PLA Air Force

People's Liberation Army Air Force 中国人民解放军空军
People's Liberation Army Air Force emblem
Founded	November 11, 1949
Country	People's Republic of China
Allegiance	Communist Party of China
Branch	People's Liberation Army
Type	Air force
Role	Aerial warfare
Size	398,000 active personnel Approx. 2,755 to 3,010+ aircraft
Engagements	Korean War, Vietnam War, Sino-Vietnamese War
Commanders
Commander	General Ma Xiaotian
Political Commissar	Lt Gen Yu Zhongfu
Insignia
Flag
Roundel
Low Visibility Roundel
Aircraft flown
Attack	Q-5, JH-7
Bomber	JH-7, H-6
Electronic warfare	KJ-200, KJ-500, KJ-2000, TU-154
Fighter	J-20, J-16, J-11, J-10, J-8II, J-7, Su-27, Su-30MKK, Su-35S
Helicopter	Z-8, Z-9
Interceptor	J-8II
Trainer	L-15, JL-8, JL-9
Transport	Y-20, Y-9, Y-8, Y-7, Il-76
Tanker	H-6U, Il-78

The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is the aerial warfare service branch of the People's Liberation Army, the armed forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLAAF was officially established on 11 November 1949. As of 2014, the PLAAF has a strength of around 398,000 personnel and is the largest air force in Asia. With ongoing modernisation, all older aircraft types in service are quickly being phased out and emphasis being placed on developing modern 4.5th generation fighters to replace them - along with 5th generation fighters in the near future.

The PLAAF was founded with Soviet assistance on November 11, 1949, shortly after the formation of the People's Republic of China. The PLA had operated few aircraft before that. The PLA's first organized air unit, the Nanyuan Flying Group, was formed only in the summer of 1949 from about 40 ex-Nationalist aircraft; its task was to defend Beijing, the nation's new capital.

The PLAAF fought the Korean War in Soviet-built MiG-15, known as the J-2 in Chinese service, with training from Soviet instructors. The war also brought Soviet assistance for the indigenous aircraft industry. The Shenyang Aircraft Factory built the two-seat MiG-15UTI trainer as the JJ-2, and during the war manufactured various components to maintain the Soviet-built fighters. This prepared them to mass-produce derivatives of Soviet aircraft under license, starting with the J-5 (MiG-17) in 1956, then the J-6 (MiG-19) in 1959, and then the J-7 (MiG-21) in 1967.