The 22 Warplanes of China’s Air Force

Over the past few decades, the China has remade itself into a global military superpower, and this is exceedingly recognized in its air force. The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has been at the forefront of this modernization and expansion effort. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the warplanes within the PLAAF. (These are China’s 5 biggest military advantages.)

To identify all of the planes in active service in the Chinese air force, 24/7 Wall St. consulted the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry website. The aircraft are ranked according to the number of units in active service. Combat helicopters and trainer aircraft are excluded from this list. Supplemental data regarding the type of aircraft and how many are in active service was gathered from FlightGlobal. Data on each aircraft’s first flight came from various military and historical sources.

China’s air force is largely composed of combat aircraft. Some examples of these are air superiority fighters, multi-role combat jets, and ground attack and bomber planes. The purpose of these aircraft is primarily to engage enemy planes and carry out strategic and precise strikes. Some specific examples of these Chinese fighter jets include the J-10, J-11, and J-16, which are all domestically produced.

Outside of combat aircraft, Chinese transport aircraft are another component of the air force. These tend to play an important role in supplying troops, supporting humanitarian aid missions, and executing strategic airlift operations.

The current fleet includes many domestically produced aircraft that can rival their Western counterparts given the specs and technology involved in their development. However, there are a few foreign additions that have been upgraded and adjusted to fit China’s operational needs, like the Flanker-X2. (These are China’s 5 biggest military shortcomings.)

Here is a closer look at the warplanes in China’s Air Force:

Why Are We Covering This?

Understanding China’s air force gives context to their modernization effort and geopolitical standing. Knowing which specific aircraft China employs also helps to understand their operational capacity when using these jets.

22. Boeing 737

• Type: Special mission
• Active in Chinese air force: 2
• First flight: April 1967
• Top speed: 544 mph

21. An-30 Clank

• Type: Special mission
• Active in Chinese air force: 3
• First flight: August 1967
• Top speed: 336 mph

20. IL-78 Midas

• Type: Tanker
• Active in Chinese air force: 3
• First flight: June 1983
• Top speed: 528 mph

19. Harbin SH-5

• Type: Special mission
• Active in Chinese air force: 3
• First flight: April 1976
• Top speed: 350 mph

18. Challenger 870

• Type: Special mission
• Active in Chinese air force: 5
• First flight: August 2006
• Top speed: 542 mph

17. Tu-154 Careless

• Type: Transport, special mission
• Active in Chinese air force: 9
• First flight: October 1968
• Top speed: 590 mph

16. Harbin Y-12

• Type: Transport
• Active in Chinese air force: 11
• First flight: July 1982
• Top speed: 205 mph

15. Chengdu J-20 Black Eagle

• Type: Combat aircraft
• Active in Chinese air force: 19
• First flight: January 2011
• Top speed: 1,305 mph

14. Xian MA60

• Type: Transport
• Active in Chinese air force: 19
• First flight: August 2006
• Top speed: 320 mph

13. IL-76 Candid

• Type: Transport, special mission
• Active in Chinese air force: 30
• First flight: March 1971
• Top speed: 559 mph

12. Xian Y-20 Kunpeng

• Type: Transport, tanker
• Active in Chinese air force: 41
• First flight: January 2013
• Top speed: 572 mph

11. Shenyang J-15 Flanker-X2

• Type: Combat aircraft
• Active in Chinese air force: 45
• First flight: August 2009
• Top speed: 1,841 mph

10. Shaanxi Y-9

• Type: Transport, special mission
• Active in Chinese air force: 48
• First flight: November 2010
• Top speed: 350 mph

9. Xian Y-7

• Type: Transport
• Active in Chinese air force: 73
• First flight: February 1984
• Top speed: 314 mph

8. Xian JH-7 Flounder

• Type: Combat aircraft
• Active in Chinese air force: 103
• First flight: December 1988
• Top speed: 1,118 mph

7. Nanchang Q-5 Fantan

• Type: Combat aircraft
• Active in Chinese air force: 118
• First flight: June 1965
• Top speed: 739 mph

6. Shenyang J-8

• Type: Combat aircraft
• Active in Chinese air force: 143
• First flight: June 1984
• Top speed: 1,453 mph

5. Xian H-6

• Type: Combat aircraft
• Active in Chinese air force: 150
• First flight: August 1959
• Top speed: 652 mph

4. Shaanxi Y-8 Yunshuji-8

• Type: Transport, special mission
• Active in Chinese air force: 154
• First flight: December 1974
• Top speed: 410 mph

3. Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon

• Type: Combat aircraft
• Active in Chinese air force: 268
• First flight: March 1998
• Top speed: 1,452 mph

2. Shenyang J-11 Flanker

• Type: Combat aircraft
• Active in Chinese air force: 315
• First flight: March 1998
• Top speed: 1,553 mph

1. Chengdu J-7 Fishcan

• Type: Combat aircraft
• Active in Chinese air force: 417
• First flight: January 1966
• Top speed: 1,367 mph

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