Defeat, Not Merely Compete: China's View of Its Military Aerospace Goals and Requirements in Relation to the United States

reportActive / Technical Report | Accesssion Number: AD1064033 | Open PDF

Abstract:

Over the past two decades, the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) has made rapid advances in building up new capabilities and operational concepts. Aerospace power has been a core feature of the PLAs rapid modernization. In particular, since 2004, the PLA Air Force(PLAAF) has pursued a service strategy aimed at developing the capacity to simultaneously prosecute offensive and defensive integrated air and space operations (, ).During this period, Chinese military authors have written about transforming the PLAAF into what they refer to as a strategic air force, one that can move beyond its [traditional] focus on air defense of Chinese territory and directly support national policy objectives and achieve a wide range of strategic goals.1 One recent study of Chinese military aerospace writings found that many PLA authors specifically cite the U.S. Air Force (USAF) as a model for at least some aspects of the PLAAFs transformation into a strategic air force.2

Author(s):
Harold, Scott W.
Author Organization(s):
RAND Corp
Funding Organization(s):
Publication Date:
2018 Nov 01
Pagination:
0

Security Markings

RECORD

Collection: TRECMS
Subject Terms
Modernization Areas:
Space
Communities of Interest:
Space
Descriptor(s):
military science, military organizations, war colleges, air force, airframes, warfare, national security, military aviation, air power, aircraft equipment, aircraft industry, aircrafts, unified combatant commands, antisubmarine aircraft, fighter aircraft, rotary wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles
Keyword(s):
pla(Peoples Liberation Army)
Subject Categories:
Military Sciences
Update Date:
2018 Nov 30