Beijing (China)
China at 70, 1949 - 2019
1 October 2019
Seventy years ago, on 1 October 1949, the Peoples Republic of China was declared by Mao Zedong. The Communists had won the civil war forcing the Kuomintang regime and forces into exile. General Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan and Mao introduced state ownership and subsequent redistribution of properties.
China-watchers from around the globe marvel at the achievements made in the 70 years of its existance, with an unprecedented economic growth especially in the last ten years. Although that has waned, and many growing pains occur, urban China is the place to visit if you want to see how we will live in say five or ten years. From bicycles or electric mopeds for general use, activated by your phone, to 350 km/hour trains leaving every couple of minutes. From the nearly paper money-less digital all-by-phone economy to strange fast food chains mixing US and Chinese culture.
The same applies to the aerial assets. China increases its defence expenditure with 10% each year and that shows. The early licence built Russian aircraft formed their assembly and manufacturing capabilities. The next stage was to reverse engineer and improve these aircraft. The H-6 may be derived from the Tu-16 and we respond a bit smug that they are still being built, but it only has some outward design features in common with its grandfather. Besides, the B-52 still flies as well. Proven platforms for stand-off weapons. Each H-6 can basically kill two US aircraft carriers.
Currently, we see the dawn of a new era of sino designs. True, reverse engineering and developing from existing designs is still the major modus operandi, but in the field of unmanned aerial systems and rockets, China seems to have the edge over Western countries already. Celebrations of 70 years of PRC were centered around these kind of achievements. The National Day parade was going to be a huge event. Aircraftwise, it was not the biggest ever. The 2015 Victory Parade, commemorating 70 years of victory over Japan, held around 20 aircraft more. The last parade, commemorating 90 years of the Army, was held July 2017 in a remote training area. So, the National Day parade held every ten years over Beijing is still the most reasonable option to see enormous amounts of modern Chinese military hardware.
Because of the economic dispute with the United States, the Chinese government said they would ‘hold back’ a bit as not to seem too aggressive. So not the magic 200-plus aircraft parade we hoped for, but ‘just’ 168 participants... Made-in- China was the main theme. Also, some new variants were publicly shown, at least officially. Of course, a flock of J-20s was shown off, the first three H-6N variants, the Z-20 ‘Blackhawk- look-alike’ helicopter and Y-20 transports. Also, every conceivable special missions platform derived from the Y-8 (An-12) and Y-9 developed from that, participated.
You would expect hordes of aircraft spotters going there, but China is not too friendly towards photography of military objects. From the day before until the day after the National Day parade, an area of around two by two kilometres of central Beijing is completely locked down. Every subway and train station featured detection gates, every bridge and footbridge is guarded by two police men, every major cross road too. The numerous high rise buildings block the view, the aircraft are high in the mostly smog-infested hazy sky and you stand out as a sore thumb, as Westerner toting a big-lensed camera. So enough challenges... Hence the poor quality of some of these shots. We chose to use them anyhow, not the ones on “Chinese internet”, just to illustrate what is feasible for a not-too-dexterous passer-by from Europe ...
Between brackets = from other photos (possibly from last rehearsal)
| Formation 1 Communist Party-flag [3]: |
| LH990803 flag |
Z-8B |
Tongxian |
Tongxian |
| LH952121 |
Z-10 |
Baoding |
Baoding |
| LH952126 |
Z-10 |
Baoding |
Baoding |
| Formation 2 Peoples Republic of China-flag [3 / 6]: |
| LH952810 flag |
Z-8B |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952108 |
Z-10 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952127 |
Z-10 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| Formation 3 China Armed Forces-flag [3 / 9]: |
| LH952807 flag |
Z-8B |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952122 |
Z-10 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952128 |
Z-10 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| Formation 4a Digit ‘7’ of “70” years [8 / 17]: |
| LH952102 |
Z-10 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952105 |
Z-10 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952107 |
Z-10 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH95210(9)? |
Z-10 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952110 |
Z-10 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952111 |
Z-10 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952112 |
Z-10 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952116 |
Z-10 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| Formation 4b Digit ‘0’ of “70” years [12 / 29]: |
| LH952505 |
Z-19 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952507 |
Z-19 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952509 |
Z-19 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952510 |
Z-19 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952511 |
Z-19 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952512 |
Z-19 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952515 |
Z-19 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952516 |
Z-19 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952517 |
Z-19 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952518 |
Z-19 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952521 |
Z-19 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952522 |
Z-19 |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
Three other Z-8Bs with flags, and a Z-10, peeled of as air spares around the 4th ring road. After this, the ground equipment parade rolled by. No line of sight on those, some exotic new UASs were showcased as well as the strange ULVs used by the army. About forty minutes later the aerial parade started with the fixed wing aircraft.
| Formation 5 AWACS and Ba Yi aerobatics team [9 / 38]: |
| 30574 |
KJ-2000 |
77th Regiment |
Wuxi |
| ‘01’ |
J-10A |
Ba Yi (1st August) |
Yangcun |
| ‘02’ |
J-10A |
Ba Yi (1st August) |
Yangcun |
| ‘03’ |
J-10A |
Ba Yi (1st August) |
Yangcun |
| ‘04’ |
J-10A |
Ba Yi (1st August) |
Yangcun |
| ‘06’ |
J-10A |
Ba Yi (1st August) |
Yangcun |
| ‘07’ |
J-10S |
Ba Yi (1st August) |
Yangcun |
| ‘10’ |
J-10S |
Ba Yi (1st August) |
Yangcun |
| ‘11’ |
J-10S |
Ba Yi (1st August) |
Yangcun |
| Formation 6 AWACS and fighters [5 / 43]: |
| 30170 |
KJ-500 |
76th Regiment |
Wuxi |
| 61025 |
J-11B |
1st Air Brigade |
Anshan |
| 61121 |
J-11B |
1st Air Brigade |
Anshan |
| 6112(5) or 6? |
J-11B |
1st Air Brigade |
Anshan |
| 612(2)0? |
J-11B |
1st Air Brigade |
Anshan |
| Formation 7 AWACS and fighters [5 / 48]: |
| 30672 |
KJ-200A |
77th Regiment |
Wuxi |
| 61021 |
J-11B |
1st Air Brigade |
Anshan |
| 61022 |
J-11B |
1st Air Brigade |
Anshan |
| 61123 |
J-11B |
1st Air Brigade |
Anshan |
| 6112(6) or 8? |
J-11B |
1st Air Brigade |
Anshan |
| Formation 8 Airborne command post and fighters [5 / 53]: |
| 30(87)1 |
Y-8T |
77th Regiment |
Wuxi |
| 6112_ |
J-11B |
1st Air Brigade |
Anshan |
| 6122_ |
J-11B |
1st Air Brigade |
Anshan |
| 61223 |
J-11B |
1st Air Brigade |
Anshan |
| 61320 |
J-11B |
1st Air Brigade |
Anshan |
| Formation 9 PLANAF ASW and AWACS aircraft [3 / 56]: |
| 04 |
KJ-500H |
3rd Division? |
Lingshui? |
| 85 |
Y-8Q |
3rd Division? |
Lingshui? |
| 86 |
Y-8Q |
3rd Division? |
Lingshui? |
| These are Navy aircraft, currently that force is in the process |
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|
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| of reorganizing its Division/Regiment structure into Brigades |
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| and allocating five-digit serials. We suspect that the KJ500 |
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| code refers to the new system, whereas 85/86 may be 9851 |
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| and 9861 in the old system. The tail serials were scrubbed... |
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| Formation 10 PLANAF ELINT and ASW aircraft [3 / 59]: |
| (9421)/42 |
KJ-200H |
4th Air Regiment |
Laiyang |
| (9211)/21 |
Y-9JZ |
6th Air Regiment |
Dalian |
| (9241)/24 |
Y-9JZ |
6th Air Regiment |
Dalian |
| Formation 11 Transport aircraft [3 / 62]: |
| 11055/05 |
Y-20A |
12th Air Regiment |
Chengdu/Qionglai |
| 11056/06 |
Y-20A |
12th Air Regiment |
Chengdu/Qionglai |
| 11057/07 |
Y-20A |
12th Air Regiment |
Chengdu/Qionglai |
| Formation 12 Transport aircraft [3 / 65]: |
| 10054 |
Y-9 |
10th Air Regiment |
Chengdu/Qionglai |
| 10151 |
Y-9 |
10th Air Regiment |
Chengdu/Qionglai |
| 10251 |
Y-9 |
10th Air Regiment |
Chengdu/Qionglai |
| Formation 13 Special missions aircraft [3 / 68]: |
| 31015 |
Y-9XZ |
60th EW Regiment |
Guiyang/Leizhuang |
| (10256) red cross |
Y-9 |
10th Air Regiment |
Chengdu/Qionglai |
| 31017 |
Y-9G |
60th EW Regiment |
Guiyang/Leizhuang |
| Formation 14 ECM and ELINT aircraft [3 / 71]: |
| 30011 |
Y-8CB |
58th EW Regiment |
Guiyang/Leizhuang |
| 30018 |
Y-8G |
58th EW Regiment |
Guiyang/Leizhuang |
| (9351)/35 |
Y-8JB |
6th Air Regiment |
Dalian |
| Formation 15 Strategic bombers [3 / 74]: |
| 55031 |
H-6N |
|
|
| Formation 16 Strategic bombers [3 / 77]: |
| 41071 |
H-6K |
108th Air Regiment |
Wugong |
| 41075 |
H-6K |
108th Air Regiment |
Wugong |
| 41076 |
H-6K |
108th Air Regiment |
Wugong |
| Formation 17 Strategic bombers [3 / 80]: |
| 41073 |
H-6K |
108th Air Regiment |
Wugong |
| 41077 |
H-6K |
108th Air Regiment |
Wugong |
| 41078 |
H-6K |
108th Air Regiment |
Wugong |
After this, it became a bit hectic as formations of fighters went overhead with formations of helicopters below. Due to the timing of them and the eastern vantage point chosen, they over passed the helicopters that were still en route to the mausoleum of Mao Zedong.
| Formation 18 Tanker and fighters [3 / 83]: |
| 10790 |
HU-6 |
23rd Air Regiment |
Leiyang |
| 61065 |
J-10B |
5th Air Brigade |
Guilin |
| 61169 |
J-10B |
5th Air Brigade |
Guilin |
| Formation 19 Tanker and fighters [3 / 86]: |
| 10793 |
HU-6 |
23rd Air Regiment |
Leiyang |
| 61069 |
J-10B |
5th Air Brigade |
Guilin |
| 61168 |
J-10B |
5th Air Brigade |
Guilin |
| Formation 20 Carrier borne fighters [5 / 91]: |
| 03 |
J-15 |
Carrier Air Wing |
Huangdicun |
| 18? |
J-15 |
Carrier Air Wing |
Huangdicun |
| 19 |
J-15 |
Carrier Air Wing |
Huangdicun |
| 22 |
J-15 |
Carrier Air Wing |
Huangdicun |
| 24 |
J-15 |
Carrier Air Wing |
Huangdicun |
| Formation 21 Air superiority fighters [5 / 96]: |
| 78272 |
J-20 |
176th Air Brigade |
Dingxin |
| 78273 |
J-20 |
176th Air Brigade |
Dingxin |
| 78274 |
J-20 |
176th Air Brigade |
Dingxin |
| 78275 |
J-20 |
176th Air Brigade |
Dingxin |
| 78278 or 9? |
J-20 |
176th Air Brigade |
Dingxin |
| Formation 22 Fighters [5 / 101]: |
| (61188) |
J-16 |
7th Air Brigade |
Wuhu |
| (61280) |
J-16 |
7th Air Brigade |
Wuhu |
| (61281) |
J-16 |
7th Air Brigade |
Wuhu |
| (61286) |
J-16 |
7th Air Brigade |
Wuhu |
| (61287) |
J-16 |
7th Air Brigade |
Wuhu |
| Formation 23 Fighters [5 / 106]: |
| 68136 |
J-10C |
72nd Air Brigade |
Yangcun |
| 68137 |
J-10C |
72nd Air Brigade |
Yangcun |
| 68138 |
J-10C |
72nd Air Brigade |
Yangcun |
| 68232 |
J-10C |
72nd Air Brigade |
Yangcun |
| 68233 |
J-10C |
72nd Air Brigade |
Yangcun |
Meanwhile, passing underneath and also flying a different line, partly overhead, the choppers-cloud ...
| LH953202 |
Z-20 |
161st Brigade |
Xinxiang |
| LH953206 |
Z-20 |
161st Brigade |
Xinxiang |
| (LH982205) |
Z-20 |
121st Brigade |
Xupu |
| LH982211 |
Z-20 |
121st Brigade |
Xupu |
| (LH982212) |
Z-20 |
121st Brigade |
Xupu |
| (LH982213) |
Z-20 |
121st Brigade |
Xupu |
| Formation 27 Transport helicopters [9 / 138]: |
| (LH952809) |
Z-8B |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952811 |
Z-8B |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH952821 |
Z-8B |
82nd Brigade |
Baoding |
| LH963801 |
Z-8B |
80th Brigade |
Liaocheng |
| LH963805 |
Z-8B |
80th Brigade |
Liaocheng |
| LH963816 |
Z-8B |
80th Brigade |
Liaocheng |
| LH963896 |
Z-8B |
80th Brigade |
Liaocheng |
| Formation 28 Reconnaissance helicopters [8 / 146]: |
| LH951508 |
Z-19 |
81st Brigade |
Tongxian |
| LH951511 |
Z-19 |
81st Brigade |
Tongxian |
| LH951515 |
Z-19 |
81st Brigade |
Tongxian |
| LH951516 |
Z-19 |
81st Brigade |
Tongxian |
| LH951518? |
Z-19 |
81st Brigade |
Tongxian |
| LH951519? |
Z-19 |
81st Brigade |
Tongxian |
| LH______ |
Z-19 |
81st Brigade |
Tongxian |
| LH______ |
Z-19 |
81st Brigade |
Tongxian |
| Formation 29 Advanced jet trainers [5 / 151]: |
| 2316/36 |
JL-10A |
Shijiazhuang FA/1st Tr.Bgd. |
Shijiazhuang |
| 2610/60 |
JL-10A |
Shijiazhuang FA/1st Tr.Bgd. |
Shijiazhuang |
| 2618/68 |
JL-10A |
Shijiazhuang FA/1st Tr.Bgd. |
Shijiazhuang |
| 2818/88 |
JL-10A |
Shijiazhuang FA/1st Tr.Bgd. |
Shijiazhuang |
| 2819/89 |
JL-10A |
Shijiazhuang FA/1st Tr.Bgd. |
Shijiazhuang |
| Formation 30 Jet trainers [5 / 156]: |
| 1731 |
JL-9 |
Harbin FA/3rd Training Brigade |
Tieling |
| 1732 |
JL-9 |
Harbin FA/3rd Training Brigade |
Tieling |
| 1733 |
JL-9 |
Harbin FA/3rd Training Brigade |
Tieling |
| 1734 |
JL-9 |
Harbin FA/3rd Training Brigade |
Tieling |
| 1735 |
JL-9 |
Harbin FA/3rd Training Brigade |
Tieling |
| Formation 31 Basic jet trainers [5 / 161]: |
| 3141/11 |
JL-8 |
Xi’an FA/4th Training Brigade |
Wuwei |
| 3142/12 |
JL-8 |
Xi’an FA/4th Training Brigade |
Wuwei |
| 3341/31 |
JL-8 |
Xi’an FA/4th Training Brigade |
Wuwei |
| 3342/32 |
JL-8 |
Xi’an FA/4th Training Brigade |
Wuwei |
| 3549/59 |
JL-8 |
Xi’an FA/4th Training Brigade |
Wuwei |
| Formation 32 Hongying aerobatics team [7 / 168]: |
| 01’ |
JL-8 |
Hongying (Red Falcons) |
Harbin |
| 02’ |
JL-8 |
Hongying (Red Falcons) |
Harbin |
| 04’ |
JL-8 |
Hongying (Red Falcons) |
Harbin |
| 05’ |
JL-8 |
Hongying (Red Falcons) |
Harbin |
| 07’ |
JL-8 |
Hongying (Red Falcons) |
Harbin |
| 08’ |
JL-8 |
Hongying (Red Falcons) |
Harbin |
| 09’ |
JL-8 |
Hongying (Red Falcons) |
Harbin |
