China Military Aircraft - Military power projects national prestige. Over the past few decades, China has become a global superpower, so it should come as no surprise that China's military is the largest in the world by manpower. China's military spending is about a third of that of the US. Today we present some of the best Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force fighter jets.
The rise of the People's Liberation Army Air Force over the past century has matched the rise of the Chinese military and indeed China itself. One hundred years ago, China had no air force, was in the grip of unrest and civil war, and was in total economic, social, and political chaos.
China Military Aircraft
Today, China is a superpower and the second largest military spend after the United States. Although it still lags significantly, from $716 billion to $224 billion as of 2019. Still, China's significant military spending has made China a force to be reckoned with, including the PLAAF.
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Over the decades, China has gone from buying Soviet and Russian aircraft to producing its own. How many fighter jets does China have? It's hard to answer precisely, given China's apparent state-secret blockades and frosty relations with the West. Estimates are generally somewhere in the thousands.
By developing its own fighter jets, China has strengthened its sense of national military identity. The fighters on this list exemplify this trend.
As is the case with the US, France, Russia and other countries, several defense contractors are responsible for most of the aircraft in the PLAAF. Chengdu is one of the biggest names in the Chinese Air Force.
The Chengdu-20 is one of the newest combat aircraft in the PLAAF. It is a stealth air superiority fighter designed to compete with the F-35 and other US fighters.
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The aircraft is thus designed with the most modern components, including the Shenyang WS-10B engine. It is designed with stealth capabilities. Other information, such as the type of radar technology used, was not released by the Chinese authorities.
More military secrets involve the type of electronic systems used on board, although they are widely believed to be quite advanced. The total number of nozzles produced is also a closely guarded secret.
This aircraft is also used by the PLAAF as well as the Chinese Navy. Although it was built in Chengdu, Russia's Siberian Aviation Research Institute previously confirmed it was involved.
This Russian influence extends to the parts used in the aircraft itself. For example, the J-10 uses the Russian-made Lyulka-Saturn AL-31FN engine. It was originally intended to have a Chinese WS-10 Taihang engine, but problems with this resulted in the adoption of the AL-31FN.
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The PLAAF is not the only air force to order the J-10. The Pakistan Air Force did the same. At least 40 of the jets are believed to have been built for use in their air forces.
This is another example of the PLAAF filling its ranks with Soviet-made fighters. The Chengdu J-7 was first produced in 1966 as a Chinese version of the Soviet MiG-21 fighter jet. Although these aircraft have been out of production for years, they remain operational.
The PLAAF has traditionally used these fighter jets for deterrence. More than 300 J-7s are expected to remain in service and in varying degrees of service with the PLAAF and Chinese Navy.
The J-7 also served in other air forces around the world. Iran and Egypt continue to use them on active duty, while other countries such as Myanmar use them for training.
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Although these aircraft are inspired by the Soviet Su-33 fighter, they are still a Chinese creation. First introduced in 2013, they remain in production, with around 20 believed to have been built to date.
However, they are still considered fourth-generation fighters. By comparison, the American F-35, as well as the Chinese-made FC-31 described below, are fifth-generation fighters. However, the J-15 is considered China's top fighter.
This is also evidenced by the fact that in November 2012, Chinese media announced that two J-15 fighter jets had successfully landed on the Liaoning aircraft carrier. However, the J-15 experienced some difficulties in adverse weather conditions.
This is another Chinese fighter based on the Soviet/Russian Su line, with the Su-27 being the model for the J-11. He is currently employed in both the PLAAF and the Chinese Navy.
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However, the J-11 could have been very different, as the original plans called for it to be powered by a Rolls-Royce-built engine. Chinese-made WS-10A engines were also considered. However, in the end, Russian-made Lyulka AL-31F engines were chosen.
This choice seems to have paid off as the J-11 is capable of hitting Mach 2.1. What's more, the J-11B variant uses Chinese-made engines, further demonstrating China's desire to make its fighter jets more indigenous.
The various variants are a testament to the longevity that China has been able to milk out of some of its fighter jets. While the original J-8 was produced back in the 1960s, the J-8II was produced in 1984 and remains in active service.
Official service numbers for Chinese aircraft can be difficult to obtain, but an estimated 300 J-8 fighters remain in service with the PLAAF, most or all of which are likely to be the improved J-8II version.
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These combat aircraft were originally designed as light fighters. The J-10 and similar Chinese-made fighter jets are expected to allow them to be phased out in the coming years.
As noted above, this is intended to be China's answer to the US-made F-35 in the ongoing fifth-generation fighter arms race. This is expected to potentially challenge the US for fighter jet market share in arms sales.
The US military sees the FC-31 as a credible challenger to the F-35. There is evidence that Japan, South Korea and other allies in the region are doing the same, as they have stepped up research into fifth-generation fighters.
That said, some of that progress may have come at the expense of the United States. A 2009 Wall Street Journal report claimed that espionage by the Chinese may have allowed them to obtain secrets about the F-35.
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The Soviet/Russian Su series has long been considered a rival to the US Air Force, with the Su-30MKK being a contemporary of the F-15E Strike Eagle. This, as well as the MK2, were purchased for PLAAF use.
It went into production in 2000 and remains in service with both the Russian Air Force and the PLAAF, with the PLAAF leading efforts to modernize it and keep it viable for the future.
The aircraft is currently in service with the Chinese Navy as well as the PLAAF. It is a highly maneuverable and fast fighter aircraft capable of reaching Mach 2.
The Su series was the foundation of Soviet aviation and this legacy continued in the Russian Federation. Communist China under Mao bought Su fighters from the USSR and this tradition has also continued.
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The collapse of the Soviet Union actually played a role in the production history of this fighter, as its Su-27 variation was not mass-produced due to political implications.
Nevertheless, China bought refurbished Su-35s. The dispute between China and Russia is related to the ownership of intellectual property rights related to these refurbished models.
As mentioned above, it was a combat aircraft produced in the last years of the Soviet Union. While its overseas sales were limited, China bought some for use in the PLAAF.
Like the previous aircraft, this one was designed to be a direct competitor to those produced by the United States Air Force. The Su-27 was designed to compete with the F-14 Tomcat.
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In another example of the close ties between the Soviet/Russian and Chinese air forces, the aforementioned Shenyang J-11 was designed with the Su-27 under Chinese license. One hundred such nozzles were produced.
We'll end with a look at one of China's first major attempts at creating an indigenous fighter jet. As noted above, China was heavily dependent on orders from the Soviet Union for decades to fill the ranks of the PLAAF.
At the time the supersonic fighter was built in 1970, China was undergoing massive changes, from the first generations under Mao to newer government policies and societal expectations.
J-12 helped mark this change. Produced during the Cultural Revolution, it marked a break with old Chinese military methods and a move towards a home-grown future.
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Only a few were built and used only for test flights, but the J-12 nevertheless marked a major turning point in Chinese aviation history. "Transport-20 Kunpg") is a large military transport aircraft developed by Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation.
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