15th Airborne Corps

15th Airborne Corps
Flag of the People's Liberation Army
Active	1961-Present
Country	People's Republic of China
Branch	People's Liberation Army
Type	Airborne Forces
Size	30,000 personnel
Part of	PLA Air Force
Garrison/HQ	Xiaogan, Hubei
Engagements	Korean War

The PLA Air Force 15th Airborne Corps (simplified Chinese: 中国人民解放军空降兵第15军; traditional Chinese: 中國人民解放軍空降兵第15軍; pinyin: Zhōngguó rénmín jiěfàngjūn kōngjiàng bīng dì 15 jūn) comprises three airborne divisions (43rd, 44th, 45th airborne divisions). The PLA Air Force's 15th Airborne Corps is China's primary strategic airborne unit and it is part of the newly formed rapid reaction units (RRU) of the Chinese military which is primarily designated for airborne and special operation missions. Its role is similar to that of the U.S. Army's XVIII Airborne Corps/82nd Airborne Division.

Only one of the Corps' three divisions can deploy to any part of China within 48 hours due to limited airlift capabilities. In the late 1990s the airlift capability of the PLAAF consisted of 10 IL-76 heavy lift, Yu-8, and Yu-7 transports, as well as Mi-17, Mi-8, S-70C, Z-8, and Z-9 helicopters. As such, the PLAAF could only lift one division of 11,000 men complemented with light tanks and self-propelled artillery. In 1988, there were reports claiming that a 10,000 man airborne division was transported to Tibet in less than 48 hours.

The 15th Airborne Corps traces its lineage to an infantry army in the Fourth Field Army. There is a common misconception that the 15th Airborne Corps initially originated from Deng Xiaoping's Second Field Army. In fact, the 15th Army was transferred to the Second Field Army in 1950. The unit was involved the Chinese Civil War and carried out anti-bandit operations in southern Sichuan before being deployed in Korea in February 1951. As part of the 3rd Army Group joining the Korean War, the 15th Army was involved in the Chinese Fifth Phase Offensive on April 1951. Due to the stellar performance of the 15th Army during the Battle of Triangle Hill in November 1952, the unit received numerous appraisals and even titles of being an elite army unit.