People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force
The People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force (中国人民解放军海军航空兵), founded in 1952 as a coastal air defence arm flying Soviet aircraft, spent half a century guarding China’s shores before the carrier Liaoning turned it towards the open sea; in 2023 it handed most of its land-based fighters and bombers to the air force, and with three carriers, the J-35 stealth fighter and catapult launches since 2025 it is now a ship-based aviation force that publishes almost nothing about itself.
The PLA Naval Air Force story: guarding the coast, a rebuilt Soviet carrier and catapults at sea
1950–1958: an aviation arm built on army officers and Soviet aircraft
China’s naval aviation was assembled in a hurry from the army that had just won the civil war. Two naval aviation schools opened in 1950, the pilots’ school at Cangkou airfield in Qingdao on 1 October. The 1st Naval Aviation Division formed at Shanghai Hongqiao on 27 June 1952, and on 6 September 1952 the Naval Aviation Department was set up in Beijing under Dun Xingyun, an army political commissar — the date Chinese Wikipedia gives as the founding. It flew what the Soviet Union supplied: MiG-15s, La-11 piston fighters, Tu-2 bombers, Il-28 torpedo bombers. Within 18 months it was fighting. Chinese accounts credit naval fighters with two ROC F-47s over Sanmen Bay on 18 March 1954, and naval Tu-2s and La-11s bombed the Yijiangshan Islands before the landing of 18 January 1955. Those are Chinese claims; ROC records of the same fights were not found.
1958–1979: guarding the coast and Hainan
For the next two decades naval aviation was a coastal air defence force, not an instrument of sea power. Its divisions sat on the Zhejiang and Fujian coasts and on Hainan, flying licence-built J-5s and J-6s and H-5 torpedo bombers. Chinese sources credit it with an F-86 in the 1958 crisis, an RF-101 near Wenling in 1964, an F-4C south of Yulin in 1967, an A-1H in 1968 and a Firebee drone in 1970 — and, in all, 239 aircraft shot down and 181 damaged. Those totals are China’s own. What is clearer is the limit of its reach: in the 1974 Paracels battle a single J-6 escorted the Chinese ships with five minutes of fuel over the islands, and in 1979 Deng Xiaoping kept the navy and air force out of the war with Vietnam.
1980–2012: from flying boats to Flankers
Reform-era modernisation came slowly. The SH-5 flying boat, a home design begun in 1968 to replace the Be-6, entered service only in 1986, and four were delivered. Licence-built Dauphins (the Z-9) and Super Frelon copies (the Z-8) gave the fleet ship-borne helicopters; Kamov Ka-28s came from Russia in the 1990s. The JH-7 strike aircraft, designed for the navy, joined it in 1994, and the refuellable J-8D in 1996. In 2001 a naval J-8II flown by Wang Wei collided with a US EP-3E off Hainan — the incident that made Lingshui’s naval air station briefly world-famous. Russia then sold the navy anti-ship Su-30MK2s from February 2004, and H-6 bombers carried ever-longer-range missiles. In 2003 the naval aviation department was abolished and its divisions handed to the three fleets.
2012–2019: learning to fly from a deck
The carrier changed everything. The hull of the Soviet Varyag, bought in 1998 for 20 million dollars by a Macau company, reached Dalian in 2002 and was commissioned as Liaoning on 25 September 2012. China announced the first J-15 arrested landings on 25 November 2012. The J-15, built from an unfinished Su-33 prototype bought from Ukraine, was heavy for a ski-jump deck, and it was costly to learn: test pilot Zhang Chao died in 2016 after a flight-control failure. CSIS records the first home-trained J-15 air wing certified in 2015 and Liaoning combat-ready in November 2016. Naval aviation moved from divisions to brigades in the same reform period, and the Chinese-built Shandong was commissioned at Sanya on 17 December 2019.
2023: the navy gives up its land-based striking power
The most important recent change was not announced. According to the US Air University’s China Aerospace Studies Institute, in 2023 the navy transferred at least three fighter brigades, two bomber regiments, three radar brigades, three air defence brigades and numerous airfields to the PLA Air Force. Gone were the H-6J missile bombers, the JH-7s and the Su-30MK2s that had been the navy’s land-based striking power; by 2026 the IISS lists none of them with the navy. What remains is a ship-based arm — carrier fighters, early-warning and anti-submarine aircraft, helicopters and drones — plus about 50 J-11BH fighters. English Wikipedia calls it a trade of land-based combat aircraft for "more investment on ship-based aircraft". Beijing has said nothing in public, so the exact boundaries are an outside assessment.
2024–2026: catapults, stealth and friction at sea
That investment is now visible. The J-15T entered service in October 2024; on 22 September 2025 China showed J-15Ts, J-35 stealth fighters and KJ-600 early-warning aircraft being catapulted from Fujian, which Xi Jinping commissioned on 5 November 2025. The catapult amphibious ship Sichuan, launched in December 2024, began sea trials in November 2025. The air wings are also flying further: in June 2025 two carriers operated together beyond the second island chain, and Japan reported a close approach by a Chinese fighter and, in December 2025, J-15 radar illumination of its F-15s, which Tokyo called dangerous and Beijing blamed on Japanese interference. China publishes almost no numbers, and outside counts differ widely — for the J-15T, from 10 to more than 50.
The People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force in numbers
Hizmet
- Yerli isim
- 中国人民解放军海军航空兵Literally "Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy Aviation Troops". English sources use People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF) or PLA Naval Aviation
- Kurulan
- 6 September 1952Date on which the Naval Aviation Department was set up in Beijing, per Chinese Wikipedia; the 1st Naval Aviation Division had already formed on 27 June 1952, and the first naval aviation schools opened in 1950
- Bir parçası
- People’s Liberation Army NavyThe PLA Navy itself dates from 23 April 1949. Naval aviation has had no separate headquarters department since 2003, when its divisions passed to the fleets, according to Chinese Wikipedia
- Commander of the PLA Navy
- Adm. Hu ZhongmingSince 26 December 2023. China does not publish the name of a separate naval aviation commander
- uçak gemileri
- 3 in commissionLiaoning (2012), Shandong (2019) and Fujian (2025); the catapult-equipped amphibious ship Sichuan is on sea trials
- Organizasyon
- BrigadesDivisions and regiments gave way to brigades around 2016, as in the air force
- Combat aviation since 2023
- Carrier and ship-borneMost land-based fighter, bomber and strike units moved to the PLA Air Force in 2023 (CASI); the navy kept carrier aircraft, helicopters, UAVs and special-mission aircraft
Kuvvet
- Personel
- About 25,000 in older estimatesEnglish and Chinese Wikipedia both give about 25,000 (with 690 or nearly 600 aircraft), figures that predate the 2023 transfer to the air force
- Uçak gemisi savaşçıları
-
- J-15 / J-15S — 59–60
- J-15T (catapult) — 10 to 50+
- J-15D (electronic attack) — 6
- J-35 — in service, number not published
IISS The Military Balance 2026 (via Wikipedia) gives 59 J-15 and 10 J-15T; Wikipedia’s J-15 article gives 60 J-15 and 50+ J-15T for 2026
- Land-based fighters
-
- J-11B/BS (navy J-11BH/BSH) — 50
The only land-based fighters the IISS still lists for the navy in 2026; 72 in 2018
- Early warning and special mission
-
- KJ-500 — 20+
- KJ-600 — in service, number not published
- KJ-200 — 6; Y-8J — 4
- KQ-200 (Y-8Q) anti-submarine — 25+
- Y-8JB, Y-8X, Y-9JZ ELINT — 17
IISS 2025/2026 figures as tabulated on Wikipedia
- Helikopterler
-
- Z-8 family — 28
- Z-9C/D/S — 27
- Ka-27PS / Ka-28 — 17
- Z-18 / Z-18F — 14
- Ka-31 — 9
- Mi-8 — 8
- Z-20F / Z-20J — 4+
IISS 2025/2026 figures as tabulated on Wikipedia
- Eğitmenler
-
- CJ-6 — 38
- JL-9 — 28; JL-9G — 12
- JL-8 — 16
- JL-10 — 12
- HY-7 — 12
IISS 2025/2026 figures as tabulated on Wikipedia
Altyapı
- Hava istasyonları
- China does not publish a list of naval air stations. Lingshui on Hainan is the one named in open sources most often; numerous airfield stations went to the PLA Air Force in 2023
- Carrier home ports
-
- Liaoning — Yuchi, near Qingdao
- Shandong — commissioned at Sanya, Hainan
- Fujian — commissioned at Sanya, Hainan
As reported on Wikipedia; Fujian later sailed to Jiangnan Shipyard for maintenance in December 2025
- Uçuş eğitimi
- Naval Aviation University, YantaiFormed 2017; training facilities at Huludao, Xingcheng, Changzhi, Jiyuan, Handan and Xingtai
- Catapult decks
- 2Fujian (commissioned 5 November 2025) and the amphibious assault ship Sichuan (sea trials since November 2025; delivery expected 2027 by Jane’s)
- South China Sea
- Woody Island (Paracels)2,700 m runway; navy J-11BH reported from July 2016. The islands are also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam
How the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force is organised
An arm of the PLA Navy with no separate headquarters since 2003, organised in brigades since around 2016 and publishing almost nothing about itself. Since the 2023 transfer of most of its land-based fighters and bombers to the PLA Air Force, reported by the US Air University’s China Aerospace Studies Institute, it is a ship-based arm built around three carriers, J-15 and J-35 fighters, early-warning and anti-submarine aircraft and helicopters. Beijing has said nothing in public about the transfer, so its exact boundaries are an outside assessment.
People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force
The aviation arm of the PLA Navy. It has had no separate headquarters department since 2003, when its divisions passed to the fleets, according to Chinese Wikipedia, and China does not publish the name of a naval aviation commander. The navy has been led since 26 December 2023 by Adm. Hu Zhongming, according to English Wikipedia.
Carrier air wings
The J-15 and two-seat J-15S, 59 to 60 by outside counts, fly from the ski-jump carriers Liaoning, commissioned in 2012, and Shandong, in 2019. The catapult carrier Fujian, commissioned on 5 November 2025, launches J-15Ts, J-35 stealth fighters and KJ-600 early-warning aircraft; outside counts of the J-15T range from 10 to more than 50, and six J-15D electronic-attack aircraft are listed. China publishes no unit designations or bases for them.
J-11BH and J-11BSH units
About 50 navy Flankers, the only land-based fighters the IISS still lists for the navy in 2026. According to the US Air University’s China Aerospace Studies Institute, at least three fighter brigades and two bomber regiments moved to the PLA Air Force in 2023, and by 2026 the IISS lists no H-6J, JH-7 or Su-30MK2 with the navy; Beijing has said nothing in public about the transfer.
Early-warning, anti-submarine and reconnaissance aircraft
By IISS counts as tabulated on Wikipedia: more than 20 KJ-500 early-warning aircraft, more than 25 KQ-200 anti-submarine aircraft, six KJ-200s and four Y-8Js, and 17 Y-8JB, Y-8X and Y-9JZ patrol and signals-intelligence aircraft. Their units are not published.
Gemide konuşlu helikopterler
The Z-9C, D and S, 27 in all and the standard destroyer and frigate helicopter; 17 Ka-28 and Ka-27PS; 28 of the Z-8 family and 14 Z-18s; nine Ka-31 early-warning helicopters; and at least four Z-20F and Z-20J, the Z-20F with a dipping sonar, part of Fujian’s planned air wing. Figures are the IISS’s and Wikipedia’s.
İnsansız hava aracı
BZK-005, BZK-007 and WZ-7 drones, listed by the IISS without numbers. A mock-up of the GJ-21 stealth combat drone was on board the catapult-equipped amphibious ship Sichuan in February 2026; no service date is published.
Naval Aviation University
Formed in 2017 with its headquarters at Yantai and training facilities at Huludao, Xingcheng, Changzhi, Jiyuan, Handan and Xingtai; its ancestors are the two naval aviation schools opened in 1950. Navy trainers by IISS count include 28 JL-9s and 12 tailhook JL-9Gs, 16 JL-8s, 12 JL-10s, 38 CJ-6s and 12 HY-7s.
What the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force flies today
Ücretli olan her tür, varsa ilgili Canavarlar Kitabı sayfasına bağlanmıştır. Sayılar, belirli bir günde müsait olan uçak sayısını değil, kayıtlarda yer alan uçak sayısını ifade eder.
| Türü | Rol | Hizmette | O zamandan beri | Birimler | Notlar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shenyang J-15 and J-15S Flying SharkHizmette | Carrier-based multirole fighter | 59 | 2013 | Range 59–60: IISS The Military Balance 2026 (as tabulated on Wikipedia) lists 59 J-15; Wikipedia’s J-15 article gives 60. Includes the two-seat J-15S, in service from July 2022. | ||
| Shenyang J-15THizmette | Catapult-capable carrier fighter | 10 | 2024 | Range 10 to 50+: IISS 2026 lists 10; Wikipedia’s J-15 article gives 50+ in 2026. The gap reflects fast production and the lag in published counts. | ||
| Shenyang J-15DHizmette | Elektronik saldırı | 6 | IISS 2026 and Wikipedia agree on six. | |||
| Shenyang J-35Hizmette | Carrier-based stealth fighter | 2025 | Number in navy service not published. Wikipedia counts 57+ J-35 of all versions (navy and air force) built by October 2025. | |||
| Shenyang J-11BH and J-11BSHHizmette | Land-based fighter | 50 | 2010 | IISS 2026 lists 50 J-11B/BS with the navy; Wikipedia’s J-11 article gives 40 J-11BH and 32 J-11BSH in 2018. Some units moved to the air force in 2023. | ||
| Xian KJ-600Hizmette | Carrier-based airborne early warning | 2025 | Number not published; at least four to six prototypes flew in late 2023. | |||
| Shaanxi KJ-500HHizmette | Havadan erken uyarı | 20 | 20+ (IISS 2025 and 2026, as tabulated on Wikipedia). | |||
| Shaanxi KJ-200 and Y-8JHizmette | Havadan erken uyarı | 10 | 6 KJ-200 and 4 Y-8J (IISS). | |||
| Shaanxi KQ-200 (Y-8Q)Hizmette | Denizaltı karşıtı ve deniz devriyesi | 25 | 25+ (IISS). | |||
| Shaanxi Y-8JB, Y-8X and Y-9JZHizmette | Electronic intelligence and maritime surveillance | 17 | 4 Y-8JB, 3 Y-8X and 10 Y-9JZ (IISS). | |||
| Kamov Ka-31Hizmette | Shipborne early-warning helicopter | 9 | 2010 | Nine (IISS). | ||
| Kamov Ka-28 and Ka-27PSHizmette | Gemide konuşlandırılmış denizaltı karşıtı ve kurtarma helikopteri | 17 | 14 Ka-28 and 3 Ka-27PS (IISS). | |||
| Changhe Z-8 (Z-8, Z-8J, Z-8JH, Z-8S)Hizmette | Heavy helicopter (transport, rescue, medical evacuation) | 28 | 1987 | 9 Z-8, 13 Z-8J, 4 Z-8JH and 2 Z-8S (IISS 2025). | ||
| Changhe Z-18 and Z-18FHizmette | Heavy helicopter (transport and anti-submarine) | 14 | 4 Z-18 and 10 Z-18F (IISS). The Wikipedia table also lists 10 Z-18F under early warning, apparently the same aircraft. | |||
| Harbin Z-9C, Z-9D and Z-9SHizmette | Shipborne helicopter | 27 | 14 Z-9C, 11 Z-9D and 2 Z-9S (IISS). | |||
| Harbin Z-20F and Z-20JHizmette | Gemide konuşlandırılmış denizaltı karşıtı ve genel maksat helikopteri | 4 | 2+ Z-20F and 2+ Z-20J (Wikipedia). | |||
| Mil Mi-8Hizmette | Nakliye helikopteri | 8 | Eight (IISS). | |||
| Transports: Y-5, Y-7G/H, Y-8C, CRJ200 and CRJ700Hizmette | Ulaşım | 38 | 20 Y-5, 2 Y-7G, 6 Y-7H, 6 Y-8C, 2 CRJ200 and 2 CRJ700 (IISS). | |||
| Guizhou JL-9 and JL-9GHizmette | Advanced and carrier lead-in trainer | 40 | 28 JL-9 and 12 JL-9G (IISS, Wikipedia). | |||
| Hongdu JL-8 (K-8)Hizmette | Jet eğitim uçağı | 16 | 16 (IISS). | |||
| Hongdu JL-10Hizmette | Gelişmiş jet eğitim uçağı | 12 | 12 (IISS). | |||
| Nanchang CJ-6 and Xian HY-7Hizmette | Primary and navigation trainers | 50 | 38 CJ-6 and 12 HY-7 (IISS). | |||
| UAVs: BZK-005, BZK-007 and WZ-7Hizmette | Keşif dronları |
Sipariş üzerine
| Türü | Sipariş edildi | İlk teslimat | Notlar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shenyang J-35Sipariş üzerine | 2025 | Series production for Fujian’s air wing; numbers not published. China’s state media expected Fujian to reach full readiness before the end of 2026. | ||
| Xian KJ-600Sipariş üzerine | 2025 | In production for Fujian; a carrier onboard delivery version is reported to be in development. | ||
| GJ-21 (naval GJ-11) stealth UCAVSipariş üzerine | A GJ-21 mock-up was on board the catapult-equipped amphibious ship Sichuan in February 2026; no service date published. |
Every type the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force has retired
15 types, from the Harbin SH-5 to the Xian H-6 naval variants (H-6D, H-6G, H-6J, HY-6DU). Zirve rakamları, herhangi bir tarihteki filo gücünü değil, tüm hizmet ömrü boyunca teslim alınan uçak gövdelerini ifade eder.
| Türü | Rol | Doruğa ulaşmak | Servis edildi | Yerine şu geçti: | Notlar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xian H-6 naval variants (H-6D, H-6G, H-6J, HY-6DU) | Maritime strike bomber, targeting and tanker | No current count; Chinese Wikipedia’s older table gives 36. None are listed for the navy by IISS 2026. | ||||
| Xian JH-7 and JH-7A Flying Leopard | Maritime strike fighter-bomber | 120 | 1994–2023 | Chinese Wikipedia’s older table gives 120 in the navy; none are listed for the navy by IISS 2026. | ||
| Sukhoi Su-30MK2 | Maritime strike fighter | 24 | 2004–2023 | Chinese Wikipedia’s older table gives 24; not listed for the navy by IISS 2026. | ||
| Chengdu J-10 | Çok amaçlı savaş uçağı | 24 | Chinese Wikipedia’s older table gives 24 in the navy; not listed for the navy by IISS 2026. | |||
| Shenyang J-8II (J-8D, J-8F) | Önleyici | 24 | IISS 2022 (via Wikipedia): 24 J-8F; Chinese Wikipedia’s older table 42. Not listed for the navy by IISS 2026. | |||
| Shenyang J-6 and JJ-6 (MiG-19) | Dövüşçü ve antrenör | J-8II, J-11BH | Numbers not published; 14 JJ-6 trainers were still listed around December 2019. | |||
| Shenyang J-5 (MiG-17F) | Savaşçı | J-6 | ||||
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 | Savaşçı | J-5 | ||||
| Lavochkin La-11 | Piston fighter | MiG-15 | ||||
| Tupolev Tu-2 | Piston bomber | Il-28 / H-5 | ||||
| İlyushin Il-28 ve Harbin H-5 | Torpedo and light bomber | H-6, JH-7 | ||||
| Nanchang S-5 | Saldırı uçağı | JH-7 | ||||
| Beriev Be-6 | Flying boat | SH-5 | ||||
| Harbin SH-5 | Deniz devriye uçan botu | 4 | 1986– | Four delivered in 1986; seven built in all, including prototypes and a firefighter. | ||
| Aerospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon | Heavy helicopter | Z-8 |
Where the PLA Naval Air Force flies from
Siyah işaretler aktif üsleri, içi boş işaretler ise kapanmış havaalanlarını temsil eder. China does not publish a list of naval air stations or the units on them; Lingshui on Hainan is the one named most often in open sources, and the aircraft shown there are as reported, not announced. Woody Island in the Paracels is administered by the PRC and also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. Historic sites such as Shanghai Hongqiao, where the first naval aviation division formed in 1952, are listed with their present status unpublished. Entries with no published aerodrome data carry no pin.
Çin
One of the 4 bases above sits outside China, so the world map has to pull back until the home airfields cannot be told apart. The same pins again, without the overseas base.
| Temel | ICAO | Durum | Pist | Birimler ve uçaklar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LingshuiHainan Eyaleti (Lingshui Li Özerk İlçesi) | Aktif |
|
||
| Woody Adası (Yongxing) havaalanıParacel Adaları, Güney Çin Denizi (Çin Halk Cumhuriyeti tarafından Hainan'daki Sansha'nın bir parçası olarak yönetilmektedir; ayrıca Tayvan ve Vietnam tarafından da hak iddia edilmektedir) | Aktif |
|
||
| Xingcheng naval flying training facilityLiaoning Province (Huludao) | Aktif |
|
||
| Jialai airfieldHainanHainan Province | Kapalı | |||
| Laiyang airfieldShandong Province | Kapalı | |||
| Ningbo Zhuangqiao airfieldZhejiang Province | Kapalı |
|
||
| Qingdao Cangkou airfieldShandong Province | Kapalı |
|
||
| Qingdao Liuting airfieldShandong Province | ZSQD | Kapalı | 17/353.400 m | |
| Shanghai Hongqiao1st Naval Aviation Division, 1952Shanghai | Kapalı |
Arama sonucunda bu kriterlere uyan bir hava üssü bulunamadı.
Who is stationed where in the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force
Üslerine göre uçan birlikler, önce mevcut birlikler. China publishes no designations for its naval aviation brigades, so current entries show only the aircraft types that open sources report at a base, and unit designations are deliberately not given. The divisions and schools of the 1950s and the J-8II unit of the 2001 Hainan collision are listed among the former units. Deployments to Woody Island are reported in open sources, not announced as standing units.
- Naval special-mission and carrier aircraft (reported)Early warning, anti-submarine and fighter aircraft · active
- Shaanxi KJ-500, Shaanxi Y-8Q (KQ-200), Shenyang J-15
- Naval aviation J-8II interceptor unit (2001)
- Shenyang J-8II
- Naval J-11BH detachments (reported)2016–
- Shenyang J-11BH
- H-6J bombers (reported)2020–2020
- Xian H-6J
- Naval Aviation University training facilityFlying training · training
- Guizhou JL-9G (carrier lead-in training, type as reported for the navy)
Bu aramaya uyan bir birim bulunamadı.
People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force milestones, 1914 to today
1 October: the First Naval Aviation School opens at Cangkou airfield, Qingdao, for pilots; the Second, for ground crew, had opened on 19 September.
27 June: the 1st Naval Aviation Division forms at Shanghai Hongqiao. 6 September: the Naval Aviation Department is set up in Beijing under Dun Xingyun.
18 March: by the Chinese account, two naval fighters shoot down two ROC F-47s over Sanmen Bay, the first claims of naval aviation.
January: Tu-2 bombers and La-11 fighters fly 20 days of strikes before the Yijiangshan landing of 18 January. October: renamed Naval Aviation Arm.
18 February: naval J-5s make China’s first high-altitude interception over Shandong; in September pilot Wang Zichong is credited by China with an F-86 carrying Sidewinders.
26 June: by the Chinese account, two naval J-6s shoot down a US F-4C south of Yulin, Hainan.
Four SH-5 flying boats, China’s own design, are delivered to the North Sea Fleet.
The JH-7 strike aircraft, designed for the navy, enters naval service.
1 April: a naval J-8II from Lingshui collides with a US Navy EP-3E; Lt Cdr Wang Wei is killed and the EP-3 lands at Lingshui.
The Naval Aviation Department is abolished and the aviation divisions pass to the three fleets (Chinese Wikipedia).
February: the first Su-30MK2 anti-ship fighters are delivered from Russia.
25 September: Liaoning is commissioned. 25 November: China announces the first J-15 arrested landings on board, by Dai Mingmeng.
Around this year naval aviation moves from divisions to brigades; Liaoning is declared combat ready in November and fires live in December.
17 December: Shandong, the first Chinese-built carrier, is commissioned at Sanya.
Most land-based fighter, bomber and strike units, with several airfields, are transferred to the PLA Air Force (CASI, 31 July 2023).
1 May: Fujian begins sea trials. October: the catapult J-15T enters service. 27 December: the amphibious assault ship Sichuan is launched.
June: Liaoning and Shandong operate together beyond the second island chain. 22 September: J-15T, J-35 and KJ-600 catapult launches from Fujian. 5 November: Fujian commissioned at Sanya.
August: Chinese media show Sichuan’s electromagnetic catapult being tested at sea.
Every war the PLA Naval Air Force has fought
Kayıtlarda belirtilen yerlerde sorti ve kayıplar, belirtilmeyen yerlerde ise boş bırakılmıştır.
- Birinci Tayvan Boğazı Krizi 1954–1955 Fighter patrols against ROC aircraft over the coast, then bombing and fighter cover for the capture of Yijiangshan
- İkinci Tayvan Boğazı Krizi 1958 Naval fighter regiments joined the air force in the air battles over the strait during the shelling of Kinmen
- Air defence of Hainan and the Gulf of Tonkin 1964–1970 Intercepted US and ROC reconnaissance aircraft, drones and strike aircraft straying near Chinese territory during the Vietnam War
- The Battle of the Paracel Islands 1974 A single J-6 escorted the Chinese ships at the limit of its range
- The Sino-Vietnamese War 1979 Disputed: Deng Xiaoping ordered the navy and air force to stay out of the war, but English Wikipedia’s naval aviation article claims bombing missions
People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force news from Afterburner
Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force and the aircraft it flies. Bu liste kendini yeniliyor; yeni Afterburner haberleri otomatik olarak burada görünüyor.
Everything people ask about the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force
What is the Chinese navy’s air force called?
When was the PLA Naval Air Force founded?
What aircraft does the PLA Naval Air Force fly in 2026?
Did the Chinese navy give its land-based jets to the air force?
How many aircraft carriers does China have?
Can the J-35 fly from Chinese carriers?
What happened in the 2001 Hainan collision?
Did Chinese J-15s lock radar on Japanese jets?
Has PLA naval aviation ever fought in the air?
Read the aircraft the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force flew
Hayvanlar Kitabı'nda sayfası bulunan her tür, önce hizmete girdiği yıl, sonra da filodan ayrıldığı yıl sıralanmıştır.
Her bilgi kontrol edildi.
- China Aerospace Studies Institute (Rod Lee): PLA Naval Aviation Reorganization 2023 (31 July 2023)US Air University study: at least three fighter brigades, two bomber regiments, three radar brigades, three air defence brigades and numerous airfield stations moved from the navy to the PLA Air Force in 2023. Author and date as cited by English Wikipedia.
- China Aerospace Studies Institute (Lawrence Trevethan): Brigadization of the PLA Air ForceCited by English Wikipedia for the move from divisions and regiments to brigades in 2016–2017, which naval aviation followed.
- CSIS ChinaPower: How does China’s first aircraft carrier stack up? (updated 26 August 2020)Liaoning about 66,000 tons, air wing of 24 J-15s, J-15 take-off weight limited to about 62,000 lb from the ski jump; first home-trained J-15 air wing certified in 2015; declared combat ready November 2016; first live fire December 2016.
- Japan Ministry of Defense: Defense of Japan 2026, Digest (English)Page 2: carrier activity east of Iwo-To and two carriers in the Pacific in June 2025; unusual close approach by a Chinese fighter to a JSDF aircraft in June and by a fighter-bomber in July; carrier in the Pacific east of Okinawa to Amami Oshima in December; intermittent radar illumination of a JSDF aircraft for about 30 minutes in December, called "a dangerous act".
- Japan Joint Staff: FY2025 scramble report (17 April 2026)December 2025 radar illumination of JASDF F-15s by carrier-based J-15s (as recorded in the JASDF dataset of this site).
- CSIS Asya Denizcilik Şeffaflık Girişimi: Woody AdasıOccupied by China since 1955; Chinese, Taiwanese and Vietnamese names; coordinates 16° 50’ 4" N, 112° 20’ 23" E.
- CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative: Fiery Cross ReefChinese, Philippine, Taiwanese and Vietnamese names; possession since 1988; 677 acres reclaimed; hangars visible in 2016 imagery; no aircraft deployments documented on the page.
Rakamlar 2026-10-01 tarihinde doğrulanmıştır. Savaş Düzeni sayfaları tek bir veri kümesinden yeniden oluşturulmuştur; buradaki bir sayı Canavarlar Kitabı sayfasındaki bir sayıyla uyuşmuyorsa, bu sayfa ikisinden daha yeni olanıdır.
Photographs: Photo: Sprt98 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: 中国新闻社 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo: Alert5 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Japan Ministry of Defense (日本国防衛省) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo: parfaits / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Alexmilt / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: George Chernilevsky / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo: Z3144228 / Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · Photo: 颐园居 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Indonesian Air Force Information Service (Dispenau) / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Tyg728 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Jerry Gunner from Lincoln, UK / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)