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sovereignty concerns in the East and South China Seas. Conducting naval operations in
these areas does not require more power projection resources, but continued improvement
in the sophistication of equipment already in the force and under acquisition.
Naval Aviation (PLANAF)
All PLAN fixed-wing aviation assets are shore based; only helicopters are flown
from ships. While all helos are multi-mission capable, China employs Russian designed
Ka-28A’s primarily for ASW and Electronic Warfare (EW), flying from the Sovremenny-
class destroyers. The PLAN’s two French designed helos are the Zhi-8 for logistics, and
the Zhi-9 ASW helos, assigned to Luhu-, Luhai, or Jiangwei-class ships. They will also
flown from the new PLAN destroyers and frigates the PLAN.
The navy’s fixed wing assets include attack and fighter aircraft, led by very
capable fighters, the F-8II, F-11 (Su-27), and in late 2004, the Su-30. The PLANAF is
improving in terms of equipment and experience, but remains weak in numbers of ASW
aircraft, surveillance platforms, and air-to-air refueling capability. The force’s
operational capability is improving as a result of the increasing number of exercises with
surface ships and People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) units. The emphasis on
joint operations and coordinated operations over water is notable.
Not clear, however, is the effectiveness of the PLA’s air power in a maritime
environment. The PLAAF’s domination in tactical aviation extends into the maritime
theater; fixed wing naval aviation may in fact be more an adjunct of the continentally
oriented Air Force than it is part of a naval warfare team. From Taiwan’s perspective,
Convention