Since its establishment on November 11, 1949, the Chinese Air Force has experienced countless glories and challenges. Under the care and guidance of the Central Military Commission, the Air Force has grown from small to large, from weak to strong, and has gradually developed into an air force with strong combat capability. As a result of years of hard work, the Chinese Air Force has continuously improved its ability to carry out its tasks, brilliantly fulfilled all tasks entrusted by the party and the people, and made outstanding contributions to defending and building the socialist motherland.
In the early days of the Air Force's founding, the vast number of officers and men faced various difficulties and tests. However, they were brave and tenacious, fearless of sacrifice, and resolutely shouldered the sacred mission of defending the motherland. During the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, the young officers and men of the Chinese People's Volunteer Air Force braved the strong enemy, carried forward the spirit of fighting bayonets in the air, and waged a desperate struggle against the US military. In a short period of two years and eight months, the Chinese People's Volunteer Air Force took off 2,457 batches of 26,491 sorties, fought 833 air battles, shot down 330 enemy planes, and damaged 95 planes. However, the Volunteer Air Force also paid a huge price, with 116 planes shot down, 27 damaged, and 62 pilots spilled blood, and their heroic deeds will forever be recorded in history.
Since the beginning of reform and opening up, China's air force has kept pace with the times and closely followed the development trend of the world's air force. In order to meet the needs of information-based warfare, the Air Force has strengthened the optimization of the structure of its troops and the improvement of their quality. Through the introduction of advanced technology and equipment, and the strengthening of actual combat training and exercises, the Chinese Air Force has gradually acquired a powerful combat capability. New types of combat aircraft and ground-to-air missile equipment have been installed in the troops one after another, and some of them have already formed combat capabilities. At the same time, a number of highly skilled officers and high-quality combatants came to the fore and became the backbone of the Air Force. In carrying out major tasks, the air force dispatched 12 troopsMore than 50,000 people, more than 4,800 sorties of various types of aircraft and more than 2,400 ground air defense units were dispatched, and the tasks of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, Olympic security, and National Day military parade were successfully completed. These achievements fully demonstrate the achievements and strength of the modernization of the Chinese Air Force.
In addition to playing an important role in wars and peacekeeping operations, the Chinese Air Force has also kept in mind the purpose of serving the people and actively participated in flood fighting, emergency rescue and disaster relief operations. When a serious natural disaster occurs in the country, the air force always rushes to the disaster area as soon as possible and goes all out to carry out rescue work. In 1998, when the Yangtze River basin and the Nenjiang and Songhua River basins were hit by catastrophic floods, the Air Force dispatched 11 troopsMore than 50,000 people, using various types of aircraft and more than 3,500 sorties, made great contributions to flood relief. In 2008, after the extraordinarily large ** in Wenchuan, Sichuan, the air force quickly dispatched 3More than 40,000 people, planes and more than 1,100 sorties were rescued, showing the heroism and responsibility of the people's soldiers.
Guided by the strategic thinking of "both offensive and defensive", the Chinese Air Force has built an operational system in which the elements of main attack, strong defense, fine attack, and fine defense are developed in a coordinated manner, and the elements of strategic, campaign and tactical capabilities are organically integrated. Through the introduction of advanced technology and equipment, the strengthening of actual combat training and exercises, and other measures to enhance the ability to win a war. Under the guidance of the policy of informatization as the leading and mechanized informatization compound development as the road, it will continue to move forward. At the same time, attention has been paid to strengthening targeted, testative, and confrontational training, tempering the troops in actual combat, raising the level of combat effectiveness, and making important contributions to defending the security of the motherland's airspace and safeguarding world peace.
In short, as an important part of the country's air force, the Chinese Air Force has always kept its mission in mind and served the people, continuously improved the level of modernization, played an important role in responding to various security threats, defending national sovereignty, security and development interests, and was the guardian of the motherland and the hero of the people. In the future, the Chinese Air Force will continue to shoulder the sacred mission of defending the motherland and the people, devote itself to national construction and development with higher morale and more enthusiasm, contribute to building a modern socialist country in an all-round way, and write a more brilliant chapter.