China celebrates 60th founding anniversary of PLA Air Force

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-11 10:57

The leading formation of the air force show，a Kongjing-2000 AEWC aircraft escorted by eight J-7 fighters, flies over the Tian'anmen Square in the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, in central Beijing, October 1, 2009. [Xinhua]

BEIJING: A ceremony to celebrate the 60th founding anniversary for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force was held on Wednesday morning in Beijing.

Vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission (CMC) Guo Boxiong, Xu Caihou and senior officers of the Air Force attended the ceremony.

The PLA air force has become an integrated service comprising aviation troops, land-to-air missile, radar and anti-aircraft troops, and paratroops.

Timeline of China's PLA air force

Following is a brief timeline of the development of the air force based on military reports:

-- In March 1946, the first school to train aviation cadets was set up. It trained more than 500 air and ground crew before the founding of New China in 1949.

-- On September 21, 1949, Mao Zedong said at the first plenary session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), "We will not only have a powerful army, but also a powerful air force and navy."

Ten days later, 17 fighters of the air force under construction flew over the Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing at the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China.

-- On November 11, 1949, the PLA air force was founded.

-- From 1951 to July 1953, the PLA air force set up 28 aviation divisions and 70 aviation regiments. It was engaged in the Korean War (1950-1953).

-- On August 1, 1954, an aircraft company in Nanchang produced the first copy of a Jacques 18 trainer. Mao Zedong called it a world-shaking event.

In its early days, the PLA air force had 157 captured aircraft. However, the birth of this trainer aircraft marked the starting point of New China's aviation industry.

From capturing enemy planes to importing from other countries, from copying others to producing by itself, China gradually developed its own fighters, bombers, transporters, helicopters and ground-to-air missiles.

-- In January 1979, Deng Xiaoping, architect of China's reform and opening up, ordered the national aviation industry authority to cut the quantity of the aircraft produced to save money for development of new and better products.

One year later, China produced its own supersonic fighter trainer.

-- In the 1990s, President Jiang Zemin sensed the new changes in warfare and proposed to "strive to build a forceful and modernized air force with both sound attack and defense capabilities."

-- In 2003, the PLA began to operate the China-made Jian-10 (Fighter-10), the third generation Chinese fighter aircraft.

-- On May 22, 2009, President Hu Jintao called for the building of a powerful air force to meet the demands of the PLA in the 21st century when he met delegates of the 11th CPC Congress of the PLA air force.

-- On October 1, 2009, 151 aircraft ranging from China's most advanced J-10 and J-11 fighter jets to airborne early warning and control aircraft, bombers and aerial tankers, flew over Tian'anmen Square in the parade marking New China's 60th founding anniversary.