Beijing Regional Airbase (CHINA)

The PLAAF (People’s Liberation Army Air Force) is the aerial warfare branch of the People’s Liberation Army of the People’s Republic of China. Established on November 11, 1949, shortly after the founding of the PRC, it has grown from a primarily defensive air arm into one of the largest and most technologically advanced air forces in the world. In its early decades, the PLAAF relied heavily on Soviet-designed aircraft and focused mainly on territorial air defense. During the Cold War, it emphasized protecting China’s airspace and supporting ground forces. Over the past two decades, however, the PLAAF has undergone rapid modernization, transitioning toward a force capable of long-range power projection, joint operations, and advanced air combat. Today, the PLAAF operates a mix of domestically produced and modernized aircraft. Key platforms include advanced multirole fighters like the J-10 and J-16, as well as the fifth-generation stealth fighter J-20. It also fields strategic bombers