PLA advances in arms, ability over past decade(2)

Advanced equipment

China's first stealth combat aircraft, the J-20 was designed and manufactured by Aviation Industry Corp of China and is widely deemed as one of the best fighter jets built in modern times.

The plane conducted its maiden flight in January 2011 and was officially declassified in November 2016 when it staged a brief flight performance at the 11th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition. It was commissioned in the PLA Air Force later that year, becoming the third stealth fighter jet in the world to enter service following the US'F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.

Senior Colonel Zhang Weilin, commander of an air base that deploys J-20s, said his unit has arranged many realistic air-combat exercises in which J-20s fought with each other or confronted other types of fighter jets to test its capabilities and tactics.

"The outcomes of these exercises proved that the J-20 is outstanding in terms of situational awareness, electronic warfare and collaboration ability," he said. "It is fair to say that the service of the J-20 is accelerating the air force's transformation toward a modernized, strategic force and also helping it gain superiority in the global race for an aerospace force."

Military analysts said the aircraft has enabled the PLA Air Force to engage any other top fighter jets and has substantially enhanced its operational capabilities.

In addition to the J-20, the PLA Air Force also boasts a world-class transportation capacity that was made possible by the Y-20 strategic transport plane.

One of the world's largest strategic heavy-lift jets, the Y-20 was first flown in January 2013, making China the third nation following the US and Russia that is capable of developing strategic transport aircraft. It began to be delivered to the PLA Air Force in July 2016.

With a maximum takeoff weight of about 200 metric tons, the Y-20 can ferry cargo and personnel over long distances in all types of weather, strengthening the PLA Air Force's strategic power projection capability.

Strong Navy

For the PLA Navy, the past 10 years also meant a decade of remarkable modernization, climaxing this June with the unveiling of what is expected to become the world's largest and most advanced conventionally powered aircraft carrier.

The CNS Fujian is now in the final stage of construction at China State Shipbuilding Corp's Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai.

Upon its completion, the gigantic ship will displace more than 80,000 tons of water. It will use an electromagnetic launch system, or electromagnetic catapult, to launch fixed-wing aircraft.

Defense industry observers said the Fujian is the biggest and mightiest warship any Asian nation has ever built and is also one of the world's biggest naval vessels of all time.

In the next phase, the carrier will undergo mooring and sea trials to comprehensively test its overall capabilities and specific equipment, the PLA Navy said.

Currently, the PLA Navy operates two carriers－the CNS Liaoning and the CNS Shandong. Both of them have a standard displacement of around 50,000 tons and a conventional propulsion system, and use a ski jump mode for launching fixed-wing aircraft.

Compared with its two predecessors, the Fujian is much bigger and heavier, and has a larger flight deck and a smaller superstructure.

Those differences mean that it will be able to carry more aircraft and fuel and will be capable of deploying and recovering more fighter jets in combat operations. Its greater carrying capacity also means that the ship can sail further, operate longer and has stronger fighting power, according to experts.

Moreover, the PLA Navy has commissioned at least six Type 055-class guided-missile destroyers.

The Type 055 is the country's newest, most capable generation of destroyer class.

It has a displacement of more than 12,000 tons and is equipped with new types of air-defense, missile-defense, anti-ship, anti-submarine and land-attack weapons.

The vessel has a total of 112 vertical launching cells capable of firing various kinds of missiles including the nation's long-range cruise missiles. Its firepower is believed to be double that of the Type 052D class, the heaviest and best surface combatant in the PLA Navy before the Type 055.

Shao Dan, a researcher at the PLA Academy of Military Science, said that though China always sticks to a defense policy that is defensive in nature, it is necessary for the Chinese military to have world-class weaponry and equipment as it must be able to deter China's adversaries and ensure the nation will never be bullied again.