Lawrence “Sid” Trevethan
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“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

China Aerospace 

Studies Institute

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“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

Preface

The current round of reforms initiated by Xi Jinping in 2016 continue to 

have significant effects on today’s People’s Liberation Army, in its missions, 

organizations, and its people. One of the most evident of these changes is the 

increased shift toward a Brigade system. While organizationally modeled on the 

ground force, aka “Army”, the PLAAF had take a ‘pause’ in its moves to shift 

to a brigade system throughout the PLAAF. Apparently, the 2016 reforms put 

an end to that pause. Over the course of the last two years, the PLAAF has 

rapidly pursued a program of shifting from the traditional Division-Regiment 

organization, to a new Base-Brigade structure. We see evidence of this across the 

PLAAF, with the notable exception (as of this writing) of the bomber and special 

mission aircraft organizations.

This report is an attempt to describe the changes that have taken place in the 

organizational structure of the PLAAF and to begin to analyze some of the impact 

and implications associated with the changes. These changes also take place while 

the PLA shifted from seven inwardly focused Military Region commands to five 

outwardly focused Theater Commands, while the Chinese Communist Party’s 

Central Military Commission underwent a significant restructuring and change 

of personnel, and while the PLA attempted to decrease its overall active force by 

300,000 people, although many have simply changed into the PLA equivalent of 

DoD civilians (a topic for a future CASI paper). 
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

Understanding the fundamental organization, the command and control 

relationships, and the structures, lower level organizations, and the personnel that 

fill those billets, is the base upon which any detailed analysis must start. This 

volume helps lay that foundation for the PLAAF.

Dr. Brendan S. Mulvaney

Director, China Aerospace Studies Institute
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

In 2016, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) began to implement its 

11th large-scale reorganization, including a 300,000-man force reduction. One 

key component of the reorganization was the PLA Air Force’s (PLAAF) shift 

away from its traditional Division-Regiment system to a Base-Brigade structure 

for its fighter and ground attack aircraft. This transition originally began in 2011 

but implementation was apparently delayed soon after it began and did not restart 

until 2017. This paper discusses the evolution of the PLAAF’s fighter and ground 

attack combat aircraft units and flight colleges to a brigade structure. It is divided 

into the following eight sections:

Section 1: Key Findings

Section 2: Understanding the PLAAF’s Organizational Structure

Section 3: An Overview of the PLAAF’s Organizational Reforms

Section 4: Aviation Branch Brigades

Section 5: Flight College Aviation Brigades

Section 6: Flight Transition Training Bases

Section 7: Creation of Air Brigades since 2011

Section 8: The PLAAF’s Development, Production, and Rebuild Process

While the majority of the information contained in this report has been 

gleaned from multiple authoritative sources, it is necessary to emphasize that the 

reorganization is still ongoing, and the PLA is less than forthcoming in specific 

details. As such, where necessary or appropriate, estimates and logical deductions 

have been made. These judgements can be identified by phrases such as, ‘it is 

likely’, “probably”, etc.

Introduction
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

• In late 2011, the PLAAF began to restructure its seven flight colleges into 

three flight colleges and one Flight Instructor Training Base.

• In 2011, the PLAAF began to restructure its operational fighter and ground 

attack air divisions and subordinate regiments into a brigade structure. 

Each of the newly created 14 operational air brigades were re-subordinated 

under four newly reconfigured corps deputy leader-grade Bases. These 

Bases were previously corps deputy leader-grade or division leader-grade 

command posts that were, in turn, created in 2004i; however, after the initial 

restructuring in 2011-2012, no further changes to any fighter and ground 

attack units or operational Bases were made until 2017.

• In early 2016, as part of the “above the neck reforms” (this is the term that the 

PLA uses to refer to units above the corps level), the PLAAF Headquarters 

completely reorganized its administrative and functional departments, 

and the PLAAF merged its seven Military Region Air Force (MRAF) 

Headquarters into five Theater Command Air Force (TCAF) Headquarters 

to align with the overall PLA transition from a Military Region structure to 

a Theater Command structure.

• The 19th Party Congress, in late 2017, reorganized the PLA’s Central 

Military Commission (CMC). Post reorganization, the service commanders 

were no longer included in the CMC. The Navy, Air Force, and Rocket 

i It is important to note that the use of the word “Base” here is in the Chinese context of an organizational 

unit at the Corps Deputy Leader grade, not in the American sense of a physical location. We have used the 

capitalized form of the word to denote the Base organization, and not merely a location.

Section 1: 

Key Findings
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

Force (former Second Artillery Corps) commanders had served on the 

CMC, starting in 2004.ii

• In 2017, as part of the “below the neck reforms” (i.e., corps and below), the 

PLAAF completed its reorganization of all remaining combat fighter and 

ground attack divisions and regiments into brigades and placed them all 

under several newly configured Bases from previous command posts.

• As of yet, the PLAAF has not reorganized its existing three bomber divisions, 

three transport divisions, or its three specialized air divisions into a brigade 

structure. Given that these units are either directly subordinate to PLAAF 

HQ or to a TCAF HQ, and not a Base, it is not clear if this restructuring 

will happen in the future.

• The PLAAF has created six Transport and Search and Rescue (SAR) Air 

Brigades. The newest of which was likely to be upgraded to a brigade in early 

2018.

• The PLAAF has also organized other types of organizations into a brigade 

structure. These include unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) brigades, Flight 

Test and Training Base Air Brigades, and Transition Training Base Air 

Regiments and Brigades. The few Bases which retain training regiments are, 

however, likely to keep them.

• The PLAAF Airborne Corps, which was formerly known as the “15th 

Airborne Corps” has transitioned from having subordinate divisions and 

regiments to having only subordinate brigades. These include a special 

operations brigade and support brigade. It also has a newly-created Aviation 

(transport) Brigade. It is not clear if the former helicopter regiment has 

ii The commanders were included for three iterations of the CMC: 2003, 2008, and 2013.

1
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

remained as a regiment, been upgraded to a brigade, or been incorporated 

into the aviation brigade as multiple flight groups. 

• The PLAAF has created several unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) brigades 

and is likely to add more units in the near future.1

• The current reorganization of the PLAAF is ongoing, as of March 2018, 

many of the details are still developing and are simply unknowable at 

this time.

2
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force 3

Section 2: 

Understanding the PLAAF’s 

Organizational Structure

Before addressing the PLAAF’s air brigade structure, it is important to 

understand how every organization fits into the PLA’s 15-grade structure, which 

forms the base for the PLAAF’s command and control (C2) and coordination 

structure. The U.S. Air Force National Air and Space Intelligence Center’s 

(NASIC) People’s Liberation Army Air Force 2010 provides a solid background 

for understanding the grade structure.2 Unlike the U.S., military officer grades 

in the PLA are not assigned a number.iii Additionally, in the PLA, not only 

are personnel assigned a grade, but all billets and organizations themselves are 

assigned a grade. Table 1, below, provides an overview of where each PLAAF 

operational aviation-relevant organization fits into the grade structure. It provides 

a comparison of the former structure of seven Military Regions (MR) and their 

subordinate MRAF HQs, and the current structure that consists of five Theater 

Commands (TC) and their subordinate TCAFs. Within this system, the only 

significant name change was the renaming of the Military Region leader and 

deputy leader grades to Theater Command leader and deputy leader grades. 

iii With the exception of special technical officers, who have numbers assigned to their Special Technical 

Officer Grade.
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

Table 1: PLA 15-Grade Structure and PLAAF Aviation-Relevant Organizations

Previous MR Grade Current TC Grade Previous PLAAF-specific 

Organization

Current PLAAF-specific 

Organization

Central Military Commission Vice Chairman 

中央军委副主席

No change None None

Central Military Commission Member 

中央军委委员

No change None None

Military Region Leader 

正大军区职

Theater Command 

Leader 

正大战区职

PLA Air Force HQ 

空军

PLA Air Force HQ 

空军

Military Region Deputy 

Leader 副大军区职

Theater Command Deputy Leader 副大战区职Military Region Air 

Force HQ 军区空军

Theater Command Air 

Force HQ 战区空军

Corps Leader 正军职 No change None None

Corps Deputy Leader 

副军职

No change None Bases 基地; Command 

Posts 指挥所

Division Leader 正师职 No Change Air Divisions 航空兵师; 

Command Posts 指挥所

None

Division Deputy Leader 

副师职

Brigade Leader None Air Brigades 航空兵旅

Regiment Leader 政团职 Brigade Deputy Leader Air Regiments 航空兵团 None

Regiment Deputy Leader 

副团职

No Change None None

Battalion Leader 正营职 No Change Flight Groupsiv

飞行大队

Flight Groups 飞行大队

Battalion Deputy Leader 

副营职

No Change None None

Company Leader 正连职 No Change Flight Squadronsiv

飞行中队

Flight Squadrons 

飞行中队

Company Deputy Leader 

副连职

No Change None None

Platoon 排职 No Change None None

iv

iv A PLAAF Flight Squadron consists of two to four aircraft. A Flight Group consists of eight to ten 

aircraft.

4
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

“In December 2011, the PLAAF revealed that it had begun creating air 

brigades (航空兵旅) in its combat aircraft units by upgrading 14 existing air 

regiment headquarters (航空兵团) and abolishing at least four air division 

headquarters (航空兵师).”3 In addition, the brigades were all subordinated 

to one of the four corps deputy leader-grade Bases (基地) that were created 

from two existing division leader-grade and two corps deputy leader-grade 

command posts (指挥所) under the Shenyang, Lanzhou, Nanjing, and 

Guangzhou Military Region Air Force (MRAF) HQs. As such, the command 

structure for its fighter aircraft (歼击机) and ground attack aircraft (强击

机) began changing from a 7-tiered structure (PLAAF HQ –MRAF HQ – 

command post – air division – air regiment – flight group – flight squadron) 

that was created in 2004v, to a 6-tiered structure (PLAAF HQ – MRAF HQ – 

Base – air brigade – flight group – flight squadron); such that no combat 

fighter or ground attack brigades are subordinate to a division, and no air 

regiments are subordinate to a brigade. Meanwhile, its bomber, transport, and 

special mission aircraft air divisions remained directly subordinate to either 

PLAAF HQ or a MRAF HQ.

Starting in 2011, the PLAAF also merged six of its seven existing flight 

colleges into three flight colleges (Harbin, Shijiazhuang, and Xi’an), each of 

which was upgraded from division leader grade to corps deputy leader grade 

organization. At the same time, the PLAAF created 14 subordinate training 

brigades from the former training regiments.4 Each flight college was also 

resubordinated from their relevant MRAF HQ to the PLAAF HQ.5 The 

seventh flight college was converted into a flight instructor training base 

v Some fighter and ground attack divisions that were located in the same province as the MRAF HQ were 

directly subordinate to the MRAF HQ rather than to a command post that was located in a different province.

5

Section 3: 

Overview of the PLAAF’s 

Organizational Reforms
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

subordinate to the Air Force Aviation University but remained as a division 

leader-grade organization with subordinate training regiments.6

After a five-year hiatus that did not include any new fighter or ground 

attack brigades or reconfigured command posts into Bases, a much larger 

reorganization program for fighter and ground attack regiments to brigades 

began in early 2017, such that there are now approximately 59 fighter, armed 

fighter-reconnaissance and ground attack brigades attached to Bases with 

operational commands. In addition, another 35 brigades not subordinate 

to Bases were also formed. This reorganization included abolishing 23 air 

division headquarters and either upgrading their regiments to brigades; 

merging certain regiments into brigades and eliminating older airframes; or 

abolishing the entire regiment. As such, as of early 2018, no fighter or ground 

attack air divisions or regiments remain. This change was clearly linked to 

the 2016 reforms.7

So far, the shift to air brigades has focused on fighter and ground attack 

units. The three bomber air divisions, three transport aircraft air divisions, 

and three specializedvi aircraft air divisions, have apparently been retained as 

air divisions, directly subordinate to PLAAF HQ or a TCAF HQ. However, 

in 2017, four of the five new TCAF HQs (Eastern, Southern, Northern, and 

Central) that were created in early 2016 gained a subordinate Transport & 

SAR Brigade, while the Western TCAF had a Transport & SAR Regiment 

which was converted to a brigade, likely in early 2018.8 The PLAAF HQ 

also gained a subordinate Transport & SAR Brigade in 2017. Given that 

the bomber, transport, and special mission aircraft divisions have not been 

subordinate to command posts, there is a strong possibility that they will not 

be abolished, which means their subordinate regiments most likely will not 

be upgraded to brigades, nor subordinated to Bases. 

 In April 2017, the PLAAF’s Airborne Corps (空降兵军), formerly 

known as the 15th Airborne Corps (空降兵15军), abolished its three airborne 

divisions’ (43rd, 44th, and 45th) headquarters and upgraded all of their 

subordinate regiments into brigades (空降兵旅). They also created a special 

operation brigade (特战旅).9 By June 2017, it had also created a transport 

aircraft Aviation Brigade (空降兵运输航空兵旅) that consists of several 

Harbin Y-12 small transports shown at the right.10 Although the Airborne 

Corps has had one subordinate helicopter regiment for a few years, it is not 

clear if it has been upgraded to a brigade or if its subordinate flight groups 

vi A specialized air division flies aircraft fitted with specialized sensors or electronic-warfare (EW) equipment or other non-combat 

missions. It can include transport aircraft.

6
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

have been directly resubordinated to the Aviation Brigade.11 In addition, the 

PLAAF has created several unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) brigades, and has 

various air brigades at the Dingxin and Cangzhou Test and Training Bases.

Harbin Y-12 small transports

7
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

The first two air units the PLAAF created in 1950 were brigades – the 

4th Combined Brigade at Nanjing and the 3rd Pursuit Brigade in Shenyang, 

each of which had subordinate regiments.12 In the early 1990s, the PLAAF 

abolished its air brigades and created its first air divisions with subordinate 

regiments. 

Over the years, the PLAAF has adjusted the size of its total aviation 

force in terms of numbers of divisions and numbers of regiments per division 

to incorporate new weapon systems, retire older systems, and meet mission 

requirements.13 From October 1950 to early 1954, it deployed a total of 3,000 

aircraft in 28 air divisions, composed of 70 regiments, plus five independent 

regimentsvii consisting of special mission reconnaissance fighter aircraft, three 

reconnaissance, one bomber, and one transport. The air divisions consisted of 

fighters, bombers, transports, ground attack, and reconnaissance aircraft.14 As 

a general rule, each air division consisted of three regiments, including two 

operational regiments and one training regiment.

From January 1954 to 1971, the PLAAF created an additional 22 air 

divisions, for a total of 50 air divisions. The introduction of new aircraft such 

as the A-5 ground attack aircraft and the B-5 and B-6 bombers also influenced 

the formation of new combat units. While some units merely upgraded to the 

new aircraft, other units were formed using the new aircraft as their basis. 

Many of the early divisions relocated several times as the PLAAF expanded 

to meet operational needs, especially during the late 1950s opposite Taiwan 

and the 1960s during the Vietnam War.15

vii Independent regiments are not subordinate to a Division, or Brigade for that matter, but rather fall under PLAAF HQ directly, or a 

former Military Region Air Force, and perhaps under a current Theater Command Air Force.

8

Section 4: 

Aviation Branch Brigades
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

Starting in the 1950s, the standard table of organization and equipment 

(TOE) for a fighter division has been 72 aircraft (plus up to eight trainers) 

and 120 pilots, for a plane to pilot ratio of 1:1.5. Each fighter or ground attack 

regiment had 24 aircraft, typically with up to six spare aircraft, and 40 pilots.16

The TOE for a bomber division is 54 aircraft and 90 crews, a 1:1.7 ratio. 

Each bomber regiment had 18 aircraft, plus probably two spares, and 30 crews. 

When the PLAAF began forming its first air divisions, most divisions 

had two regiments, but a few divisions had three regiments, stationed at one 

or two airfields. By 1953, it began expanding all of its divisions to include 

three regiments. Each regiment had three to four subordinate flight groups (

大队/dadui), which, in turn, are divided into three to four flight squadrons (

中队/ zhongdui).viii One confusing event which occurred between 1964 and 

1970, was that the PLAAF changed the name of each regiment to a group 

without changing the organizational structure or the organizational grade. 

Thus, the 24th air division’s 70th air regiment in 1963 was renamed the 70th 

group in 1964, but without any change in its grade. In 1970, the regiment 

name was re-instituted.

According to a 1999 Department of Defense report, the PLAAF’s 

combat aircraft at that time, were organized into some 30 air divisions, plus 

about 150 transport aircraft organized in two air divisions.17 A 14 June 2000 

Jane’s Defence Weekly report stated that the PLAAF currently consists of 

33 divisions, including 27 fighter, four bomber, and two transport divisions.18

According to a map in the 2010 Department of Defense report, the 

PLAAF had 28 air divisions, including 20 fighter, three bomber, three attack, 

and two transport divisions.19

According to the map in the 2017 Department of Defense report, shown 

below, the PLAAF had 32 air divisions, including 25 fighter and attack, 

three bomber, and three transport divisions.20 Unfortunately, the report did 

not provide any information about the creation of fighter and ground attack 

air brigades which started in 2012. These brigades replaced several existing 

divisions and their subordinate regiments, which actually reduced the number 

of existing air divisions shown on the map.

viii Groups are battalion grade-equivalent organizations, and squadrons are company grade-equivalent organizations.

9
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

Figure 1: Major Air Units 2012

According to reports, historically the PLAAF has had a five-tiered vertical 

command structure for its aviation troops. However, beginning in late 2003, it 

reduced the number of tiers from five to four.21 The change occurred when the 

PLAAF abolished the corps leader-grade air corps (空军军) level for command 

headquarters, which, in some cases, were called Bases; created several corps deputy 

leader-grade (副军职) and division leader-grade (正师职) command posts (CPs / 

指挥所); and consolidated the operational chain of command for aviation troops 

under the seven MRAF Headquarters. In conjunction with establishing new air 

brigades, which began in early 2011, the PLAAF has begun creating four corps 

deputy leader-grade Bases (基地) from existing Command Posts. A comparison 

of the three periods is shown in Table 2. 

10
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

Table 2: Aviation and Air Defense Command Structure

Pre-2003 2004-2011 2012-Current

PLAAF HQ PLAAF HQ PLAAF HQ

MRAF HQ MRAF HQ MRAF/TCAF HQ

Air Corps and Bases Command Posts Bases and Command Posts

Units Units Units

Subunits Subunits Subunits

According to PLAAF Structure, the last two tiers consist of units (部队) 

at the corps, division, brigade, and regiment levels and subunits (分队) at the 

battalion, company, and platoon levels.

Prior to the 2003-2004 force reduction of 200,000 personnel (85% of whom 

were officers), the PLAAF had 11 corps leader-grade organizations, including: the 

15th Airborne Corps, five air corps, and five Bases. Excluding the 15th Airborne 

Corps, the other air corps and Bases were subordinate to their respective MRAF 

headquarters and were responsible for directly commanding the PLAAF combat 

units (aviation, air defense, radar, etc.) in their area of responsibility (AOR). The 

PLAAF also had two division-level CPs that served the same function. However, 

some fighter and ground attack air divisions that were located in the same 

province as the MRAF Headquarters were directly subordinate to the MRAF 

Headquarters instead of a CP.

As a result of the 2003 force restructuring, the PLAAF reduced the grade of 

the remaining air corps and corps-level Bases to either corps deputy leader- or 

division leader-grade organizations, re-designated them as CPs, and consolidated 

leadership for all aviation and air defense organizations in each MRAF directly 

under the respective MRAF headquarters.ix As a result, from 2004 to 2012, the 

PLAAF had 13 CPs, which acted on behalf of the MRAF Headquarters to 

command the organizations in their AOR. 

In January 2012, the PLAAF began creating four corps deputy leader-grade 

Bases from existing command posts in Nanning, Urumqi (Wulumuqi), Shanghai, 

and Dalian. Each Base is responsible for C2 of the air brigades, SAM, AAA, and 

radar units in their AOR. They also coordinate with Army and Navy units in their 

AOR for joint training. 

Following an almost five-year delay, in early 2017, the PLAAF reinvigorated 

its reorganization efforts, with the creation of at least six new corps deputy 

leader-grade Bases from former division leader- and corps deputy leader-grade 

ix PLAAF Structure states that, from 2003 to 2012, the only corps leader-grade combat organization was 

the 15th Airborne Corps, which is directly subordinate to PLAAF Headquarters.

11
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

command posts as well as from the former Lanzhou MRAF HQ and Jinan 

MRAF HQ shown in Table 3.22 The table is organized according to the current 

TCAF protocol order – Eastern, Southern, Western, Northern, and Central. Each 

Base commands all subordinate aviation and air defense (SAM, AAA, and radar) 

units in its area of responsibility. As such, it appears that no fighter and ground 

attack air units are directly subordinate to a TCAF Headquarters. 

Table 3: PLAAF Bases Created from 2012-2018

Location (City, Province/AR) Former MRAF Current TCAF Former Grade

Fuzhou, Fujian Nanjing Eastern Corps Deputy Leader

Shanghai Nanjing Eastern Division Leader

Kunming, Yunnan Chengdu Southern Corps Deputy Leader

Nanning, Guangxi Guangzhou Southern Division Leader

Urumqi, Xinjiang Lanzhou Western Corps Deputy Leader

Lanzhou, Gansu Lanzhou Western MR Deputy Leader

Lhasa, Tibet Chengdu Western Division Leader

Dalian, Liaoning Shenyang Northern Corps Deputy Leader

Jinan, Shandong Jinan Northern MR Deputy Leader

Unknown, Inner Mongolia Unknown Northern Unknown

Datong, Shanxi Beijing Central Corps Deputy Leader

Wuhan, Hunan Guangzhou Central Corps Deputy Leader

As noted in Table 3, it appears that the PLAAF has created a new Base in 

the Northern TCAF’s Inner Mongolia.23 There are no indications that this Base 

was a previous command post, and it is not clear what units are subordinate to 

the Base. As of early 2018, it appears that the only remaining command posts are 

shown in Table 4 below. It does not appear that any air brigades are subordinate 

to them. However, other PLAAF units (radar brigades, SAM brigades, various 

facilities) in their “area of responsibility” are likely under command. If major 

military operations, e.g. a response to an earthquake or civil unrest, or invasion, 

were required in their area, air brigades could be subordinated to them.

Table 4: Remaining PLAAF Command Posts

TCAF Division Leader CPs

Western Hetian, Xinjiang

Northern Changchun, Jilin

12
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

Starting in August 2011, the PLAAF created three corps deputy leader-grade 

flight colleges by consolidating six of the previous seven division leader-grade 

flight colleges and subordinated them to their respective MRAF HQ.24 When 

the five TCAFs were created in 2016, the three flight colleges were resubordinated 

from under their respective MRAF HQ to their respective TCAF HQ.25 The 

PLAAF also created a division leader-grade Flight Instructor Training Base (飞

行教官训练基地) from the previous 13th Flight College and subordinated it to 

the corps deputy leader-grade Air Force Aviation University.26 By 2017, it also 

had created a Basic Flight Training Base (飞行基础训练基地), also under the 

Air Force Aviation University. 

In May 2004, the PLAAF created the corps deputy leader-grade Air Force 

Aviation University in Changchun, Jilin Province, from the former division leadergrade 7th Flight College. The university has a subordinate division leader-grade 

Flight Basic Training Base and a Flight Training Base.27

According to two articles in late December 2011 from Hong Kong’s Wen Wei 

Po Online, the PLAAF had already consolidated its seven flight colleges shown 

in Table 5, in which resources were relatively decentralized and there was an 

overlap of their functions and designs, with four of its original seven MRAF flight 

transition training Bases.28 Each of the flight colleges and transition training Bases 

were division leader-grade organizations and were organized like an operational 

air division with a Headquarters Department, Political Department, Logistics 

Department, and Equipment Department. Each flight college also has a 5-digit 

military unit cover designator (MUCD). However, unlike all other academic 

institutions, none of the flight colleges have a 5-digit Ministry of Education 

(MOE) code.

13

Section 5: 

Flight College Aviation Brigades
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

Table 5: Pre-2012 PLAAF Flight Colleges29

Academic Institution City, Province (MRAF) Mission

1st Flight College Harbin, Heilongjiang (Shenyang) Transport, bomber, and tanker crew

2nd Flight College Huxian, Shaanxi (Lanzhou) and 

Jiajiang, Sichuan (Chengdu)

3rd Flight College Jinzhou, Liaoning (Shenyang) Fighter and ground attack pilots

4th Flight College Shijiazhuang, Hebei (Beijing)

5th Flight College Wuwei, Gansu (Lanzhou)

6th Flight College Zhuozhou, Hebei (Beijing)

13th Flight College Bengbu, Anhui (Nanjing)

Since the initial article, Chinese military websites and PLA Air Force News 

have carried several articles and profiles stating that the PLAAF had consolidated 

six of the existing flight colleges into three newly formed flight colleges in Harbin, 

Shijiazhuang, and Xi’an. Each of these new flight colleges are corps deputy 

leader-grade organizations.30 In addition, the former 13th Flight College has been 

transformed into a Flight Instructor Training Base subordinate to the Air Force 

Aviation University. 

It appears that each new flight college was created by merging the headquarters 

from two previous flight colleges, but the airfields and their training units still 

exist. The key is that each of the subordinate regiments was upgraded to a brigade. 

Table 6 provides an update overview of the three flight colleges, including 

their name, headquarters location, subordination, numbered brigades, aircraft 

tail numbers, and types of airframes. All 13 training air regiments at the Harbin 

Flight College (哈尔滨飞行学院), Shijiazhuang Flight College (石家庄飞行学

院), and Xi’an Flight College (西安庄飞行学院) were upgraded to training air 

brigades beginning in late 2011. Most training air brigades are organized similar 

to combat air brigades, with flight groups consisting of JL-8 trainers.31 However, 

a few are unique, operating old CJ-6 basic trainers, bombers and bomber trainers, 

transports or helicopters, and/or JJ-7 or JL-9 jet trainers. A typical example is the 

3rd training brigade of the Xi’an Flight College (西安飞行学院) based at Wuwei 

(武威), Gansu Province. It operates three flight groups of JL-8.

14
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

Table 6: Current Flight Colleges

Flight College Headquarters Location 

(City & Province)

Subordination Training 

Brigades

Aircraft Tail 

Numbers

Airframes

Harbin Harbin, Heilongjiang Northern 

TCAF

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

1x1x

1x2x

1x3x

1x4x

1x5x

CJ-6, Y-5D

H-6H, HYJ6&7

JL-9

JL-8

JL-8

Shijiazhuang Shijiazhuang, Hebei Central TCAF 1st

2nd 

3rd

4th

2x1x

2x2x

2x3x

2x4x

JL-8

JL-8

JL-8

JL-8

Xi’an Huxian, Shaanxi Western TCAF 1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

3x1x

3x2x

3x3x

3x4x

3x5x

HC-120, Z-9

JL-8, JJ-7. J-7II

JL-8

JL-8

Y-7&8, HYJ7

15
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

From 1986 to 1988, the PLAAF converted one air division in each MRAF to 

a division leader-grade transition training Base, where new flight college graduates 

received one year of transition training before they are assigned to an operational 

unit. As a result, most, if not all, of the training regiments in operational air 

divisions were abolished and their aircraft and missions were transferred to the 

transition training Bases.32

According to two articles in late December 2011 from Hong Kong’s Wen Wei 

Po Online, the PLAAF had already consolidated its seven flight colleges with four 

of its original seven MRAF flight transition training Bases.33 In addition, at least 

one of the two Shenyang MRAF operational brigades had incorporated aircraft 

from one of the flight transition Bases into the brigade’s flight training group. 

Based on the aircraft numbers on the aircraft shown below,34 at the Shenyang 

MRAF operational air brigade, the two-seat JJ-6 and JJ-7 trainers were brought in 

from other units. Specifically, the JJ-7 with number 60001 is from the Shenyang 

MRAF’s transition training Base, which was previously the 50th air division. It is 

not clear where the JJ-6 with number xxx25 came from. (e.g., 1st, 11th, 21st, 31st, or 

41st air division), however its presence at the Shenyang MRAF brigade indicates 

it was reassigned to a brigade flight group. 

16

Section 6: 

Flight Transition Training Bases
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

It is not yet clear if all of the former seven transition training Bases have 

been abolished, merged with flight colleges, and/or merged with operational 

air brigades. It does appear that the PLAAF has a few specialized transition 

training Bases (空军飞行训练基地 / 空军飞训基地) that are responsible 

for transitioning experienced pilots from older generation aircraft into newer 

generation aircraft before the pilots are reassigned to a new unit. For example, 

these transition training Bases likely train pilots assigned to a unit with obsolete 

aircraft types (e.g. J-7 or Q-5) become familiar with daylight operations and learn 

night navigation skills. It is not clear what their grades are; however, at least one 

of them is a division leader-grade organization with at least three subordinate 

numbered training regiments (1st, 2nd, and 3rd regiments).35 One Base may have 

been upgraded to corps deputy leader grade, such that it has two subordinate 

training brigades, i.e. the 95th and 132nd Air Brigades. It is also not clear to whom 

they are subordinate, but the Bases are either directly subordinate to PLAAF HQ 

or their respective TCAF HQ. 

An example of a possible transition training brigade is the 132nd Training 

Brigade at Xiangyun, Yunnan Province in the Southern TCAF. The 132nd has a 

significant number of old JJ-7 trainers as well as a flight group of obsolescent J-7II 

fighters. If this is the function of this unit, similar transition training brigades may 

have been, or might yet be, formed in each TCAF operating area. In this instance, 

the 132nd traded some of its J-7IIs for JJ-7s.36

 132nd Brigade JJ-7 during a night navigation exercise in 2018.

17
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

In late 2011, the PLAAF initiated the restructuring of 14 fighter and ground 

attack air regiments by upgrading them to brigades, which included abolishing 

four air division headquarters. As discussed earlier, in 2012 it also created four 

corps deputy leader-grade Bases from previous corps deputy leader-grade and 

division leader-grade command posts. The shift to air brigades and the creation 

of new Bases were put on hold at the end of 2012 but were re-instituted in early 

2017. It is not clear why there was a near five-year delay. 

The important immediate difference between an air brigade and an air 

regiment is that an air brigade is a division deputy leader grade organization, 

while a regiment is a regiment leader grade organization, i.e. one grade lower. As 

such, each key staff officer billetx requires an officer that is one grade higher than a 

corresponding air regiment. This does not mean, however, that every officer gets and 

automatic grade promotion. Interestingly, all leadership billets in the air division 

headquarters were abolished. This led to some officers being downgraded and 

assigned to certain brigade billets, or they were transferred to a Base headquarters 

in order to be able to remain on active duty until their mandatory retirement age 

based on their grade. For most of the newly upgraded air brigades in 2017, this 

appears to be the only immediate change. However, in the future, it may require 

an increase of the maintenance assets and supporting structure in order to manage 

a greater number of aircraft, or a greater variety of aircraft assigned. 

Another result of changing from a regiment to a brigade is a change in 

command relationships. As a general rule, air brigades are not subordinate to 

air divisions; rather, brigades report to a corps deputy leader-grade Base (基地). 

x These officers would include the commander, political commissar, deputy commanders, deputy political 

commissar(s), chief of staff, and the other three first-level department directors and deputy directors, i.e. Political, 

Logistics, and Equipment; as well as all second-level department leaders and deputy leaders.

18

Section 7: 

Creation of Air Brigades 

since 2011
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

Each Base commands all subordinate aviation and air defense (SAM, AAA, and 

radar) units in its area of responsibility. In addition, a few previous air divisions 

which were directly subordinate to an MRAF or TCAF HQ have apparently been 

resubordinated to the nearest Base.

A typical combat air brigade, which can be either a fighter brigade or a ground 

attack brigade, has 24 aircraft (excluding trainers) organized in three battalion 

leader-grade flight groups. “Each brigade has from three to five subordinate flight 

groups. The goal was to have each flight group equipped with a different type of 

aircraft, including trainers, ground attack and fighters, such that the brigade is 

multi-functional.”37 However, by 2018, it appears that this early approach was 

generally abandoned in favor of having only one or two closely related types of 

multi-function aircraft. This may be an attempt to increase operational efficiency, 

and may be due to concerns regarding insufficient qualified maintenance personnel 

for each type of airframe. While current combat aircraft brigades may still have 

three to five flight groups, virtually all of the newly upgraded brigades have only 

the three inherited from the former air regiment from which they were upgraded. 

As for the aircraft assigned to these brigades, most combat fighter and ground 

attack brigades have six additional aircraft as spares, even if they are new aircraft, 

in the repair shop. In general, aircraft are manufactured and issued to flight groups 

in batches of ten, but nominally only eight are considered to be available for 

operations. Usually brigades with foreign aircraft (e.g. Su-27, Su-30, or Su-35) 

have no spares.

Of note, previously, three air brigades had only 18 Su-30MKK combat 

aircraft. However, this appears to have changed in February 2018 when one of 

them upgraded to the Su-35S, thus making more Su-30MKKs available for the 

other two.

It should be noted that Training and other specialized air brigades may have 

entirely different organizations from combat air brigades. 

As summarized in Table 7, in 

2011, the PLAAF began creating 

the following 14 fighter and ground 

attack air brigades. Interestingly, these 

brigades were only created in four 

of the seven MRAFs – Shenyang, 

Lanzhou, Nanjing, and Guangzhou. 

The first report concerning the new air brigades occurred on 27 December 2011 

when China Military Online carried this photo of a J-11BS two-seat trainer 

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Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

with the following caption: “Recently, a certain air brigade in Xinjiang [Lanzhou 

MRAF] organized flight training that went from day into night, which ensured 

the combat effectiveness of the new equipment and new personnel.”38

Table 7, organized by former MRAF protocol order, shows the former 

MRAF where they were located, their current subordination Base, former air 

division to which they were subordinate, the brigade number, location, and the 

type of aircraft.39 The seven MRAF HQs were reorganized into five TCAF HQs 

in early 2016. 

Table 7: Air Brigades Created in 2011-2012

MRAF

(TCAF)

Base Former Division Brigade Location (City & 

Province)

Airframes

2012 - 2018

Nanjing

(Eastern)

Shanghai 29th (abolished)

29th (abolished)

14th (abolished)

26th (still active)

78th 

85th 

86th 

93rd

Shanghai

Quzhou, Zhejiang

Rugao, Jiangsu

Suzhou, Jiangsu

J-8, JJ-7

Su-30

J-7, JJ-7

JZ-8, JJ-7

Guangzhou

(Southern)

Nanning 42nd (abolished)

42nd (abolished)

42nd (abolished)

124th 

125th 

126th

Baise, Tianyang, 

Guangxi

Nanning, Guangxi

Liuzhou, Guangxi

J-7 > J-10

J-7 > J-8H

J-7 > JH-7A

Lanzhou

(Western)

Urumqi 37th (abolished)

16th (still active) 

and MRAF TTB 

(abolished)

37th (abolished)

109th 

110th 

111th

Changji, Xinjiang

Urumqi South, 

Xinjiang

Korla, Xinjiang

J-8H, JJ-7A

J-7, JJ-7 >

JH-7A

J-11B

Shenyang

(Northern)

Dalian 30th (abolished)

30th (abolished)

11th (abolished)

MRAF TTB 

(abolished)

88th 

89th 

90thxi

91st

Dandong, Liaoning

Pulandian, Dalian, 

Liaoning

Wafangdian, Dalian, 

Liaoning

Liuhe, Tonghua, Jilin

J-7E, JJ-7A

J-11B, 

Su-27U

Q-5D, Q-5J

J-7 > J-11B

& Su-27U

xi

Although there was a five-year hiatus in creating new air brigades, the PLAAF 

reinstituted the program in 2017 and created an additional 80 air brigades, for a 

total of 94 identified air brigades in PLAAF as of March, 2018. Of these brigades, 

59 are fighter, fighter-reconnaissance, or ground attack air brigades subordinate 

to command Bases with an operational area of responsibility. A further 35 air 

brigades are made of up several different types, all of which are subordinate to 

TCAF HQ, to PLAAF HQ, to various flight colleges, or to Test and Training 

Bases and Transition Training Bases. Table 7 above lists the 14 fighter and ground 

attack air brigades reorganized in 2011-2012. Table 8, in Appendix 2, lists the 

47 fighter, fighter-reconnaissance and ground attack air brigades reorganized 

between late 2016 and early 2018. Table 9, also in Appendix 2, lists the 20 air 

xi Unconfirmed, but a reasonable judgement.

20
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

brigades subordinate to various HQ. As discussed in the previous section, Table 6 

lists the 14 air brigades subordinate to Flight Colleges. In addition to air brigades, 

as of February 2018, PLAAF flight organizations also include 42 air regiments 

and 4 UAV battalions, the latter subordinate to a new UAV air division.40

The introduction of multi-role aircraft has blurred the distinction between 

fighter and ground attack air organizations. As well, the capabilities of these 

brigades vary greatly. A significant number, 15 fighter and 2 ground attack, have 

obsolescent equipment, while the majority (43) have more modern aircraft types. 

There are 35 other air brigades, including several new kinds of air brigades and 

air brigades equipped with modern combat aircraft which have specialized, noncombat functions, including R&D, tactics development, opposition force training, 

transport and search and rescue, and dedicated tanker support. It appears that a 

total of 23 air division headquarters, including 19 fighter, 3 ground attack and 1 

“bomber” which had become another ground attack division, have been abolished 

since late 2016 and that their subordinate air regiments were upgraded to air 

brigades, merged into new air brigades, or were disbanded; all of which have been 

subordinated to Bases. No fighter or ground attack air division headquarters still 

exist. In addition, no existing bomber, transport, or specialized air divisions were 

abolished, nor their regiments converted to air brigades, as of yet. As well, some 

independent air regiments became air brigades. 

A total of 16 combat air brigades operate two-seat multi-role aircraft, which 

include J-11BS, J-16, JH-7A and Su-30MKK aircraft. These units do not appear 

to have a company leader-grade flight squadron of 2-4 trainers, as do other similar 

units. China’s current production rate of two seat combat aircraft is enough to 

outfit approximately six air brigades by 2021 (three each of J-11BS and J-16). This 

would permit a slight expansion of the number of two seat multi-role air brigades 

reporting to Bases with operational areas of responsibility. The 31st Air Brigade 

provides an example of a typical unit. The 31st was upgraded from the 31st Air 

Regiment sometime around July of 2017. They operate the JH-7A, and are based 

at Siping (四平), Jilin Province, and therefore is assigned to the Northern TCAF. 

It probably is in the Dalian Base area of responsibility.41

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Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

31st Air Brigade JH-7A

Approximately 42 combat air brigades operate single-seat fighter, fighterreconnaissance or ground attack aircraft. Eleven of these operate wholly obsolete 

J-7H, J-7D, J-7IIM, or Q-5 aircraft types. An additional 12 operate obsolescent 

J-7E, J-7G or J-8 aircraft types. The remaining 19 air brigades operate modern, 

generally multi-role J-10, J-11 (except J-11BS), J-20, Su-27SK and Su-35 aircraft 

as their main type. These 19 air brigades operating modern aircraft types are the 

most important air defense assets of PLAAF. They are further supplemented by 

16 other air brigades which operate modern two seat aircraft types, by the 23 air 

brigades operating older single seat aircraft types, and by the PLAAF’s SAM 

branch. The 19 air brigades with modern multi-role aircraft also have a powerful 

strike capability widely deployed in all five TAFs. All air brigades with single seat 

primary aircraft also have a have a company leader-grade flight squadron of 2-4 

two-seat trainer aircraft. One possible reason so many air brigades still operate old 

aircraft types is perhaps to preserve these organizations because the PLAAF does 

not intend to continue to shrink its manned combat aircraft force any further. 

One indication of this is the creation of several transition training brigades. Two 

of them train former day fighter pilots in “night” (all weather) navigation, and 

the third trains former day pilots to operate aircraft with modern displays and 

weapons. In the near term, it is likely that most of the air brigades operating 

obsolete or obsolescent aircraft types will upgrade to more modern types. 

China is producing enough aircraft to allow six of these single seat combat 

air brigades to convert to two seat combat air brigades by 2021. The remaining 17 

air brigades operating older aircraft types are likely to upgrade to J- 10B, J-10C, 

J-11D or J-20 modern single seat aircraft types. China might another 24 Su-35s 

by then, as required by their contract with Russia, but it also might export a batch 

of 24 J-10As to Pakistan. Regardless of details, it is likely the force of air brigades 

22
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

with single-seat multi-role aircraft will decline to 36 mainly because six of them 

will convert to two-seat aircraft. The total force of about 60 air brigades assigned 

to command bases with operational areas of responsibility is likely to remain about 

that size in the next few years. A typical single-seat unit is the 140th Air Brigade, 

which operates the J-10A and JJ-7A and J-10SY. This unite was upgraded from 

the 130th Air Regiment around July 2017. It is based at Mengzi (蒙自), Yunnan 

Province, and is assigned to the Southern TCAF. It is in the Kunming Base area 

of responsibility.

130th Air Brigade J-10A

In addition to the combat air brigades, there several other types of brigades. 

These include:

• 16 non-combat aircraft brigades that are part of training Bases or 

flight colleges.

• 6 Transport & Search and Rescue (SAR) brigades (交通运输和搜救旅) – one 

is assigned to each of the five TCAF Headquarters and one to the PLAAF 

Headquarters.42 The Western TCAF had a Transport & SAR brigade, which 

was a regiment until early 2018 when it was likely upgraded to a brigade.43

• 1 support brigade consisting of reconnaissance JZ-8s

• 7 brigades associated with R&D or tactical opposition training

• 3 UAV brigades and one “Attack Brigade” of unmanned supersonic J-6W 

drones. 

There are also two probable transition training brigades attached to TCAF 

HQ. It is possible up to three more will be converted from single-seat fighter or 

ground attack brigades, such that each TCAF would have one.

23
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

An example of one of these brigades is the Eastern TCAF Transport & SAR 

Brigade. Based at Lukou, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province (南京市/禄口市), it 

operates Z-8K, Mi-171v7 Salon, Y-5C (STOL), Y-7G and Z-9B fixed-wing 

aircraft and helicopters. It reports directly to the Eastern TCAF HQ.44

Z-8K of Eastern Theater Command Transport & SAR Brigade

Mi-Mi-171 of Eastern Theater Command Transport & SAR Brigade

24
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

UAV brigades are poorly understood. They rarely, if ever, parade on an open 

runway as a unit. There appears to be one unidentified unit at Xingtai, Hebei, 

which is reported to be under direct PLAAF HQ command. Additionally, there 

are two other brigades, the 151st and the 178th, which may fall under a TCAF 

command, but may be directly subordinate to PLAAF HQ. It seems possible that 

there are, or soon will be, similar units under all five TCAF HQs. 

An illustrative example is the 151st. Its main Base seems to be at Cangzhou/

Cangxian (沧州/沧县) in Hebei Province.45 It appears to operate a variety of 

UAVs, including the BZK-007 and the new EA-01.46 Apparently there is a 

forward detachment of the latter at Shuangliao, /Jilin (双辽/吉林). It may also 

operate the GJ-1/WD-1/WJ-1 family of UAVs.

151st Brigade Main Base at Cangzhou/Cangxian 沧州/沧县

151st Brigade Forward Operating Base at Shuangliao/Jilin 双辽/吉林

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Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

There is also a unique Transportation Aviation Brigade (空降兵运输航空兵

旅) dedicated to supporting the PLAAF Airborne Corps, which was formerly 

called the PLAAF 15th Airborne Corps (中国人民解放军空降15兵军) until 

the reorganization announced on 28 April 2017. It appears that the use of “15th” 

has been abolished.xii This force has been entirely reorganized as brigades, similar 

to a PLA Ground Force Group Army. It has six air-mobile or air-transportable 

combined-arms brigades, a special operations brigade, a strategic support brigade, 

and the Transportation Aviation Brigade with both fixed wing and rotary wing 

aircraft.47 The Transportation Aviation Brigade was apparently created in April 

2017.48 Although the brigade was created in April, there were still references to a 

separate Helicopter Regiment (直升机团) as late as October 2017.49 Since then, 

there have been no references to a regiment or to possible helicopter flight groups 

subordinate to the Transport Aviation Brigade. As a result, it is not clear what 

the current organizational structure status is for the helicopters. Specifically, it 

is unclear if it has remained as a separate regiment, been upgraded to a brigade, 

or had its subordinate flight groups been subordinated to the Transport Aviation 

Brigade.

The Aviation Brigade permits the Airborne Corps to engage in continuous 

training for all kinds of operations: airborne, air-mobile and air-transportable. 

The Aviation Brigade is too small to support the entire Airborne Corps in a single 

operation. Major operations requiring more aircraft would require augmentation 

by other air transport units. PLAAF has three air transport divisions and six 

Transport & SAR brigades. Additionally, the CAAC (Civil Aviation Authority 

of China) can provide civilian air transport assets without meaningful limit. The 

Airborne Corps also has a regime preservation mission, a mission it performed 

in 1989 when a division was sent to Tiananmen Square. Common analysis that 

the Airborne Corps could only deploy one former division is likely incorrect. It 

is unlikely that more than four airborne brigades augmented by elements of the 

Special Operations Brigade and the Support Brigade would participate in a single 

operation because of the requirement to have brigades available to defend the 

regime. 

xii Unlike the U.S. military, the PLA’s Airborne Corps have always been subordinate to the Air Force rather 

than the Army. In July 1950, the CMC established an Air Force Marine (空军陆战) brigade in Shanghai, but the 

headquarters was moved to Kaifeng, Henan Province, the following month. Thereafter, the unit’s designation 

changed several times, becoming the Air Force Marine First Division, the Paratroops Division, and the Airborne Division. In 1961, the name was finally changed to the 15th Airborne Corps and had its headquarters in 

Xiaogan, Hubei Province. By the mid-1970s, the airborne corps had three airborne divisions. During the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), the Airborne Corps was used to intervene in domestic unrest during the Wuhan 

Incident of 1967. In the mid-1980s, the three divisions were reduced to brigades, but were again upgraded to 

divisions in 1993, each with about 10,000 troops. PLAAF 2010 Handbook, Chapter 11.

26
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

The PLAAF partners with the Aviation Industry Corporation of China 

(AVIC / 中国航空工业总公司) and Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China 

(COMAC / 中国商用飞机有限公司) as well as various aviation companies and 

academic institutions with aviation departments to design, develop, build, and 

rebuild aircraft for the PLAAF and other military services. The typical military 

aircraft design may be of PLAAF, e.g. J-20, or company, e.g. FC-31, origin. At 

least three airframes are normally built first: a non-flying static test airframe 

which never leaves the primary manufacturer’s factory, and two prototype aircraft. 

These will initially be flown by civilian test pilots or PLAAF test pilots at the 

factory to insure basic flight characteristics are understood. Those test flights may 

lead to redesign and to the building of one or more additional prototypes. Very 

complex aircraft, e.g. AEW or EW types, may also have an electromagnetic test 

airframe built. This is similar to a static test airframe outfitted with the electronic 

systems which need to be tested; this may or may not be a flying prototype. Such 

a prototype, if flying, will usually end up in storage at the China Flight Test 

Establishment (CFTE) at Xi’an Yanliang discussed later. 

The PLAAF has three primary flight test and training organizations. 

• Flight Test Regiment (试飞团), Xi’an Yanliang, Shaanxi Province with 

Subordinate Test Flight Groups (试飞大队) at six aircraft factories

• Flight Test and Training Base (飞行试验训练基地), Dingxin, Gansu 

Province

• Flight Test and Training Base (飞行试验训练基地), Cangzhou (aka 

Cangxian), Hebei Province.

All three of them are directly subordinate to PLAAF Headquarters; however, 

it is not clear which first-level departments (Staff Department and/or Equipment 

27

Section 8: 

The PLAAF Development, 

Production, and Rebuild Process
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

Department) and second-level bureau(s) with the first-level department manage 

the organizations. It may be a combination of a bureau under the Equipment 

Department being responsible for the equipment component and a bureau under 

the Staff Department being responsible for the pilots and test flights. 

Besides the flight test regiment at Xi’an Yanliang, the PLAAF has two 

flight test and training Bases (FTTB), one at Dingxin and one at Cangzhou, 

Unfortunately, Air Force News and other PLA media sources identify both simply 

as a PLAAF test and training Base (空军试训基地), so it is sometimes difficult 

to tell which Base is being discussed. In some cases, however, an article refers to 

the Base in “northwest China” (西北) or “north China” (华北) to indicate Dingxin 

or Cangzhou, respectively.

 The PLAAF’s Flight Test Regiment at Xi’an Yanliang (西安市阎良区) has 

a long history dating back to the 1950s and is closely linked to the PRC’s aviation 

industry. In 1959, the 2nd Ministry of Machine Industry’s 4th (Aviation) Bureau 

created what it officially calls in English the China Test Flight Establishment 

(CFTE / 中国飞行试验研究所), which is perhaps better translated as China 

Flight Test Research Institute. China Test Flight Establishment is used for the 

foreign community (对外称), but it is identified as the China Aviation Industry 

Test Flight Center (中航工业试飞中心) for internal purposes. Sometime after 

1984, the Chinese name changed to China Flight Test Research Academy (中国

飞行试验研究院); however, it retained the same English name (China Flight 

Test Establishment) and acronym (CFTE).50 It still retains the same internal 

name, China Aviation Industry Test Flight Center. To further confuse the issue, it 

is also known internally as the AVIC 630 Research Institute (630所).51

28
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

China Test Flight Establishment Headquarters Sign and Website Logo

According to one Chinese website, “Founded in 1959, the China Flight Test 

Establishment is the only test flight agency in China that takes the certification 

of civil and military aircraft, aero engines, airborne equipment and other nationallevel test flights and civilian aircraft. Over the past 40 years, it has undertaken more 

than 90% of the test flights of new and retrofitted aircraft and engines developed 

by China. It has completed testing of 29 types of aircraft and 25 types of engines. 

It has established cooperative relations with more than 10 countries and regions, 

including the United States, France, Russia, Britain, Italy, South Korea, and 

Singapore.”52 CFTE is also responsible for overseeing test flying all PLA fixed 

wing and rotary wing aircraft, including the J-10, J-20, Y-20, and Z-20.53

Prototype PLAAF J-20 Fighters at Xi’an Yanliang

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Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

In the 1950s, the PLAAF loaned pilots to the Aviation Industry Bureau to test 

fly new aircraft.54 In June 1956, the Flight Research Academy (飞行研究院) was 

established with support from the Soviet Union at Xi’an Yanliang by converting 

the PLAAF’s 11th Aviation School (第11航校). In the beginning, the Research 

Academy belonged to the Ministry of National Defense’s (MND) 1st Ministry of 

Machine Industry (MMI). In September 1960, it was transferred to joint control 

by MND’s 3rd MMI, the National Defense Science Commission (国防科委), and 

the PLAAF. In July 1961, it changed its name to a Flight Research Institute (飞

行研究所). From August 1969 to August 1973, the PLAAF took control as the 

PLAAF Test Flight Base (空军试飞基地), and the PLAAF formed a Test Flight 

Regiment (试飞团). In August 1973, the Test Flight Base reverted to the 3rd 

MMI and changed its name back to the Test Flight Research Institute. The Test 

Flight Regiment became subordinate to the Research Institute leadership, but the 

structure remained under the PLAAF.

The Test Flight Regiment, which is subordinate to the former PLAAF 

Headquarters’ Headquarters Department’s Training Department, the current 

PLAAF Staff Department’s Training Bureau, has its own subordinate Test Flight 

Group at Xi’an Yanliang that conducts test flights on one of the later prototypes 

for each new type of PLA aircraft.55 It is not clear who test flies the prototype 

civilian aircraft. Each new military aircraft prototype has to pass through that 

stage of testing and be approved each step along the way by a Design Finalization 

Committee (定型委员会). 

The Test Flight Regiment has at least six Test Flight Flight Groups (试飞大

队), including one at each of the following aircraft factories: Shenyang, Liaoning 

Province (1st Flight Group), Harbin, Heilongjiang Province (2nd Flight Group), 

Chengdu, Sichuan Province (3rd Flight Group), Hongdu, Jiangxi Province (4th 

Flight Group), Anshun, Guizhou Province (5th Flight Group), and Chenggu, 

Shaanxi Province (6th Flight Group). Although each flight group is a battalion 

leader-grade organization, they are organized like a regiment leader-grade 

organization because of their mission. Each factory also has what is called a Test 

Flight Station (试飞站), which is run by the factory civilians, has civilian test 

pilots, and has at least three maintenance groups manned by civilians.

Today the Xi’an flight test organization includes four regiments (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 

and 4th). The 1st and 2nd regiments operate JL-8 and JL-9 respectively, for basic 

and intermediate training of test pilots. The 3rd regiment operates J-16, JH-7 & 

JH-7A, and J-8D flight group, probably for advanced transition training of test 

pilots. The remaining regiment, likely the 4th, probably serves as a transport/utility 

30
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

organization (with Y-8C, two stripped Z-8Fs and a Z-9C). Two former regiments 

(the ex-13th and ex-14th) are physically still located at Xi’an. But they have been 

upgraded to air brigades (the 170th and 172nd) and are apparently subordinated to 

PLAAF HQ Staff Department Training Bureau Flight Training Division (空军

参谋训练局飞训处). In addition, there is the unique, and very small, Flight Test 

Regiment (with typically only 4-6 pilots). This is subordinate to the PLAAF Staff 

Department Test Flight Bureau (空军参谋部试飞局). In addition to aircraft in 

these units, Xi’an maintains inactive testbed aircraft for occasional use testing 

new equipment. Identified inactive aircraft include 1xIL-76LL, 1xMa-60H, the 

KJ-2000 prototype, the A-501 prototype, 1xQ-5J, 2xH-6A, 1xJ-7FS, 5xJ-7I, and 

1 each Y-7100/200.56

In 1958, the PLAAF built a large base for testing its surface-to-air missiles 

(SAMs) in the Gobi Desert near Dingxin (鼎新), Gansu Province.57 During the 

mid-1990s, the PLAAF began expanding this base, currently known as the Flight 

Test and Training Base (飞行试验训练基地 or空军试训基地), to include a 

large tactics-training center where multiple PLAAF units could practice combat 

methods developed at operational units and the tactics developed at Cangzhou 

and various operational units. Dingxin is sometimes referred to as the PLAAF 

Northwest Tactics Training Base (空军西北战术训练基地). 

In June 1999, the PLAAF created the Air Force Combined-arms Tactics 

Training Center (空军合同战术训练中心) in the Badain Jaran Desert (巴丹吉

林沙漠), which spans Gansu, Ningxia, and Inner Mongolia.58 In the same year, 

it successfully completed a multi-force exercise under high-tech conditions. In 

December 2003, the Central Military Commission (CMC) approved the creation 

of the PLAAF’s 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Test and Training Bases (军空军第一、二、

三试验训练基地) and a Combined-arms Tactics Training Center (空军合同战

术训练中心). The opening ceremony was held on 6 January 2004, and the mission 

was identified as merging research, testing, training, and combat. At that time, the 

three Base names were changed to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Test and Training Areas 

(试验训练区). The 1st and 2nd Areas and the Combined-arms Tactics Training 

Center are located in Inner Mongolia, and the 3rd Area is located in Gansu 

Provinces’ Zhangye Prefecture’s Shandan County (甘肃省张掖市山丹县).

Today, all four of these organizations have been consolidated under the 

PLAAF Test and Training Base (空军实验训练基地), which is a corps leadergrade organization. Like the three flight colleges, it is also organized the same way 

as an operational unit with a Headquarters Department, Political Department, 

Logistics Department, and Equipment Department. Each of the areas and the 

31
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

test and training center were previously division leader-grade organizations with 

subordinate regiments; however, with the shift to a brigade structure, it appears 

that each of the three areas and the test and training center have most likely been 

upgraded to corps deputy leader grade.

Over the past few years, the PLAAF has held each of the “four key training 

brands” (四大品牌) competitions and exercises at the Dingxin Test and Training 

Base. These include the Golden Helmet (金头盔) military competition and the 

Red Sword (红剑) exercise, which have been held only at Dingxin, as well as the 

Golden Dart (金飞镖) military competition and the Blue Shield (蓝盾) exercise 

which includes the Golden Shield (金盾) competition, which have been held at 

Dingxin as well as in other locations.xiii

As with the Xi’an Yanliang Flight Test Regiment, the Dingxin FTTB is also 

directly subordinate to the PLAAF Headquarters’ Staff Department, and not 

subordinate to the Western TCAF Headquarters. 

 The Dingxin Test and Training Base appears to have at least four subordinate 

air brigades. The 65th Air Brigade appears to be the former Special Mission 

Testing Regiment. The 66th Air Brigade, whose patch is shown below, appears 

to be the former operational trials regiment. It also had J-20s until January 2018. 

Both units appear to be part of the Blue Force “Imaginary Enemy of Chinese Air 

Force” program, whose patch is shown below. This force may include the 67th Air 

Brigade and the 151st UAV Brigade at Cangzhou.59

xiii See CASI’s “China’s Four Training Brands”, May 2018, for further information.

32
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

In 1987, the PLAAF abolished the 11th Aviation School/College at Cangzhou 

(沧州) airfield near Tianjin and replaced it with a division leader-grade Flight 

Test and Training Center (飞行试验训练中心 or空军试训中心).60 Today, it 

is identified as a PLAAF FTTB (空军飞行试验训练基地 / 空军试训基地), 

which is also called a Flight Test and Training Center (FTTC/飞行试验训练中

心), that has been upgraded to either corps deputy leader grade or corps leader 

grade. It has three primary missions:

• Test new aircraft under development by the aviation ministry; 

• Train the initial cadre of pilots in new types of aircraft before the aircraft are 

deployed to an operational Base for the first time; 

• Devise new air-combat tactics.

It is not clear if the Cangzhou Test and Training Base is a corps leader-grade 

or corps deputy leader-grade organization; however, it is directly subordinate 

to the PLAAF Headquarters’ Staff Department’s Training Bureau.61 It is not 

subordinate to the Northern TCAF HQ. The Base appears to have four subordinate 

air brigades (67th, 170th, 171st, and the 172nd)xiv as well as the 151st UAV Brigade. 

According to various Kongjun Bao articles, Cangzhou previously had three air 

regiments, numbered the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Each regiment had subordinate flight 

groups and maintenance groups (机务大队). 

The 171st Air Brigade operates one flight group of J-11B and two flight 

groups of J-7E. The 172nd Brigade operates one flight group of Su-30MKK 

and two flight groups of J-16. The 172nd appears to serve as opposition force 

(OPFOR) units, what the PLAAF calls its “Blue Force”. At the same airfield, 

the 151st UAV Brigade probably provides support for all the PLAAF Test and 

Training Base activities as well as testing new UAV types.62 Although the Base 

was initially constructed in 1953, the facility spent its first few decades evolving 

and expanding to reflect Chinese military modernization. In the late 1980s and 

early 1990s, the Base solidified its role as the facility for elite pilot training.63

While Western militaries traditionally train against a unit or collection of 

units that plays the role of the OPFOR and labels these OPFOR elements the 

“Red Force” (红军), the Chinese OPFOR is known as the “Blue Force” (蓝军). 

Reportedly, their unit motto is “Think and fly like the enemy” (像敌人那样思考

和飞行).64 According to one PLA Daily article, the PLAAF’s J-10 “Blue Force” 

xiv The 67th Air Brigade is thought to be the former Cangzhou OPFOR Regiment and may have been its First 

Regiment. The 151st UAV Brigade is thought to be a relatively new unit rather than an upgraded Cangzhou 

FTTB regiment. The 170th Air Brigade is thought to be the former Cangzhou 13th Regiment. The 171st Air 

Brigade is thought to be the former Changzhou Dissimilar Air Combat Regiment and may have been its Second Regiment. The 172nd Air Brigade is thought to be the former Cangzhou 14th Regiment. There are so many 

aircraft at Cangzhou that the former Third Regiment aircraft may well be among them, but not associated with 

an identified Air Brigade.

33
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

plays the role of a realistic simulated opponent in “free air combat training,” 

thus helping address the problem of PLAAF units “training against an invisible 

opponent, and fighting in an unrealistic environment.”65 Reportedly, PLAAF 

“Blue Force” training simulated Soviet Union Air Force units at first, and the 

OPFOR elements later switched to playing the role of Taiwan and the United 

States as the simulated adversaries.66

In addition to providing realistic training via OPFOR units, Cangzhou’s 

FTTB gives the PLAAF a venue for developing modern air combat tactics. PLA 

media reports indicate that Cangzhou FTTB is responsible for development of 

tactics and techniques, training programs, and certification of new equipment. 

Specifically, Cangzhou is where the PLAAF further develops tactics that originate 

on paper at the PLA Air Force Command College in Beijing. Although exact 

documentation of this process is scant, it seems that Cangzhou’s elite training 

units have the responsibility for translating top-down, doctrinal guidance into air 

combat tactics.67

Additionally, the testing component of Cangzhou’s mission also refers to 

testing one final prototype of all new fighter aircraft models before they are 

approved for delivery from the factory to an operational unit. At some point 

during the testing phase, one prototype is sent to the Xi’an Yanliang Airfield, 

discussed above. After the prototype completes its testing at Xi’an Yanliang, it 

is usually then sent to the PLAAF’s FTTB at Cangzhou, where it is tested for 

tactics capabilities.xv

xv PLA Air Force pilots have been the ones to test fly almost all new combat aircraft at the factories, as illustrated by the examples of the J-7 and J-10. Each factory has what is called a test flight station (试飞站), which is 

run by the factory civilians and has at least three maintenance groups (dadui) manned by civilians. The PLAAF 

has a Test Flight Regiment (试飞团), which was formed in 1973 and is assigned to Xi’an Yanliang airfield, where 

test flights are conducted on one of the later prototypes. It has to pass through that stage of testing and be 

approved each step along the way by a Design Finalization Committee (定型委员会). The PLAAF has at least six 

Test Flight Groups (试飞大队), each of which are small (battalion size) but are regiment-grade units, assigned 

to the aircraft factories as follows: Shenyang (1st Group), Harbin (2nd Group), Chengdu (3rd Group), Hongdu 

(4th Group), Anshun (5th Group), and Chenggu (6th Group). Information from unpublished PLAAF TO&E, 

PLAAF TO&E 2018 (database), Sid Trevethan, February 2018.

34
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

This paper is based on several unpublished databases maintained by Sid 

Trevethan. Maintenance of which involves nearly daily consultation with 

international experts, including: Andreas Rupprecht, Henry Boyd, and Xinhui 

Andy Chan. Support was also provided by Jaap Dijkstrat and Dennis K. Blasko. 

Most of all, the author wishes to recognize the tireless and patient support of 

CASI’s Research Director, Kenneth W. Allen, who edited and facilitated the 

entire project. 

35

Acknowledgements
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

Three key PLAAF terms are combat aircraft (作战飞机), supporting aircraft 

(保障飞机), and frontline (前线), each of which is defined below.

“Combat aircraft are equipped with onboard weapons and special equipment, 

which are used for anti-air, anti-ground, anti-surface, and anti-subsurface 

objects, They are used for attack or direct combat support missions. Combat 

aircraft primarily include fighters, fighter-attack aircraft, attack aircraft, bombers, 

UAVs, anti-submarine patrol aircraft, airborne command aircraft, command 

communications aircraft, early warning aircraft, and reconnaissance aircraft, etc.”68

“Supporting aircraft are aircraft that support combat. These aircraft include 

transport aircraft, aerial refueling aircraft, search and rescue aircraft, observation 

aircraft that observe the ground from the air, medical aircraft, and trainers.”69

“Frontline” is defined as “areas where the PLA engages the enemy directly and 

normally involves first line units (第一线部队) implementing combat missions.”70

36

Appendix 1: 

Key Terms
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

This appendix consists of four tables. Table 8 lists various non-fighter or 

ground-attack aviation brigades. Table 9 provides information on all 59 combat 

aircraft air brigades that have been created from 2011-2018. The table is organized 

by the five TCAFs in protocol order, followed by the Bases, former air divisions, 

current air brigades, their location, and the type of airframe. Table 10 provides 

information on the PLAAF’s Aircraft Fleet as of February 2018. Table 11 provides 

a list of PLA UAV’s as of 2018.

37

Appendix 2: 

Air Brigades and Combat Aircraft
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

Table 8: Aviation Brigades

Subordination Brigade Name Location (City & 

Province)

Airframes

PLAAF HQ Tnsp & SAR Bde

UAV Bde

65th Bde71

66th Bde72 

67th Bde73

151st Bde74

170th Bdexvi

171st Bdexvii

172nd Bdexvii

Unknown

Xingtai, Hebei

Dingxin, Gansu

Dingxin, Gansu

Dingxin, Gansu

Cangzhou, Hebei

Cangzhou, Hebei

Jiugucheng, Jinan

Cangzhou, Hebei

Cangzhou, Hebei

Z-8K, Mi-171, Y-5C, Y-7

BZK-007, EA-01, GJ-1, 

WD-1, WJ-1

Multiplexix

J-16

J-11B, JL-9

UAV

J-10B, J-10S

J-11BS, J-7E, JL-9

J-16, Su-30, JL-10

Airborne Corps Aviation Bde

Helicopter Dadui

Yingshan, Hubei

Yingshan, Hubei

Y-5, Y-7, Y-8, Y-12

Z-8KA, Z-9WA, Z-10K

Eastern TCAF HQ 95th Tnsp Tng Bde 

Tnsp & SAR Bde

Luanyungang, Jsu

Xushou, Jiangsu

Nanjing, Jiangsu

J-11B, J-11BS 

JJ-7, JJ-7A

Z-8K, Mi-171, Y-5A/C, Y-7

Southern TCAF HQ 132nd Tnsp Tng Bde 

Tnsp & SAR Bde

Gongzhuling, Jilin

Unknown

JJ-7, J-7II

Z-8K, Mi-171, Y-5C, Y-7

Western TCAF HQ Tnsp & SAR Bde Lanzhou, Gansu Z-8K, Mi-171, Y-5C, Y-7H

Northern TCAF HQ 33rd Tnsp Tng Bde

151st UAV Bde

Tnsp & SAR Bde

Dali, Yunnan

Cangzhou, Hebei

Xintai, Hebei

JJ-7, J-7II

BZK-007, EA-03xv

Z-8K, Mi-171, Y-5, Y-7, Z-9

Central TCAF HQ Tnsp & SAR Bde Unknown Z-8K, Mi-171, Y-5C, Y-7

xvi, xvii, xviii, xix

xvi Command relationships may be complex. See Test and Training Bases Section. Primary relationship 

probably with the PLAAF Headquarters Training Bureau (人民解放军空军司令部训练局).

xvii Ditto

xviii Split unit at Luanyungang, Jiangsu.

xix J-7H, J-7IIM, J-8F, J-10C, J-10D, J-10SY, J-11B, J-16, JH-7A, Q-5L Q-5N, JJ-7A, JL-10, Y-8, & Y-9.

38
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

Table 9: Combat Aircraft Air Brigades Created since 201275

A question mark, “?”, indicates unconfirmed but likely status at time of publication

TCAF Base Former Division Brigade Location (City & Province) Airframes

Eastern Shanghai

Shanghai

Shanghai

Fuzhou

Fuzhou

Fuzhou

Shanghai

Fuzhou

3rd (abolished)

3rd (abolished)

3rd (abolished)

14th (abolished)

14th (abolished)

14th (abolished)

28th (abolished)

New Formation

7th 

8th 

9th 

40th

41st

42nd 

83rd 

180th

Wuhu, Anhui

Changxing, Chejiang

Wuhu, Anhui

Nanchang, Jiangxi

Wuyishan, Fujian

Zhangshu, Jiangxi

Hangzhou, Zhejiang

Liangcheng, Fujiang

J-16

J-10A, J-10SY

J-20, Su-30MKK

J-16

J-11A/B, Su-27U

J-7EG, JJ-7A

JH-7A, Q-5J

J-6W [Atk Drone]

Southern Nanning

Nanning

Nanning

Nanning

Nanning

Nanning

Nanning

Nanning

Nanning

Kunming

Kunming

Kunming

Kunming

Kunming

2nd (abolished)

2nd (abolished)

2nd (abolished)

8th (still active) 

9th (abolished)

9th (abolished)

9th (abolished)

18th (abolished)

18th (abolished)

32nd (abolished)

33rd (abolished)

33rd (abolished)

44th (abolished)

44th (abolished)

4th ?

5th 

6th 

23rd 

25th

26th

27th ?

52nd 

54th 

96th 

98th 

99th 

130th 

131st

Foshan, Guangdong

Guilin, Guanxi

Suixi, Guangdong

Leiyang, Hunan

Shantou, Guangdong

Huiyang, Guangdong

Shantou, Guangdong

Wuhan, Hubei

Changsha, Hunan

Dazu, Chongqing

Chongqing Municipality

Chongqing Municipality

Mengzi, Yunnan

Luliang, Shanxi

J-8DF, JJ-7A

J-10B/C, J-10SY

Su-27, Su-35

H-6U

J-7E, JJ-7A

J-10A, J-10S

J-7D, JJ-7A

J-7H, JJ-7A

Su-30MKK

J-7E, JJ-7A

Su-27S, Su-27U

J-7IIM?, JJ-7A

J-10A, J-10SY

J-10B, J-10C

J-10SY, JJ-7A

Western Lanzhou

Urumqi

Urumqi

6th (abolished)

38th (abolished)

Unknown

16th 

112th 

178th

Yinchuan, Ningxia

Malan, Xinjiang

Malan, Xinjiang

Su-35S, J-11,

Su-27SK/UBK

J-7II, JJ-7A

UAV

Northern Dalian

Dalian

Dalian

Jinan

Dalian

Dalian

Jinan

Jinan

Jinan

Jinan

Jinan

Dailan

1st (abolished)

1st (abolished)

1st (abolished)

5th (abolished)

11th (abolished)

11th (abolished)

12th (abolished)

12th (abolished)

12th (abolished)

19th (abolished)

21st (abolished)

21st (abolished)

1th 

2th 

3rd 

15th

31st 

32nd

34th 

35th

36th 

57th 

61st 

63rd

Anshan, Liaoning

Chifeng, Inner Mon.

Anshan, Liaoning

Weifang, Shandong

Siping, Jilin

Dalian, Liaodong

Gongzhuling, Jilin

Qihe, Shandong

Gaomi, Shandong

Shanqiu, Henan

Yanji, Jilin

Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang

J-11B, J-11BS

J-10A, J-10SY

J-8F, JJ-7A

JH-7A

JH-7A

Q-5N?, Q-5J?

J-10A, J-10SY

J-8B, JJ-7A

J-10A, J-10SY

J-11B, Su-27SK

J-10B, J-10SY

J-7H?, JJ-7A

Central Datong

Datong

Datong

Nanning

Wuhan

Wuhan

Wuhan

Wuhan

Wuhan

7th (abolished)

15th (abolished)

15th (abolished)

18th (abolished)

19th (abolished)

19th (abolished)

24th (abolished)

24th (abolished)

24th (abolished)

19th 

43rd 

44th 

53rd 

55th

56th 

70th 

71st 

72nd

Jining, Shandong

Datong, Shanzi

Hohhot, Inner Mon.

Wangdangshan, Hubei

Jining, Shandong

Zhengzhou, Henan

Zunhua, Hebei

Xishan, Beijing

Tianjin Municipality

J-11B, J-11BS

J-10A, J-10SY

J-7G, JJ-7A

J-7IIM, JJ-7A

J-11A, Su-27U

J-10B, J-10SY

J-10A, J-10SY

J-7H, JJ-7A

J-10C, J-10SY

39
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

Table 10: PLAAF Aircraft Fleet Feb. 201876

A question mark, “?”, indicates unconfirmed but likely status at time of publication

Role Model Combat Unit 

Quantity

Support Unit 

Quantity

Spares in 

Units

PLAAF

Total

Notes

Multi-Role J-10B

J-10C

J-11

J-11A

J-11B

J-11BS

J-20

Su-30MKK

Su-35S

96

60

40

72

92

116

18

62

18

0

0

0

0

0

0

8

0

0

24

14

10

14

22

26

2

012

01

128

83

50

86

134

159

33

74

19

May upgrade to 

J-11A

+5 for 2018 delivery

Bomber H-6H

H-6K

H-6M

48

78

30

0

0

1

4

9

4

62

92

35

Strike J-16

JH-7A

Q-5L

Q-5N

68

144

32

32

0

0

4

4

16

36

6

6

89

219

42

42

Fighter J-7IIM

J-7D

J-7E

J-7EH

J-7G

J-7H

J-10

J-10A

Su-27SK

58

24

120

8

42

148

24

192

16

0

3

24

2

10

36

6

48

4

58

27

174

10

82

184

31

254

20

Interceptor J-8D

J8-F/DF

J8-H/BH/

DH

12

100

56

2

18

14

14

128

80

Specialized H-6U

HY-6

J-10AY

JZ-8

JZ-8F

KJ-200

KJ-500

KJ-2000

Tu-154MD

Y-8CA

Y-8CB

Y-8E

Y-8G

Y-8GX4

Y-8H1

Y-8T

Y-8XZ

Y-9G

Y-12C

12

12

9

8

72

4

3

4

10

1

4

1

7

8

1

5

4

1

2

12

12

9

8

72

4

3

4

10

1

4

1

7

8

1

5

4

1

2

Tanker

Tanker

Air Show Variant

Photo Recon

Armed Recon

AEW

AEW

AEW

ELINT +1 per year

ELINT

EW

Drone Launcher

EW

ELINT

R & D

Command Post

PSYOPS & EW

AEW

Survey

40
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

Trainer CJ-6

CJ-6A

HYJ-6

HYJ-7

J-10SY

JJ-7

JJ-7A

JL-8

JL-9

JL-10

L-11

L-15

Q-5J

Su-27UBK

Y-5D

Y-12D

44

8

16

72

108

2

2

0

48

80

298

66

14

170

27

1

0

36

8

6

12

4

4

72

118

2

2

55

61

84

298

70

19

0

27

9

16

36

13

Basic Trainer

Basic Trainer

Bomber Trainer

Bomber Trainer

Combat Capable

Combat Capable

Combat Capable

Combat Capable

Bomber Trainer

Parachute Trainer

41
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

Transport An-30

737-700/800

737-CP

CRJ-200

CRJ-700

Il-76

Il-78

Lear 35/36A

Tu-154M

Y-5

Y-5A

Y-5B

Y-5C

Y-5K

Y-7-100

Y-7-200A

Y-7G

Y-7H

Y-8

Y-8C

Y-9

Y-11

Y-12IV

Y-12F

Y-20

6

8 & 2 255

144

2 & 1 648

74

116 618

52

581

66

18

20

20

207

1

6

9 & 2 255

144

2 & 1 648

74

116 618

62

781

71

23

20

20

20

12

Command Post

Conv. to Tu-154MD

Helicopter AS332L1

EC-225

Mi-17vB5

Mi-171v1V

Mi-171v4

Mi-171vB5

Mi171B7Sal

Z-8J

Z-8JH

Z-8K

Z-8KA

Z-8KH

Z-9

Z-9A

Z-9B

Z-9C

Z-9WZ

Z-10K

Z-18

62

10

12

12

12

2044

24

124

21

24

102

48

161

62

10

12

12

12

2044

24

124

21

24

102

48

196

Transport

Medevac/SAR

Transport

Transport/Attack

Transport

Transport

Mi-171B7Salon SAR

Combat SAR

Combat SAR

Medevac/SAR

Transport

Transport/Utility

Transport/Utility

Transport/Utility

Transport/Utility

SAR

Attack

SAR

Attack

42
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

UAV BZK-005

BZK-006

BZK-007

BZK-009

EA-03

GJ-1

J-6W

WD-1

WD-1K

WJ-1

WZ-5

100

108?xx

12?

24?

12?

16?

56?

0

52?

12?

52?

16?

3?

3?

4?

12?

100

108?

15?

24?

12?

20?

52?

460?

52?

12?

52?

16?

Supersonic attack 

drone

AQN-34N Copy

xx

xx A question mark, “?”, indicates unconfirmed but likely status at time of publication

43
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

Table 11: PLA UAV’s 201877

Role Model Manufacturer Nickname Notes

Anti-Radiation Harpy

JWS-01

IAI

IAI

Unknown

Unknown

In PLA Army service

Modified Harpy in PLA 

Army Service

Attack CH-4B

CH-5

WJ-1

CSAC

CSAC

Chengdu

Long Rainbow

Rainbow 5

Peterodactyl 1

Armed CH-4A 

Enlarged CH-4B Export 

only 

Armed WD-1

Reconnaissance AVIC 

601-S

CH-1

CH-4A

EA-03

TA-1000

WD-1

WD-1K

WZ-5

WZ-6

SYADI

ALIT

CSAC

Guishou

Tengoen

Chengdu

Chengdu

Ryan

ASN

Sharp Sword

Rainbow 1

Long Rainbow

Soar Dragon

Unknown

Peterodactyl 1

Peterodactyl 1

Firebee

Unknown

HALE

Rocket Launch, Parachute 

Recovery

MALE

MALE

In development. MALE.

Reaper like configuration

Improved WD-1. MALE.

AQN-34N Copy

ASN-206 with more range

Recon/ELINT BZK-009 Guizhou Wind Shadow

Recon/ELINT/

AEW

BZK-005 HAIG/BUAA Giant Eagle HALE

Recon/Attack BZK-007

GJ-1

HA-1000

TB-1000

WD-1D

WD-2

GIAC

Chengdu

Tengoen

Tengoen

Chengdu

Chengdu

Sunshine

Peterodactyl 1

Unknown

Unknown

Peterodactyl 1

Peterodactyl 2

Armed military variant

Armed WD-1

In development

In development. MALE.

Stealth WD-1 variant in 

development.

Stealth MALE in development.

Recon/AEW/

Attack

BZK-006

Unknown

XATG/ASNT

Guizhou

Unknown

Soar Dragon

Armed WZ-6. MAME.

In development. Global 

Hawk like.

Tactical ASN-206

ASN-209

S-100

Tadiran

ASN (365 Inst.)

Schiebel

Unknown

Silver Eagle

Unknown

Rocket Launch, Parachute 

Recovery

Rocket Launch, Parachute 

Recovery

Rotary wing. 18 in PLA 

Navy.

44
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

1 US Predicts 42,000 unmanned Chinese military planes by 2023, Ian McPhedan, News Corp Australia 

Network, 8 July, 2015.

2 People’s Liberation Army Air Force 2010, National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC), 2010, 

Chapter 2, Organizational Structure. See also Kenneth W. Allen, “Introduction to the PLA’s Organizational Reforms: 2000-2012,” in Kevin Pollpeter and Kenneth Allen, eds., The PLA as Organization v2.0, 

Defense Group Inc., 2013.

3 Kenneth W. Allen, PLA Air Force Organizational Reforms: 2000-2012, RAND, P. 25. Kenneth Allen 

and Lyle J. Morris, PLA Naval Aviation Training and Operations: Missions, Organizational Structure, and 

Training (2013-15), CASI, December 2017.

4 Information concerning the 14 training brigades was compiled from multiple articles in Air Force News.

5 Dong Huiyu and Mou Xianming, eds., Dictionary of Modern Military Eduction (sic) (现代军校教育辞

典), Second Edition, Beijing, National Defense University, August 2011, p. 481-482. http://www.sohu.

com/a/214861084_184797.

6 Yan Jibin, “Training Does Not Stop, Missions Are Not Reduced, and Preparation Is Not Decreased,” 

AFN, 22 February 2012, p. 3

7 Kenneth W. Allen, Dennis J. Blasko, John F. Corbett, The PLA’s New Organizational Structure: What 

is Known, Unknown and Speculation (Part 1), Jamestown, P. 2. Although the downsizing was originally 

scheduled to be completed by the end of 2017, it has now been delayed until 2020.

8 Articles concerning the TCAF Transport and SAR brigades were found in the following issues of 

Kongjun Bao, respectively: Eastern (14 June 2017, p. 2), Southern (12 July 2017, p. 2), Northern (9 June 

2017, p. 1), and Central (12 July 2017, p. 1). The Western TCAF regiment converted to a brigade in early 

2018. But was still being identified as of December 2017 (Kongjun Bao, 26 December 2017, p. 1).

9 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PLAAF_Airborne_Corps. On 21 April 2017, a ceremony was held to 

inaugurate the new airborne brigades and special operations brigade. Kongjun Bao, 28 April 2017, p. 1.

10 Kongjun Bao, 16 June 2017, p. 1.

11 The 16 June 2017 issue of Kongjun Bao had references to both the Aviation Brigade and the Helicopter 

Regiment. However, no further references have been found for the helicopter regiment or for any helicopter flight groups.

12 See Kenneth W. Allen, People’s Republic of China People’s Liberation Army Air Force, (Washington, DC: 

Defense Intelligence Agency, DIC-1300-445-91, May 1991), Section 13. The original source was Wang 

Dinglie and Lin Hu, eds., China Today: Air Force, (Beijing: China Social Sciences Press, 1989), Chapter 1.

Endnotes
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

13 The information in this subsection on the PLAAF’s air division and regiment history comes from 

Kenneth W. Allen, “PLA Air Force: Lessons Learned 1949-2002,” in Laurie Burkitt, Dr. Andrew Scobell, and Dr. Larry Wortzel, eds., The Lessons of History: The Chinese People’s Liberation Army at 75, 

Carlisle, PA: Strategic Studies Institute, 2003. The original source was China Today: Air Force (当代中国空

军), Beijing: China Social Science Press, 1989

14 See Kenneth W. Allen, “PLA Air Force: Lessons Learned 1949-2002,” in Laurie Burkitt, Andrew 

Scobell, and Larry M. Wortzel, eds., The Lessons of History: The Chinese People’s Liberation Army at 75, 

(Carlisle, PA: U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute, September 2003), Chapter 4, 

p. 89-157. The original source was Yao Jun, ed., A History of China’s Aviation, (Zhengzhou: Dajia 

Publishers, September 1998), p. 163-164.

15 The information in this subsection on the PLAAF’s air division and regiment history comes from 

Kenneth W. Allen, “PLA Air Force: Lessons Learned 1949-2002,” in Laurie Burkitt, Dr. Andrew 

Scobell, and Dr. Larry Wortzel, eds., The Lessons of History: The Chinese People’s Liberation Army at 75, Carlisle, PA: Strategic Studies Institute, 2003.

16 Yao Jun, ed., A History of China’s Aviation, (Zhengzhou: Dajia Publishers, September 1998), p, 293.

17 “The Security Situation in the Taiwan Strait,” Report submitted by Secretary of Defense William Cohen 

to the US Senate as directed by the FY99 Appropriations Bill, 17 February 1999. The PLAAF began 

reducing the number of air divisions from 50 in the late 1980s.

18 Robert Sae-Liu, “PLAAF fixed-wing fleet cut in major restructuring,” Jane’s Defence Weekly, 

14 June 2000, 41.

19 Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China, 

2010, Office of the Secretary of Defense.

20 Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China, 

2017, Office of the Secretary of Defense.

21 People’s Liberation Army Air Force 2010, Dayton, OH: National Air and Space Intelligence Agency 

(NASIC), 1 August 2010. Chapter 2 (Organizational Structure). Henceforth identified as PLAAF 

2010. Kenneth W. Allen, “The Organizational Structure of the PLAAF” in Richard P. Hallion, Roger 

Cliff, and Phillip C. Saunders, eds., The Chinese Air Force: Evolving Concepts, Roles and Capabilities, 

Washington, D.C.: National Defense University, 2012. Henceforth identified as PLAAF Structure. 

This chapter updates information in PLAAF 2010 concerning the PLAAF’s organizational structure 

based on new information.

22 Analysis of multiple Kongjun Bao articles and Chinese media reports. United States Department of 

Defense. Defense Intelligence Agency, Directory of PRC Military Personalities. Washington DC, 2017 and 

forthcoming 2018 publication.

23 “Air Force Major General Wang Kangping Becomes Commander of Air Force Base,” 6 February 2018, 

http://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_1991905.

24 Dong Huiyu and Mou Xianming, eds., Dictionary of Modern Military Eduction (sic) (现代军校教育辞典), 

Second Edition, Beijing, National Defense University, August 2011, p. 481-482.

25 https://zh.wikipedia.org/wik/中国人民解放军空军哈尔滨飞行学院

26 Yan Jibin, “Training Does Not Stop, Missions Are Not Reduced, and Preparation Is Not Decreased,” 

Air Force News, 22 February 2012, p. 3.

27 Kenneth Allen, “PLA Air Force Male Aviation Cadet Recruitment, Education and Training,” 

China Brief, Volume 12, Issue 5, 2 March 2012.

28 Ni Eryan, “PLA Quietly Advances Reforms in Organizations and Structures,” Hong Kong Wen Wei 

Po Online in Chinese, 31 December 2011. The Chinese version of the article used the grade of “corps 

level” (军级), which refers to both corps leader and corps deputy leader. Ni Eryan, “Adequate Preparations 

Against War Is the Best Means of Preventing It: Trend of Development of the PLA Air Force’s Transformation,” Hong Kong Wen Wei Po in Chinese, 21 January 2012

29 Kenneth Allen, “PLA Air Force Male Aviation Cadet Recruitment, Education and Training,” 

(Washington, DC: Jamestown Foundation China Brief, 2 March 2012), Vol 12 Issue 5.

30 Ni Eryan, “Adequate Preparations against War Is the Best Means of Preventing It: Trend of Develop-
“Brigadization” of the PLA Air Force

ment of the PLA Air Force’s Transformation.”

31 Unpublished Operational Chinese Military Aircraft (database), Sid Trevethan, February. 2018.

32 Wang Dinglie and Lin Hu, eds., China Today: Air Force, (Beijing: China Social Sciences Press, 1989), 

p. 503-504. Liu Yazhou and Yao Jun, eds., A History of China’s Aviation: Second Edition (Hunan: Hunan 

Science and Technology Press, August 2007), p. 583.

33 Ni Eryan, “PLA Quietly Advances Reforms in Organizations and Structures,” Hong Kong Wen Wei Po 

Online in Chinese, 31 December 2011, which can be found in OSC CPP20111231707011. The Chinese 

version of the article used the grade of “corps level” (军级), which refers to both corps leader and corps 

deputy leader. Ni Eryan, “Adequate Preparations Against War Is the Best Means of Preventing It: Trend 

of Development of the PLA Air Force’s Transformation,” Hong Kong Wen Wei Po in Chinese, 21 January 

2012, which can be found in OSC CPP20120121788001.

34 The photos come from AFN, 12 April 2012, p. 1; AFN, 21 March 2012, p. 1; and http://mil.huanqiu. 

com/weapon/2012-03/2525149.html

35 Kongjun Bao, 7 August 2017, p. 2; 9 August 2017, p. 1; and 31 August 2017, p. 1

36 Author’s correspondence with Andreas Rupprecht, 24 January 2018.

37 Kenneth W. Allen, “Introduction to the PLA’s Organizational Reforms: 2000-2012,” in Kevin Pollpeter 

and Kenneth Allen, eds., The PLA as Organization v2.0, Defense Group Inc., 2013. Accessed at www.

china.com.cn/military/txt/2012-02/01/content_24523647.htm and http://club.mil.news.sohu. com/newclub/show.php?forumid=shilin&threadid=4114990 on 25 March 2012.

38 Information accessed at http://chn.chinamil.com.cn/jdtp/2011-12/27/content_4754178.htm on 24 May 

2012. China Military Online, which is available in Chinese and English, is the only authoritative media 

of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army to release military news and comprehensive military-related 

information on the Internet.

39 Andreas Rupprecht and Tom Cooper, Modern Chinese Warplanes: Combat Aircraft and Units of the Chinese 

Air Force and Naval Aviation, Harpia Publishing, 2012. TTB = Transition Training Base. http://lt.cjdby.

net/thread-1534426-1-1.html. http://wenwen.soso.com/z/q348829425.htm.

40 Author’s correspondence with Andreas Rupprecht, 21 August 2017.

41 Ibid

42 Multiple Air Force News articles and Unpublished Operational Chinese Military Aircraft (database), Sid 

Trevethan, February 2018.

43 The Western TCAF Transport and SAR Regiment converted to a brigade in early 2018, but was still 

being identified in December 2017. Kongjun Bao, 26 December 2017, p. 1.

44 Air Force News, 16 June 2017. 40 So far, transport and SAR brigades have been identified in all five 

Theater Commands – Eastern, Southern, Western, Northern, and Central. Air Force News, 9, 14, and 27 

June 2017, and 12, 14, and 26 July 2017.

45 Author’s correspondence with Andreas Rupprecht, 18 March, 2018

46 Ibid

47 http://china-defense.blogspot.com/2017/04/15th-airborne-corps-new-orbat.html. A Close Look at 

Chinese Airborne Troops, PLA Daily, 30 August, 2017, P. 1.

48 The 6 April 2017 issue of Kongjun Bao has an article about a Transport Aviation Regiment (运输航空兵团), 

and the 26 April 2017 issue has the first article identifying it as a brigade.

49 Kongjun Bao, 11 October 2017.

50 http://www.kaoyancun.com/yanzhao/cfte/xinxi/37959.html. 

http://www.sn.xinhuanet.com/fly/YKJS.HTM.

51 http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/192172502.html.

52 http://www.sn.xinhuanet.com/fly/YKJS.HTM.

53 http://www.360doc.com/content/16/0611/12/26166517_566723963.shtml.
Chinese Aerospace Studies Institute

54 Kenneth W. Allen, People’s Republic of China People’s Liberation Army Air Force, Defense Intelligence 

Agency, May 1991, found at https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1991/plaaf-index.

html. http://www.baike.com/wiki /熊焰. The original source was China Today: Air Force (当代空军), Beijing: 

China Social Sciences Press, 1989.

55 Author’s database, as of February 2018

56 Ibid

57 China Today: Air Force, Beijing: China Social Sciences Press, 1989, p. 311. Zhang Nongke and Zhang 

Jinyu, “Air Force Builds Modern, Comprehensive Tactics training Base,” Jiefangjun Bao, 28 October 1996, 

“China Builds Airport Copy,” Associated Press, 28 April 1999

58 https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/ 中国人民解放军空军试验训练基地

59 Author’s database, as of March 2018.

60 See Kenneth W. Allen, People’s Republic of China People’s Liberation Army Air Force, Washington DC: 

Defense Intelligence Agency, May 1991, Section 20. Former USAF Chief of Staff General Larry Welch 

led a delegation on a visit to the center in April 1989. It is often merely identified as a training Base (训练

基地) and sometimes as the North China Test and Training Base (华北试训基地).

61 https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/中国人民解放军空军飞行试验训练基地.

62 Author’s database, as of March 2018.

63 “空军飞行试验训练基地发展简史,” PLAAF.net, January 7, 2008, http://www.plaaf.net/Air-Force-History/

Growing-history/201004/258.html.

64 “飞起来吧, 我的战机!,” PLA Army News, November 12, 2012, http://cd.81.cn/content/2012-11/12/content_5094630.htm

65 Zhang Li and Huang Ziyue, “The First Special Duty J-10 ‘Blue Force’ Gives an Extraordinary Performance,” Jiefangjun Bao, October 20, 2012.

66 Kenneth W. Allen, “PLA Air Force Operations and Modernization,” in Susan M. Puska, ed., People’s 

Liberation Army After Next (US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, 2000), p. 189-254.

67 “飞起来吧, 我的战机!,” PLA Army News, November 12, 2012, http://cd.81.cn/content/2012-11/12/content_5094630.htm

68 Yao Wei, editor, China Air Force Encyclopedia [中国空军百科全书], vol. 2, (Beijing: Aviation Industry Press, 

November 2005), p. 657.

69 Ibid

70 PLA Military Terminology (中国人民解放军军语), Beijing: Academy of Military Science Press, 

December 2011, p. 83.

71 Command relationships may be complex. See Test and Training Bases Section. Primary relationship 

probably with the PLAAF Headquarters Training Bureau (人民解放军空军司令部训练局).

72 US Predicts 42,000 unmanned Chinese military planes by 2023, Ian McPhedan, News Corp Australia 

Network, 8 July, 2015.

73 Split unit at Luanyungang, Jiangsu.

74 Command relationships may be complex. See Test and Training Bases Section. Primary relationship 

probably with the PLAAF Headquarters Training Bureau (人民解放军空军司令部训练局).

75 Author’s database, as of February 2018.

76 Ibid

77 Ibid