People's Liberation Army Air Force Operations Over Water: Maintaining Relevance in China's Changing Security Environment
Abstract
As Chinas national interests grow globally and the Chinese government seeks to enforce its territorial claims in Asia, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is increasingly called upon to secure and protect these interests. Overwhelmingly, these interests either reside in or rely on the maritime domain. The PLA Air Force (PLAAF) since its inception has focused its efforts on territorial defense with only limited concern for issues beyond China's mainland. Beginning in 2014, Chinese President and Commander-in-Chief Xi Jinping has led calls for the PLAAF to support PLA efforts to defend China's maritime interests and strengthen its over-water capabilities toward this goal. These efforts are part of a broader effort to prepare for military struggle, particularly in the maritime domain, in part by shaping the security environment to win without fighting. The PLAAF's current modernization initiatives supporting this move include developing long-distance maritime power projection, improving strategic conventional deterrence, and building maritime strike capabilities.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1085770
Entities
People
- Mark R. Cozad
- Nathan Beauchamp-mustafaga
Organizations
- RAND Corporation