People's Liberation Army Air Force Airborne Corps

People's Liberation Army Air Force Airborne Corps
中国人民解放军空降兵军 Zhōngguó Rénmín Jiěfàngjūn Kōngjiàngbīng Jūn
Active	1961–present
Country	People's Republic of China
Allegiance	Chinese Communist Party[1]
Branch	People's Liberation Army Air Force
Type	Air force ground forces and special forces
Size	40,000 personnel
Garrison/HQ	Xiaogan, Hubei
Engagements	Chinese Civil War Korean War Sino-Vietnamese conflicts (1979–1991)
Aircraft flown
Helicopter	Harbin Z-20KS
Attack helicopter	Harbin Z-20KA Changhe Z-10K Harbin Z-9W
Cargo helicopter	Harbin Z-20K Changhe Z-8 Mil Mi-171
Utility helicopter	Harbin Z-9

The People's Liberation Army Air Force Airborne Corps (simplified Chinese: 中国人民解放军空降兵军; traditional Chinese: 中國人民解放軍空降兵軍; pinyin: Zhōngguó Rénmín Jiěfàngjūn Kōngjiàngbīng Jūn; lit. 'Chinese People's Liberation Army Airborne Corps^[2]') is a combined air force ground forces corps which consists of air assault infantry, airborne forces, and special forces under direct command of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). It was reorganized and renamed from the 15th Airborne Corps in May 2017^[3] and now comprises six airborne brigades and a special forces brigade. The PLAAF Airborne Corps is China's primary strategic airborne unit and part of the newly formed rapid reaction units (RRUs)^{[citation needed]} of the Chinese military which is primarily designated for air assault, airborne, long-range penetration, and special warfare missions. Its role is similar to that of the U.S. Army's XVIII Airborne Corps (the 82nd Airborne Division and 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault)), the British Army's Parachute Regiment, and the Russian Airborne Forces (VDV).

Only one of the PLAAF Airborne Corps' former three divisions (or just 2 to 3 of the current 7 brigades that form the corps) can deploy to any part of China within 48 hours due to limited airlift capabilities. In the late 1990s the airlift capability of the PLAAF consisted of 10 IL-76 heavy lift, Shaanxi Y-8, and Xi'an Y-7 transports, as well as Mi-17, Mi-8, Z-8, and Z-9 helicopters. As such, the PLAAF could only lift one division or two to three brigades of 11,000 men complemented with light tanks, mortars, and self-propelled artillery. In 1988, there were reports claiming that a 10,000 man airborne division was transported to Tibet in less than 48 hours.