The military parade for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China showed that the air force of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has changed its mission from defense of the sovereignty of the country to both defense and attack, Wang Mingliang, senior colonel of the PLA Air Force (PLAAF), told Chinanews recently.

According to Wang, PLAAF was set up in wartime and had experienced the Korean War (1950-1953) and several other wars for the defense of the country. After the wars, the primary mission of PLAAF was for defense of the sovereignty of China.

From the end of 1970s, PLAAF reconsidered its role in modern warfare, in which high-technologies were adopted by several other countries. Since the 1990s, the Chinese air force has geared up to enhance its power both in defense and attack by changing its training methods, updating its aircrafts and weapons, and rebuilding its talent pool. The military has been preparing to deal with the skirmishes in the world.

According to Wang, the power of attack will be a pivotal mission in the army's development. "The country should have enough air force to defend its sovereignty, while it should also have the ability to conduct large-scale and concentrated air attacks," said Wang. The proportion of aircrafts and air force soldiers is adjusting in accordance with the change of PLAAF's role, Wang said. Traditional aircrafts, such as fighters, attack planes and bombers, will gradually stop their flights as modern aircrafts, such as refueling planes and warning airplanes, will be frequently seen swooping in the air.

The air force's line of defense has also been enhanced. Anti-aircraft missiles have larger firing ranges and are now quicker in their reactions to anti-radiation and aircraft or missile interceptions.

"All in all, PLAAF will complete its strategic change by enhancing its power in defense as well as attacks," Wang concluded.

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