People's Liberation Army Air Force[edit]

Further information: People's Liberation Army Air Force

Current inventory[edit]
In
Aircraft Image Origin Type Variant servi Notes
ce

Combat Aircraft

Chengd  Chin Stealth Air 22+[1]

u J-20 a superiority [2][3]

Shenya
 Chin Air
ng FC-
a superiority
31

Chengd  Chin J-
Multirole 468[4]
u J-10 a 10B/C

licensed
Shenya
 Chin Air variants of
ng J- 409 [5][6]

a superiority the Su-27 an
11/ J-16
d Su-30
Sukhoi  Russ Air Su-
97[7][8]
Su-30 ia superiority 30MKK

Sukhoi  Russ Air

Su-35S 24[9]
Su-35 ia superiority

licensed
Chengd  Chin J-
Fighter 388[10] variant of
u J-7 a 7MGF
the MiG-21

Shenya  Chin
Interceptor J-8IIM 96[10]
ng J-8 a

Xian JH-  Chin Fighter JH-

120[10]
7 a bomber 7A/B

licensed
 Chin Strategic H-6K/ variant of
Xian H-6 120[10]
a bomber J/M the Tupolev
Tu-16
 AWACS

Shaanxi  Chin
AEW KJ-200 11[10]
Y-8 a

Chinese
radar
Ilyushin  Chin KJ-
AEW 4[10] installed on
Il-76 a 2000
an Ilyushin Il-
76 airframe

Shaanxi  Chin 30+[11]

AEW KJ-500
Y-9 a [12]

Reconnaissance

Challen  Cana
SIGINT 5[10]
ger 850 da

Electronic Warfare
Antonov  Russ electronic
3[10]
An-30 ia warfare

Tupolev  Russ electronic

8[10]
Tu-154 ia warfare

Shaanxi  Chin electronic

Y-8EW 17[10]
Y-8 a jamming

Maritime patrol

Boeing  Unite patrol /

2[10]
737 d States transport

Tanker

Xian  Chin aerial HY-6U  10[13]

HY-6 a refueling is
dedicat
ed
tanker
with
fire
control
remove
 d

Ilyushin  Russ aerial Il-

3[10]
Il-78 ia refueling 78MP

Transport

Xian Y-  Chin strategic

40+[14]
20 a airlifter

Ilyushin strategic
Russia 24[10]
Il-76 airlifter

Shaanxi  Chin
transport 23[10]
Y-9 a

Shaanxi  Chin
transport 81[10]
Y-8 a

 Chin
Xian Y-7 transport 49[10]
a

Xian  Chin
transport 9[10]
MA60 a
Tupolev  Russ
transport 2[10]
Tu-154 ia

Helicopter

Mi-
 Russ
Mil Mi-8 transport 8/17/17 16[10]
ia
1

licensed
Changh  Chin built Aérospa
transport 34[10]
e Z-8 a tiale SA 321
Super Frelon

licensed built
variant of
Harbin  Chin utility / CSA
15[10] the Eurocopt
Z-9 a R
er AS365
Dauphin

Trainer aircraft

 Chin multi-engine
Xian Y-7 13[10]
a trainer

Hongdu  Chin
jet trainer K-8 170[10]
JL-8 a
Guizhou  Chin
jet trainer
JL-9 a

Hongdu  Chin
jet trainer 24+[15]
JL-10 a

Shenya  Chin converted

JJ-6 35[16]
ng J-6 a trainer

Chengd  Chin conversion

JJ-7 35[10]
u J-7 a trainer

Guimbal
 Fran rotorcraft tra
Cabri 2[1]
ce iner
G2

Unmanned aerial vehicle

Guizhou
 Chin
Sunshin MALE UAV 28[17]
a
e
Chengd
u  Chin
MALE UAV 60[17]
Pteroda a
ctyl I

Chengd
u  Chin
MALE UAV 75[17]
Pteroda a
ctyl 2

Harbin
 Chin
Giant MALE UAV 84[17]
a
Eagle

Chengd
 Chin
u Cloud HALE UAV 12[17]
a
Shadow

Guizhou
 Chin
Soar HALE UAV 8[17]
a
Dragon

As of 2015, PLAAF employs around 300 self propelled and 300 towed SAM launchers including
modern, long range systems as well as aging systems.

Range Quantity
SAM System Image Origin
(km) (Launchers)

HQ-2  China 35 300+[18]

HQ-6D  China 10 24[18]

HQ-7  China 12-15 60+[18]

S-300 PMU (SA-

 Russia 100 32[18]
10C)

S-300 PMU-1
 Russia 150 64[18]
(SA-20A)

S-300 PMU-2
 Russia 200 64[18]
(SA-20B)

S-400  Russia 400 Unknown

HQ-12  China 50 24[18]

HQ-9  China 200 32+[18]

People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force[edit]

Further information: People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force

In
Origi Introduce Tota Note
Type Class Role servic
n d l s
e

Aérospatial
e SA 321 Rotorcraf
France Transport 13 [19]

Super t
Frelon

Changhe Z- Rotorcraf Transport/

China 24 [19]

8 t attack

Changhe Z- Rotorcraf
China Transport 8 [19]

18 t

Chengdu J-
China Jet Multi-role 22 24 [20]

10

Bombardier
CRJ100/20 Canada Jet Transport 2 [21]

0
 In
Origi Introduce Tota Note
Type Class Role servic
n d l s
e

Bombardier
CRJ700 Canada Jet Transport 2 [21]

series

Eurocopter
Rotorcraf
AS565 France Transport 6 [19]

t
Panther

Guizhou JL-
China Jet Trainer 36 [22]

Harbin Y-12 China Propeller Transport 2 [21]

Rotorcraf
Harbin Z-9 China Utility 44 [19]

Hongdu JL-
China Jet Trainer 32 [22]

Hongdu JL-
China Jet Trainer 8 [22]

10

Kamov Ka- Rotorcraf

Russia Attack 17 [19]

28 t

Kamov Ka- Rotorcraf Airborne Early

Russia 9 [19]

31 t Warning

Airborne Early
KJ-200 China Propeller 6 [23]

Warning

Airborne Early
KQ-200 China Propeller 8 [23]

Warning
 In
Origi Introduce Tota Note
Type Class Role servic
n d l s
e

Rotorcraf
Mil Mi-8 USSR Transport 8 [19]

Nanchang
China Propeller Trainer 38 [22]

CJ-6

Shaanxi KJ- Airborne Early

China Propeller 8 [23]

500 Warning

Transport/
Shaanxi Y-8 China Propeller 32 [21]

patrol

Shaanxi Y-
China Propeller Patrol 4 [23]

8J

Shaanxi Y-
China Propeller Patrol 4 [23]

8JB

Shaanxi Y-
China Propeller Transport 8 [23]

9JZ

Shenyang
China Jet Fighter 52 [20]

J-8

Shenyang
China Jet Multi-role 72 72 [20]

J-11

Shenyang
China Jet Multi-role 2013 24 [20]

J-15

Shijiazhuan
China Propeller Transport/utility 18 [21]

g Y-5
 In
Origi Introduce Tota Note
Type Class Role servic
n d l s
e

Sukhoi Su-
Russia Jet Multi-role 24 24 [24]

30MKK

Strategic
Xian H-6 China Jet 30 [24]

Bomber

Xian JH-7 China Jet Fighter-bomber 120 [24]

Xian MA60 China Jet Transport 2 [21]

Transport/
Xian Y-7 China Propeller 19 [21]

trainer

Yakovlev
Russia Jet Transport 2 [21]

Yak-42

People's Liberation Army Ground Force[edit]

Further information: People's Liberation Army Ground Force

Origi Introduce In
Type Class Role Total Notes
n d service

Aérospatiale
France Rotorcraft Utility 8 [25]

Gazelle

CAIC WZ-10 China Rotorcraft Attack 2012 150+ 300+ [26]

Harbin Z-19 China Rotorcraft Attack/patrol 2012 120+ 186+ [25]

Changhe Z-
China Rotorcraft Attack/patrol 1998 46 [26]

11
 Origi Introduce In
Type Class Role Total Notes
n d service

Eurocopter
France Rotorcraft Training 53 [25]

AS350

Eurocopter
EC120 France Rotorcraft Training 93 [26]

Colibri

Changhe Z-
China Rotorcraft Transport 105 [26]

Changhe Z-
China Rotorcraft Heavy lift 2020 6 [25]

8L

Harbin Z-9 China Rotorcraft Utility 1994 255 [25]

Mil Mi-8/Mil
USSR Rotorcraft Transport 278+ [25]

Mi-17

Mil Mi-26 Russia Rotorcraft Heavy lift 4 [25]

Sikorsky S-
USA Rotorcraft Transport 1983 19 [25]

70

Harbin Z-20 China Rotorcraft Utility 2019 24+ [25]

Xian Y-7 China Propeller Transport 7 [26]

Shaanxi Y-8 China Propeller Transport 4 [25]

Shaanxi Y-9 China Propeller Transport 2 [27][28]