PLA Military Aviation Description and NEW ID Code System

[Seventh Fleet Sailor]

Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Assets
Aviation Corps | Air Force | Navy Airforce

The PLA Aviation Corps
Table of Organization
Revision 4.1


• General: PLA Army Aviation Corps was authorized by the CMC in 1986. The first regiment formed in January, 1988. With the exception of a dozen fixed wing transports (7xY-7H, 4xY-8C & 1xY-9 as of August 2017, all aircraft in the PLAAC are rotary wing or reconnaissance type UAVs. Originally, the Army Aviation Corps organized in regimental form, but all the original Military Aviation Regiments have upgraded to Military Aviation Brigades, which have up to twice as many aircraft. Today there are 11 Military Aviation Brigades plus one line Military Aviation Regiment, 2 Military Aviation UAV Battalions, 4 Military Aviation Training Regiments, and the Military Aviation Academy (which has aircraft that do not fly). In addition, there are 5 identified UAV Dadui (squadrons), 3 attached to Group Armies and 2 attached to Theater Headquarters. [Note 1] While this represents a significant capability, the aviation support available to PLA units is modest.
• Military Aviation Brigades: There are 12 Military Aviation Brigades assigned to the 12 of the 13 Group Armies. It is likely that the Group Army without one will be assigned one in the medium term: it takes time to form operational aviation units. Each Brigade typically controls 4 to 8 squadrons “squadrons.” [Note 1] While historically PLAAC Aviation Regiments operated a single type of helicopter, newer equipment is being issued on a squadron [Note 1] basis, and all Military Aviation Brigades have several kinds of helicopters (or in one case, fixed wing aircraft). Historically most aircraft were transport helicopters, but now attack helicopters and other specialized types are part of every brigade. Military Aviation Brigades routinely detach assets to units of the army, especially special operations forces.
• Military Aviation Regiments: No Military Aviation Regiments or Military Aviation Training Regiments remain after the 18 April, 2017 reorganization.
 
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• UAV Battalions: The PLAAC has formed two UAV Battalions, one each for the new 72nd and 75th Group Armies. These operate four squadrons of BZK-001 and BZK-006 unarmed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. [Note 1) A typical squadron has 10 UAV and two control stations. A typical control station has two operators (pilot and sensor operator) and can control two aircraft in flight at the same time.
• PLAAC Detachments: The PLAAC used to operate independent detachments (one of a single flight of Y-8 An-12 transports, one squadron of VIP helicopters with 6 AS-332 and 4 Bell 214 machines, and a heavy lift flight of three remaining Mi-6s (stolen from shipments to Viet Nam during the Viet Nam war). These detachments were subordinate to the Army Aviation Training Unit which in the Beijing Military Region. Today there are no independent detachments. Military Aviation Brigades, however, do operate detachments, in some cases, particularly in the Western Theater.
• PLAAC Aircraft Identification Numbers: It is known that the PLAAC uses an identification number scheme which is similar to but different from the PLAAF system. The identification numbers (tail numbers) usually begins with the letters LH (for LuBing HangKong = Army Aviation). This is followed by five or (rarely) six digits including a leading 9 for Army Aviation Brigades. [PLAAF air units with 5 digit numbers never start with a 9. Rarely, some special aircraft in a brigade omit the LH, but still have the leading 9. Note 3.] The digit after the 9 is the number of the brigade. [The 10th and 12th Army Aviation Brigades have two digits which makes the number six digits long. Note 2] The third digit from the right is the type of aircraft indicator. In every case, the last two digits are the aircraft ID number within the unit. The third digit from the right uses the following scale:
Code 0 = Fixed Wing Transport
Code 1 = Sa-316 Alouette III or Z-10
Code 2 = S-79C2
Code 3 = Sa-342L Gazelle
Code 4 = Z-11
Code 5 = Z-5 [Never Used]
Code 6 = Z-6
Code 7 = Mi-17 or Mi-171
Code 8 = Mi-8 or Z-8.
Code 9 = Z-9 or Z-19 or HC-120
Note there is some relationship between the code and the aircraft typez: Code 8 = Mi-8, Code 9 = Z-9, etc.). When there is more than one digit in the equipment designator, one of these digits may be the designator (e.g, Code 3 = Sa-342, Code 7 = Mi-17 & Mi-171), Code 8 = Z-8.
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Training Air Brigades do not have a uniform ID system at this time. Most use LH904xx or 908xx for all types, but one uses LH90txx (where t = the code listed above). Presumably this will change in due course, possibly to a system where the third digit will correspond to the Brigade number.
Note 1 A “squadron” is 8-12 aircraft. The Chinese term appears to be Fiexing Zhongui
(空中队). In the PLAAF and in Naval Aviation, this term corresponds to flight in English, but
is usually translated as squadron. In Military Aviation, the translation is more apt because
the number of aircraft corresponds to squadron in English.
Note 2: All but one line MH Air Brigades have adopted a new name corresponding to the Group Army they are assigned to. But they retain the ID number from their OLD Air Brigade name – 1 to 9 plus 10 and 12. This is confusing unless you have a reference showing the new and old numbers side by side.
Note 3: Oddly, the 18th Naval Air Regiment has a leading 9 in a 5 digit series. Of course, it has no leading MH.