By Lieutenant Commander David Barr, USN
In the introduction of his latest installment regarding modern Chinese combat aircraft, Andreas Rupprecht correctly assesses the rapid too expansive compass of Chinese air powerfulness modernization: “The total of ‘recent changes’ specially inwards doctrine, training, too forcefulness construction are so numerous that they would easily surpass the available infinite inside 1 volume, it was decided to assort the naval air element from the regular Air Force too Army Aviation.”1 His thoughtful too deliberate efforts paid off. In Modern Chinese Warplanes: Chinese Naval Aviation – Aircraft too Units, Rupprecht wisely focuses his efforts entirely on Chinese naval aviation, too inwards the effort, masterfully delivers its stated role to “provide an extensively illustrated compact yet comprehensive directory, amongst in-depth analysis of the organization too equipment of modern Chinese naval air power.”2 In Chapter 1, Rupprecht succinctly explains the origins too history of Chinese naval aviation or what is modernly referred to as the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF). By reading pages 11-14, 1 volition gain an educational agreement of how the PLA historically placed the PLANAF at a lower priority than that of the to a greater extent than prominent too mightier PLA Air Force (PLAAF). And how, similar many a younger sibling throughout history, the PLANAF had to brand due from hand-me-downs from its bigger brother. Rupprecht dedicates the repose of the chapter to his assessment of the PLANAF’s futurity which he briefly describes as “relatively bright” too farther predicts that the PLANAF “will in all probability endure the largest beneficiaries of the recent reform too modernization.”3
J-15 landing on Chinese carrier CV-16. (Photo from Modern Chinese Warplanes: Chinese Naval Aviation – Aircraft too Units)
J-15 landing on Chinese carrier CV-16. (Photo from Modern Chinese Warplanes: Chinese Naval Aviation – Aircraft too Units) The “recent reform too modernization” to which Rupprecht refers is part of an ongoing too widespread PLA forcefulness modernization computer programme which focuses on giving the PLA capabilities to carry what Chinese military machine strategists telephone telephone informatized, integrated articulation operations. China’s 2015 defence white paper, released past times the State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China, directs the PLA to “win informatized local wars” amongst emphasis on struggle inwards the maritime domain. Additionally, the white newspaper addresses the postulate for farther evolution of PLA Navy (PLAN) capabilities inwards the human face upwards of an expanding mission set, stating the PLAN volition shift its focus from “offshore waters defense” to the combination of “offshore waters defense” amongst “open seas protection.”4 This grander vision for the PLAN aligns amongst China’s perceived postulate to protect what it considers its “core interests” – safeguarding its national territorial sovereignty too maritime rights too interests inwards club to ensure Chinese economical too social development. Toward this end, as Rupprecht’s explains through Andrew Erickson inwards Chapter 6: “The PLAN is to a greater extent than probable to develop a express powerfulness projection that enhances China’s powerfulness to defend its regional interests; to protect expanding overseas interests; to perform non-traditional safety missions.”5 It would seem logical thence to assess that the PLANAF represents a increase manufacture for the PLAN over the coming decades.
In Chapters two through five of Modern Chinese Warplanes: Chinese Naval Aviation – Aircraft too Units Rupprecht offers a enterprise description of how the PLA is like shooting fish in a barrel too methodically improving the powerfulness projection capabilities too grooming of its naval aviation combat arm. Chapter two briefly provides a helpful explanation of aircraft markings too the series number scheme utilized past times the PLANAF for its diverse platforms. Chapter 3 supplies ample data regarding novel aircraft variants, improved avionics too sensors, too refueling capabilities of the latest PLANAF fighters, fighter-bombers, bombers, transport, special mission aircraft, helicopters, too unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Chapter 4 couples the aircraft amongst ordnance, offering insight into the latest PLANAF air-to-air missiles (AAM), air-to-surface missiles (ASM), guided bombs, electronic warfare (EW) too targeting pods, as good as torpedoes. And, as has larn his calling bill of fare too his books’ pièce de résistance, Rupprecht 1 time once again supports his text amongst numerous colorful too vivid photographs of the platforms described.J-15 preparing to cause got off from CV-16 (Photo from Modern Chinese Warplanes: Chinese Naval Aviation – Aircraft too Units)
J-15 preparing to cause got off from CV-16 (Photo from Modern Chinese Warplanes: Chinese Naval Aviation – Aircraft too Units) At the kickoff of Chapter 5, Rupprecht alludes to the notion of “the greatest technology scientific discipline is only as practiced as the somebody (or pilot) using it” past times stating “the latest developments inwards tactics too grooming are in all probability fifty-fifty to a greater extent than of import for the futurity result of whatever potential operational use” too explains that both the PLAAF too PLANAF cause got developed less-scripted too to a greater extent than realistic too integrated grooming for each arm’s respective pilots over the past times decade.6 The repose of Chapter five outlines the evolution of PLANAF airplane pilot qualifications, grooming regimens, too platform transition timelines – a critical, yet non widely understood facet of the PLANAF’s modernization effort.
Rupprecht saves the close intriguing issues too afterward his best writing for Chapters six too 7. Chapter 6, at only 4 pages long, provides a concise yet wonderful synopsis of the electrical flow too futurity developments inside China’s aircraft carrier program. Most of the chapter’s pages focus entirely on the electrical flow condition too futurity projections of China’s electrical flow aircraft carriers (CV-16, Type 002, too Type 003) too non the associated air wing which currently uses the J-15 multi-role fighter as its centerpiece (best described inwards Chapter 3). It remains to endure seen if the PLAN defines “air wing” similar the the States Navy. If so, too so a PLAN air wing volition theoretically endure composed of diverse airborne platforms that carry a multifariousness of missions including airborne early on alarm (such as the KJ-600 featured on page 29), electronic warfare, in-flight refueling, too other specialized aircraft.
The close absorbing content of Chapter six (and maybe the majority itself) tin flame endure constitute on pages 52-53 inwards a department entitled “Future Fleet Size too Operational Options.” Here, Rupprecht’s words echo the sentiments of the tardily the States naval officeholder too strategist, Alfred Thayer Mahan, who consistently argued inwards the tardily 19thCentury that the the States had a maritime destiny too it could only attain its national greatness through command of the seas. Addressing similar strategic maritime ambitions of the PLA too the role that a feasible aircraft carrier fleet could supply toward achieving those ambitions, Rupprecht states, “A carrier fleet is thence a number of China’s ascent ambitions both inwards price of the role the province wants to play on the international stage, its role as a premier export state and, to a greater extent than importantly, its role as a regional power. In club to endure able to projection these ambitions at whatever time, a spatially too temporally express ‘Sea Control’ volition endure required too a carrier fleet volition endure a meaning tool inwards edifice its powerfulness projection capabilities.”7Chinese carrier Liaoning (CV-16) (Photo from Modern Chinese Warplanes: Chinese Naval Aviation – Aircraft too Units)
Chinese carrier Liaoning (CV-16) (Photo from Modern Chinese Warplanes: Chinese Naval Aviation – Aircraft too Units) Chapter 7, entitled “Naval Aviation Order of Battle (March 2018)”, provides much to a greater extent than than a tabular depiction of the PLANAF’s club of battle (OOB), as the championship suggests. Just as he did inwards his 2012 Modern Chinese Warplanes: Combat Aircraft too Units of the Chinese Air Force too Naval Aviation, Rupprecht effectively describes too illustrates, via well-structured text too vibrant pictures too charts, both the operational missions too geographical responsibilities of the 3 Theater Commands that cause got a corresponding Fleet Naval Aviation Headquarters (Eastern, Southern, too Northern) thus capturing the growing operational touching of the PLANAF.
Most intriguingly however, on pages 58-60, Rupprecht provides a brief yet highly insightful assessment of the PLANAF’s seemingly inevitable evolution toward developing into a truthful “blue water” force. It is here, inwards this author’s opinion, inwards combination amongst pages 52-53 of Chapter six previously mentioned, that Rupprecht captures the real essence of the majority for these are the pages that acquaint the strategic too operational impetus of why the PLA is continuing downwards its path of remarkable military machine modernization – an attempt that may exit it as 1 of the world’s close dominant military machine forces. This larger strategic context is far also of import to larn lost inwards the pages of latter chapters. It may cause got been improve for this grade of analysis to endure presented too expanded upon inwards Chapter 1 if non the introduction.
I applaud too endorse Rupprecht’s determination to narrow the compass ofModern Chinese Warplanes: Chinese Naval Aviation – Aircraft too Units inwards club to focus entirely on the naval aviation element of the PLA. During a fourth dimension of a growing perception of a major dandy powerfulness contest betwixt the the States too China, his move is both highly relevant too exceptionally timely. For whatever military machine enthusiast or analyst looking to expand his or her agreement of Chinese naval aviation too how it fits into the PLA’s larger regional too global ambitions, this majority provides ample centre too striking illustrations. I as anticipate reading Rupprecht’s other 2018 move entitled Carrier Aviation inwards the 21st Century: Aircraft Carriers too Their Units inwards Detail (as mentioned on page 51) too promise he continues to create these “extensively illustrated compact yet comprehensive” industrial plant of art.8
LCDR David Barr is a career tidings officeholder too currently serves as teacher amongst the National Intelligence University’s College of Strategic Intelligence. All statements of facts, analysis, or thought are the author’s too arrive at non reverberate the official policy or seat of the National Intelligence University, the Department of Defense or whatever of its components, or the U.S. government.
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