Joint air training has been enhanced by the People’s Liberation Army command that oversees the Taiwan Strait, allowing different branches of the military to use dozens of airports and share information across hundreds of training sites.
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The Eastern Theatre Command, which oversees operations around Taiwan and the East China Sea, has instigated the new practice to help boost the PLA’s joint operations capability, which it believes is key to winning any possible war in the area.
On Tuesday, an article published by military mouthpiece PLA Daily detailed what has become a regular practice for the Eastern Theatre Command, with the army, navy and air force all training together, and sharing infrastructure and resources.
Multiple types of aircraft from the army, navy and air force are now coordinated for joint operations, taking off and landing together, with mutual support to conduct integrated training, the article said.
Nearly 70 per cent of personnel at one airbase have also been trained in multi-aircraft support capabilities, including one example of a technician who can carry out maintenance on 16 different types of aircraft across various branches of the military.
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The move is in line with China’s efforts over recent years to restructure its military forces across regions and domains, as well as to overcome shortcomings in joint command, combat support and barriers in resource sharing.
Currently, the PLA’s five theatre commands – North, South, East, West and Central – are responsible for the territorial defence of their respective regions, though they would coordinate with each other during wartime. They each oversee services such as ground and air, plus some operate naval fleets. They may also exercise a degree of operational control over the conventional missiles of the Rocket Force.