The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Airborne Corps conduct live-fire drill in Wuhan, Hubei, a military exercise aimed at honing combat capabilities. The PLAAF Airborne Corps (the former PLA Air Force’s 15th Airborne Corps ) comprises six airborne brigades. The PLA Air Force’s Airborne Corps is China’s primary strategic airborne unit and it is part of the newly formed rapid reaction units (RRU) of the Chinese military which is primarily designated for airborne and special operation missions. Its role is combined between the U.S. Army’s XVIII Airborne Corps/82nd Airborne Division and the Russian Airborne Troops (VDV). The PLAAF can lift PLA Air Force’s Airborne Corps of 30,000 men complemented with light tanks and self-propelled artillery, to any part of China within 48 hours. More and more focus will be placed on helicopter assaults as opposed to traditional parachute drops. In times of war, the Airborne Corps can also utilize transport aircraft such as Shaanxi Y-9, Shaanxi Y-8, Xian Y-7, and very large numbers of Y-5 (700+) utility transports.
