Ask anything Thread (Air Force)

MrGoose

New Member
Registered Member
What would be the viability of using data linked legacy bomber aircraft in a long range air to air capacity.

Something like an H9 or B52 can carry extremely long range air to air missiles (500km +) and get their cuing and tracking from closer in low observability sensor drones.
 

lcloo

Captain
What would be the viability of using data linked legacy bomber aircraft in a long range air to air capacity.

Something like an H9 or B52 can carry extremely long range air to air missiles (500km +) and get their cuing and tracking from closer in low observability sensor drones.
It is feasible, and the "A plane shoot a long range missile, B (aircraft, drone, satellite or a ship) guide it to target, and the missile activate it's own seeker head at terminal range" is already a reality .
 

MrGoose

New Member
Registered Member
It is feasible, and the "A plane shoot a long range missile, B (aircraft, drone, satellite or a ship) guide it to target, and the missile activate it's own seeker head at terminal range" is already a reality .
Is anyone pursuing a program like this?
 

iannn

Just Hatched
Registered Member
Does anyone know about the corps level PLAAF bases? Not the ones where air brigades are located, but there seems to be organizational bases managing joint trainings and developing new exercise system.

Also, do the leaders of the bases report into the Theater Joint Operation Command Center or other structural level? Just if anyone know how the bases are organized internally between TC level and brigade level, e.g. If Kunming base has a HQ somewhere.
 
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peterc

Just Hatched
Registered Member
How realistic is this news? I'm sorry, but I'm very unknowledgeable at this and want to ask many experts in this forum.
It is unfortunate that the last AN-225 was destroyed in Ukraine, but really hope to see this beautiful giant fly again.

Does anyone know if China is working on this or there's still hope for it to fly in the future?

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SunlitZelkova

New Member
Registered Member
Does anyone know about the corps level PLAAF bases? Not the ones where air brigades are located, but there seems to be organizational bases managing joint trainings and developing new exercise system.

Also, do the leaders of the bases report into the Theater Joint Operation Command Center or other structural level? Just if anyone know how the bases are organized internally between TC level and brigade level, e.g. If Kunming base has a HQ somewhere.

According to CASI (politically anti-China organization so not sure whether they can be considered a great source, but...) PLAAF bases, such as Shanghai Base and Fujian Base in the ETC, are basically administrative organizations. They handle day-to-day peacetime support tasks related to the air brigades, roughly like a USAF numbered air force.

The commanders of the bases (presumably, by my own reckoning) report to PLAAF (service branch) HQ, which handles administrative tasks. Actual operational control lies with the Theater Command, which then passes up directly to the CMC, which possesses actual operational control of the PLA (the entire MOD and other service branch HQs are administrative organizations, unlike the US military where orders pass through SecDef before reaching combatant commanders).

So yes, the bases do likely have an HQ somewhere (I have little interest in administrative affairs of the PLA, so I have never bothered to look where they might be).

Air Brigades are *apparently* (according to CASI) subordinated to the base during peacetime, but during wartime/an actual operation would being subordinated into a domain and task specific "operations group" roughly equivalent to a US/NATO-style Task Force or Task Group. The Operations Group would itself be subordinated under the Theater Command, which is roughly equivalent to US unified combatant commands. The source for that bit of info about operations groups is a US National Defense University publication.

Corrections are welcome from anyone, this is just what I have surmised from my own research!
 
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