List of active People's Liberation Army aircraft

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The following list of active People's Liberation Army aircraft is a list of military aircraft, currently in service with three branches of the People's Liberation Army. For retired aircraft, see list of historic aircraft of the People's Liberation Army Air Force.

Contents

People's Liberation Army Air Force

AircraftOriginTypeVariantIn serviceNotes
Combat aircraft: 2,989 [1]
Chengdu J-10 Chinamultirole J-10A 236 [1]
J-10S 77
J-10B 55
J-10C 240
Chengdu J-20 China stealth air superiority J-20A/S 300+
Shenyang J-8 China Interceptor J-8F/H 40 [1] Phasing out
Shenyang J-11 Chinaair superiority J-11/B/BS 445License built Sukhoi Su-27 variant.
Shenyang J-16 China strike fighter J-16/D 390
Shenyang J-35 Chinastealth multiroleJ-35A8+ [2]
Sukhoi Su-27 Soviet Union air superiority Su-27UBK 32 [1]
Sukhoi Su-30 Russia multirole Su-30MKK/MK2 97 [1]
Sukhoi Su-35 Russiaair superiority Su-35S 24 [1]
Xian H-6 China strategic bomber H-6A 12 [1] H-6A used for training.
License built Tupolev Tu-16 variant.
H-6G/GMod 27
H-6J 18
H-6H/M 40
H-6K 110
H-6N 12+
Xian JH-7 China fighter bomber JH-7A200 [1]
AEW&C
KJ-2000 China / Russia AEW&C 4 [1] Chinese radar installed on an Ilyushin Il-76 airframe
Shaanxi KJ-200 ChinaAEW&C11 [1]
Shaanxi KJ-500 ChinaAEW&C40 [1]
Reconnaissance
JZ-8 China Reconnaissance JZ-8/F48 [1]
Electronic warfare
Shaanxi Y-8 China electronic warfare Y-8CB/DZ/G/XZ 14 [1]
Shaanxi Y-9 Chinaelectronic warfare Y-9G/XZ 5 [1]
Shenyang J-16 China Electronic-warfare aircraft J-16D 12 [1] Specialized for radar jamming
Tupolev Tu-154 Soviet Union SIGINT / ELINT Tu-154M/D4 [1]
Maritime patrol
Boeing 737 United States patrol 2 [1]
Shaanxi Y-8 China patrol3 [1]
Tanker
Ilyushin Il-78 Soviet Unionaerial refuelling3 [1]
Xian H-6 Chinaaerial refuelling H-6U/H-6DU 15 [1]
Xian YY-20A Chinaaerial refuelling8 [1]
Transport
Ilyushin Il-76 Soviet Union strategic airlifter 20 [1]
Shaanxi Y-8 ChinatransportY-8C30 [1]
Shaanxi Y-9 Chinatransport30 [1]
Shijiazhuang Y-5 Chinatransport70 [1]
Tupolev Tu-154 Soviet UniontransportTu-154M8 [1]
Xian Y-7 ChinatransportY-7H41 [1]
Xian Y-20 China strategic airlifter / tanker 50 [1]
Helicopter
Changhe Z-8 China / Francetransport18 [1] License built 321 Super Frelon variant
Eurocopter AS332 Francetransport6 [1]
Eurocopter EC225 Multinational VIP transport 3 [1]
Harbin Z-9 China / France utility20 [1] License built AS365 Dauphin variant
Harbin Z-20 China SAR Z-20S15 [1]
Mil Mi-8 Soviet Union utility / transport Mi-17/171 6 [1]
Trainer aircraft: 1027+
Chengdu J-7 China conversion training JJ-7/A200 [1]
Guizhou JL-9 Chinajet trainer45 [1]
Hongdu JL-8 Chinajet trainer350 [1]
Hongdu JL-10 Chinajet trainer50+ [1]
Nanchang CJ-6 Chinabasic trainerCJ-6/A/B400+ [1]
Xian HYJ-7 Chinatwo-engine trainer15 [1]

People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force

AircraftOriginTypeVariantIn serviceNotes
Combat aircraft
Shenyang J-11 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China Air superiority J-11B/BS 50 [3]
Shenyang J-15 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China Multirole J-15 59 [3]
J-15T 10
AEW&C
Changhe Z-18 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China AEW Z-18F10 [3]
Kamov Ka-31 Flag of Russia.svg Russia AEW 9 [3]
Shaanxi Y-8 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China AEW KJ-200 6 [3]
AEW Y-8J 4 [3]
Shaanxi KJ-500 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China AEW 20+ [3]
Electronic warfare
Shenyang J-15 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China EW J-15D 6 [3]
Shaanxi Y-8 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China ELINT Y-8JB 4 [3]
ELINT Y-8X 3 [3]
Shaanxi Y-9 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China ELINT Y-9JZ 10 [3]
Anti-submarine
Shaanxi Y-9 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China Anti-submarine warfare KQ-200 [4] 25+ [3]
Transport
Bombardier CRJ200 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada VIP transportCRJ-2002 [3]
Bombardier CRJ700 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada VIP transportCRJ-7002 [3]
Shaanxi Y-8 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China Tactical transportY-8C6 [3]
Shijiazhuang Y-5 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China Transport20 [3]
Xian Y-7 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China Tactical transportY-7G2 [3]
Tactical transportY-7H6 [3]
Helicopter
Changhe Z-8 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China ASW Z-89 [3] licensed built Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon
TransportZ-8J13 [3]
SAR Z-8JH4 [3]
MEDVAC Z-8S2 [3]
Changhe Z-18 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China TransportZ-184 [3]
ASW Z-18F10 [3]
Eurocopter AS565 Panther Flag of France.svg France MultiroleAS565N7 [3]
Harbin Z-9 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China ASW Z-9C14 [3] licensed built variant of the Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin
MultiroleZ-9D11 [3]
SAR Z-9S2 [3]
Kamov Ka-27 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Soviet Union SAR Ka-27PS3 [3]
Kamov Ka-28 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Soviet Union ASW 14 [3]
Mil Mi-8 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Soviet Union Transport8 [3]
Harbin Z-20 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China UtilityZ-20J
Trainer aircraft
Hongdu JL-8 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China Jet trainer16 [3]
Guizhou JL-9 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China Jet trainer28 [3]
Carrier trainerJL-9G12 [3]
Hongdu JL-10 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China Jet trainer12 [3]
Nanchang CJ-6 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China Basic trainer38 [3]
Xian Y-7 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China Navigator and bombardier trainer HY-7 12 [3]
Unmanned aerial vehicle
BZK-007 [3] Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China MALE UAV
Harbin BZK-005 [3] Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China MALE UAV
Guizhou WZ-7 Soaring Dragon [3] Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China HALE UAV

People's Liberation Army Ground Force Aviation

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 International Institute for Strategic Studies, ed. (2025). The Military Balance 2025. London: Routledge. p. 245-246. ISBN   978-1-041-04967-8.
  2. "An Entirely New Stealth Fighter Just Joined China's Air Force: How Capable is the J-35?". Military Watch Magazine. 6 July 2025. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 International Institute for Strategic Studies, ed. (2025). The Military Balance 2025. London: Routledge. p. 244. ISBN   978-1-041-04967-8.
  4. Tirk & Salisbury 2024, p. 10.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 The International Institute for Strategic Studies 2025, p. 243.

Sources