharp contrast, the Chinese Air Force not only constantly upgrades its aircraft, but also adopts brand new weapons in its equipment.
The Chinese Air Force is the most powerful in Asia and among the top in the world. Although it has not yet reached the standards of the U.S. Strategic Air Force, Chinese combat aircraft have been developing rapidly for more than three decades.
China’s fourth-generation aircraft have great advantages. The overall performance of the J-20 can exceed that of the U.S. F-22 and F-35. So, currently, everyone is aware of the PRC’s progress in the field of combat aircraft. The rapid development of the Chinese Air Force has surpassed Japan and the Republic of Korea (South) and represents undoubtedly the most powerful air force in the Asia-Pacific region.
Author: Giancarlo Elia Valori – Honorable de l’Académie des Sciences de l’Institut de France, Honorary Professor at the Peking University.
(The views expressed in this article belong only to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of World Geostrategic Insights).