The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is a branch of the People's Liberation Army, the regular armed forces of the People's Republic of China. Its aircraft have been designed for air combat as well as ground support. Examples of these aircraft are the Y-20 transport airplane, the J-16 multirole combat fighter jet and the J-20 stealthfighter jet.
Y-20 transport aircraft
In 2012, the Chinese military received their first introduction to the Y-20 transport aircraft. It is the country's top military transport aircraft, and is China's most advanced aircraft. It is equipped with modern technology and can be deployed quickly. The aircraft is also more user-friendly than the previous models. Several Y-20s have been used by the Chinese Air Force, and more are expected to enter service over the coming months.
The Y-20 is a glass-enclosed airlifter that can carry up three crew members. The rear of the aircraft has a cargo-loading section. It can fly up to 5,000ft and has a wingspan of 18 to 50m. The four D-30KP-2 turbofan turbofan engines power the Y-20-prototype. The WS-20 engine is used in the production Y-20 aircraft.
J-16 multirole fighter jet
The J-16 is a multirole fighter jet that is used by the China air force. It is not known how many J-16s are in the PLAAF fleet. Official media have not reported much on the jet. Most military enthusiasts get their news from overseas media and online hearsay.
The J-16 is a multirole fighter jet that is equipped with a computer-controlled AESA radar system. It is designed as a strong support for its J-20C and J-10C counterparts. It can jam enemy radars, and it can also interfere with the enemy's air-defence missile bases.
H-6N bomber
The H-6N bomber is a licence-built Tupolev Tu-16 bomber for the Chinese Air Force. It has a range approximately 7,000 km and its twin engines are capable of producing huge amounts of fuel. It can carry nine tons of bombs.
PLA Air Force has released a video of a H-6N carrying out an ALCM launch at Guam Naval Base. This shows that the primary mission of the aircraft is to carry out long-range strikes on US forces and/or US vessels. However, it is hard to say if the Chinese aircraft can carry out long-range strikes. Analysts are concerned about H-6N's limitations in range.
J-20 stealth fighter jet
The J-20 stealth fighter aircraft can detect and identify other aircraft. It is believed that the J-20 will eventually be able to carry out drone and electronic warfare missions. China is currently developing a J-20 variant that can fly in the airspace above Taiwan and South China Sea.
These aircraft were deployed by the People's Liberation Army Air Force. It is still unclear how many J-20s will be deployed, but Peter Singer points out that the country has the capacity to mass-produce the aircraft. Moreover, he noted that China has already completed the testing of a new WS-15 engine that is expected to give the aircraft better fuel efficiency, power, and endurance.
J-8II fighter jet
The J-8II fighter jet is from China. It was designed by the Shenyang Aircraft Factory. It was first produced in prototype form in 1966. It flew its maiden flight on 5/7/1969. The Cultural Revolution severely damaged the project. The second prototype was completed in a year and the development process was resumed. The third prototype was approved in July 1985 for flight trials.
China's first independent fighter design attempt, the J-8, was a success. It was launched in the 1980s. It is considered one of China’s greatest technological achievements. The design had advanced and the PLA was already equipped with more powerful fourth-generation fighters (such as the Su-27/J-10) by the beginning of the 2000s.