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  • Intro
  • Mar 1946
  • Nov 1949
  • Mar 1950
  • July 1953
  • July 1956
  • July 1958
  • Aug 1958
  • Oct 1959
  • Nov 1959
  • May 1965
  • Aug 1965
  • June 1967
  • July 1969

November 11, 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PLA Air Force (PLAAF). Over the past 70 years, in line with the strategic requirements of integrating air and space capabilities as well as coordinating offensive and defensive operations, the PLAAF is accelerating the transition of its tasks from territorial air defense to both offensive and defensive operations.

Intro

March 1, 1946, the Aviation School of the Northeast Democratic United Army, the first aviation school of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), was founded in Tonghua despite numerous difficulties.

Mar 1946
Mar 1946

November 11, 1949, the PLAAF Command was established at No.14 Legation Street (Dong Jiao Min Xiang), Beijing, and the air force officially became a PLA service.

Nov 1949
Nov 1949

March 1950, to support the PLA Army in entering Tibet, PLAAF pilots flew outdated transport planes to the “no-fly zone” over the Kangzang Plateau without a chart or landmark, and blazed out 25 routes by November 1952.

Mar 1950
Mar 1950

The fledgling PLAAF debuted on the world stage during the Korean War and fought courageously against the superb US air force with 1.3:1 ratio.

July 1953
July 1953

July 19, 1956, the first-generation jet fighter J-5 independently produced by China had a successful maiden flight at an airport in northeast China.

July 1956
July 1956

July 1958, PLAAF’s aviation force fought in Fujian Province and seized air supremacy over the Taiwan Strait from the KMT air force.

July 1958
July 1958

August 27, 1958, primary propeller-driven training plane CJ-6 independently developed by China had a successful maiden flight.

Aug 1958
Aug 1958

October 7, 1959, a US reconnaissance plane was shot down by China’s SA-2 missile in the airspace of Beijing when it was spying on China's "two bombs and one satellite" project.

Oct 1959
Oct 1959

November 25, 1959, the "1125" program was established with the approval of then Premier Zhou Enlai, marking the beginning of the PLAAF automatic command system.

Nov 1959
Nov 1959

May 14, 1965, China used the Tu-16 bomber to drop its first air-blast atomic bomb. The successful test marked a start on the development of nuclear weapon delivery.

May 1965
May 1965

August 1965, PLAAF dispatched the first batch of anti-aircraft artillery troops to Vietnam, where they fought against massive attacks by American troops, making great contributions to the national liberation of Vietnam.

Aug 1965
Aug 1965

June 27, 1967, the HQ-2 air defense missile was successfully developed.

June 1967
June 1967

July 5, 1969, the prototype of J-8 made a successful maiden flight, indicating that the Chinese aviation industry had begun its independent design and R&D.

July 1969
July 1969
  • June 1971
  • Sept 1981
  • Mar 1996
  • Mar 1998
  • Apr 2003
  • Aug 2007
  • May 2008
  • Jan 2011
  • Jan 2013
  • Nov 2013
  • Mar 2015
  • Oct 1, 2019
  • Oct 17, 2019

June 10, 1971, China's first early warning aircraft KJ-1 made its maiden flight, making China the 4th country in the world to own such a plane after the US, the Soviet Union and the UK.

June 1971
June 1971

September 14 to 18, 1981, PLAAF and then Beijing Military Area Command held a largest-scale live-fire defensive exercise under modern conditions in north China.

Sept 1981
Sept 1981

March 18-25, 1996, in order to warn separatist elements of "Taiwan independence", the PLA Nanjing Military Area Command organized a joint exercise participated by the PLA Army, Navy and Air Force in the Taiwan Strait.

Mar 1996
Mar 1996

March 23, 1998, the first prototype of J-10, China’s first independently-developed third-generation warplane, made its maiden flight at Wenjiang airport in Chengdu. It is the most legendary fighter in the history of PLAAF

Mar 1998
Mar 1998

April 29, 2003, the Z-10 armed helicopter, the first of its kind independently developed by China, made its maiden flight in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province.

Apr 2003
Apr 2003

August 2007, the PLAAF went abroad in complete units and on a large scale for the first time to participate in the "Peace Mission 2007" joint drill sponsored by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Aug 2007
Aug 2007

May 14, 2008, 15 paratroopers dropped from the altitude of 4,999m with no meteorological information, ground indication, and commanding and guidance to rescue victims during Sichuan earthquake.

May 2008
May 2008

January 11, 2011, the prototype of the new-generation heavy stealth fighter J-20 independently developed by China had a successful maiden flight in Chengdu.

Jan 2011
Jan 2011

January 2013, the Y-20 transport plane independently developed by China had a successful maiden flight, marking a critical step forward in enhancing the PLAAF’s strategic projection capability.

Jan 2013
Jan 2013

November 23, 2013, China announced to delimit the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) that included the Diaoyu Islands.

Nov 2013
Nov 2013

March 30, 2015, March 30, 2015, PLAAF’s H-6K flew over the Bashi Strait for far-sea training in the West Pacific for the first time.

Mar 2015
Mar 2015

October 1, 2019, the PLAAF participated in the grand military parade in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Oct 1, 2019
Oct 1, 2019

October 17 to 21, 2019, an open house event celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of PLAAF was held in Changchun.

Oct 17, 2019
Oct 17, 2019
Congratulations! PLA Air Force celebrates 70th anniversary

Congratulations! PLA Air Force celebrates 70th anniversary

70 years of PLA Air Force: Eagles of the Fog City

70 years of PLA Air Force: Eagles of the Fog City

Chinese J-16 fighter jets wow public in NE China during air show

Chinese J-16 fighter jets wow public in NE China during air show

J-20 stealth fighter jets wow public in NE China during air show

J-20 stealth fighter jets wow public in NE China during air show

J-10 fighter jet blazes through valley

J-10 fighter jet blazes through valley

  • Comments

China to create world-class air force

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force will gradually get more J-20 stealth fighters and Y-20 large transport aircraft, as well as the H-20 bomber in the near future to meet the goal of becoming a world-class force, experts predicted, as the service celebrated its 70th founding anniversary on Monday.

70 years on, confident Chinese air force embraces growing openness

The PLA Air Force celebrated its 70th anniversary Monday with growing capacity building and international cooperation. The PLA air force has participated in several joint exercises with the Pakistani and Thai air forces respectively since 2011.

For 70 years, PLA Air Force grows with the country

The People's Liberation Army Air Force, the youngest service in the armed forces, celebrates its 70th birthday on Monday. Its development from a squadron of only 17 airplanes to a aerial power mastering many advanced technologies signifies China's incredible progress in military strength.

Systematic combat capability of the PLAAF aviation force achieves leapfrogging

Over the past 70 years, in line with the strategic requirements of integrating air and space capabilities as well as coordinating offensive and defensive operations, the PLAAF is accelerating the transition of its tasks from territorial air defense to both offensive and defensive operations.

  • Features
We don't have to fly planes twice anymore

We don't have to fly planes twice anymore

A Tribute to China’s Woman Fighter Pilot Yu Xu

A Tribute to China’s Woman Fighter Pilot Yu Xu

Wenchuan Quake Survivor Follows His Hero's Footsteps

Wenchuan Quake Survivor Follows His Hero's Footsteps

  • Top Stories
Xi Jinping marks 70th anniversary of founding of PLA Air Force

Xi Jinping marks 70th anniversary of founding of PLA Air Force

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CMC, attended an event to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PLA Air Force on Friday.

Xi stresses building world-class air force

Xi stresses building world-class air force

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called for efforts to fully build the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force into a world-class air force.

PLA Air Force pays tribute to its heroes

PLA Air Force pays tribute to its heroes

Officials and soldiers of the People's Liberation Army Air Force came to the Chinese Aviation Museum inthe Changping district of Beijing to pay respect to heroes from its history on Monday.

Chinese air force awards outstanding soldiers, officers

Chinese air force awards outstanding soldiers, officers

The PLA Air Force has awarded 10 soldiers and officers for their outstanding contributions to the transformation of the air force and six others for their excellent performances in fulfilling flying and commanding duties.

Illustrations showing ballistic missile on H-6N bomber not real: insider

Illustrations showing ballistic missile on H-6N bomber not real: insider

Recent images in the Chinese magazine Modern Ships that show an H-6N bomber carrying an air-launched ballistic missile are not official confirmation of the H-6N's ALBM capability, a magazine insider said.

  • International Exchanges
PLA Airborne Troops depart for IAG 2019 in Russia

PLA Airborne Troops depart for IAG 2019 in Russia

China, Thailand host joint air force exercise

China, Thailand host joint air force exercise "Falcon Strike 2018"

Expert: China-Pak

Expert: China-Pak "Shaheen (Eagle)" joint air exercises conducive to double win

  • International Reports
China's air force gets a lift with pilot's promotion to top military job

China's air force gets a lift with pilot's promotion to top military job

China plans to buy six Mi-171A2 helicopters

China plans to buy six Mi-171A2 helicopters

China testing J-10B mid-air refueling at night

China testing J-10B mid-air refueling at night

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