Shrouded in secrecy, output from the Chinese aviation industry was, until recently, largely unknown in the West. This first-ever book on Chinese military aircraft offers comprehensive insight into the Chinese aviation industry, including secret projects and China's aircraft in overseas service. Provides a full description of all aircraft types including the Shaanxi Y8, the Chengdu JF-17 (FC-1) light fighter, which is now entering service with the Pakistan Air Force, the Shenyang J-10, and the KJ-2000 AWACS aircraft based on the Il'yushin IL-76. Numerous color profiles and three-view drawings are also included, along with the logos of production enterprises and design institutions. Virtually every photograph is previously unpublished outside of China.

Much of the fascination that Chinese military aviation holds for the analyst and enthusiast stems from the thick veil of secrecy that surrounds it. This uniquely compact yet comprehensive directory serves as a magnificently illustrated, in-depth analysis and directory of modern Chinese air power. It is organized in three parts: the most important military aircraft and their weapons found in Chinese service today; aircraft markings and serial number systems; and orders of battle for the People's Liberation Army Air Force and Naval Air Force. The study includes the latest developments emerging from behind the 'Bamboo Curtain', including the J-20 stealth fighter program and other indigenous projects that are equipping a rapidly modernizing air arm. The centerpiece consists of almost 100 fully illustrated pages detailing the organizational structure of the Air Force and Naval Aviation, providing an easy-to-use review of all known flying units, their equipment and their markings. No other book has ever attempted to present this level of accuracy in this way: 'Modern Chinese Air Power' portrays the PLAAF and the PLANAF in a degree of detail that was previously unavailable.

This is the definitive reference source examining all aspects of one of the most powerful air forces in the world, the Chinese. Although China has been a significant air power for more than fifty years, very little has been published or even known about its capabilities. Along with the recent emergence of China as a world economic and military superpower, China has recently invested huge sums of money in modernizing its air force, developing its own aircraft and technology as well as buying from overseas. This remarkable new book unveils for the very first time, the full details of the organization, capabilities, and aircraft of all Chinese air forces - the third largest in the world today. It details the Chinese air force's order of battle, from the top command down to the operational regiments and squadrons. It also includes descriptions and specifications of the Air Force and the NSavy main fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.

The ace pilots of the Republic of China Air Force have long been shrouded in mystery and obscurity, as their retreat to Taiwan in 1949 and blanket martial law made records of the RoCAF all but impossible to access. Now, for the first time, the colourful story of these aces can finally be told. Using the latest research based on released archival information and full-colour illustrations, this book charts the history of the top scoring pilots of the RoCAF from the beginning of the gruelling, eight-year Sino-Japanese War to the conclusion of the Civil War against the Chinese Communists. Beginning as a ragged and very disparate group of planes and pilots drawn from various provincial air forces, the RoCAF gradually became standardised and was brought under American tutelage. Altogether it produced 17 aces who scored kills whilst flying a startling variety of aircraft, from biplanes to F-86 Sabres.

As China continues its rise as a world power, there is growing interest in its military aviation. Very little has been published in the past on the subject because of the difficulty of obtaining information, but aviation authors Tony Buttler and Andreas Rupprecht have been researching this subject together for a number of years, both from the perspective of their interest in the Chinese aircraft and also through an interest in Chinese secret aviation projects. They have now amassed enough material to put together a book on Chinese fighter and bomber aircraft development since Mao’s Communist Party took control of the country in 1949. The book examines the design and development of the country’s major military combat aircraft (fighters, bombers, attack aircraft, antisubmarine) since the industry became established after the Second World War, plus a good number of design proposals which, for whatever reason, were rejected or abandoned. The text is supplemented with photographs, line drawings, and color artwork of the aircraft.

The international community's focus is usually set on the current situation of the People's Liberation Army Air Force, its structure, order of battle and the latest types in service. Consequently - and in order to commemorate the service's 70th anniversary on 11 November 2019 - this book re-focuses on its history since the establishment of the Peop

The authors maintain that the constrained strategic thinking in China about the role of airpower and force modernization will affect the ability of The Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force to become a credible offensive threat against the U.S. or its Asian allies.