• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

AVIC Defense: Sharp Sword in the Blue Sky

On 27 March 2009 Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), opened a defense branch in Beijing in an effort to make the company a first-class, worldwide manufacturer of aerial defense products. The branch took over most of the military-related business done by AVIC such as building combat aircraft, including China's own third generation fighter J-10. In addition, the defense branch primarily develops and make training aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles. It also conducts research and manufacture business jets as well as sell its products internationally.

The defense branch, an integration of relevant departments within the corporation, is an independent accounting unit of AVIC with total assets of nearly 50 billion yuan ($7.35 billion). It has been authorized to manage AVIC's 10 assembly plants and research institutes which are scattered in several cities across China such as Shenyang, Chengdu, Changsha and Shanghai. The company has approximately 60,000 employees and a rough annual sales revenue of 30 billion yuan ($4.4 billion). It has also exported more than 1,000 aircraft overseas and cooperated with foreign aviation makers to develop civilian planes.

Chinese fighter builder Avic Defense aims to build a large business jet as part of its strategy of exploiting military technology for its civilian sidelines. Avic Defense will also build up an aircraft maintenance operation catering for airline customers. The dominant business of Avic Defense will continue to be the supply of weapons to the Chinese armed forces. The company will pursue military exports, but the development of military products will be aimed mainly at local requirements. Avic Defense already has substantial civil work, including center fuselages for the Bombardier C Series regional jet, rudders for Boeing 787s and parts for Airbus aircraft. Moreover, it is wholly responsible for building the Cessna 162 Skycatcher light sport aircraft.

Avic Defense, adopting an increasingly Western approach to military aircraft sales, says it is willing to allow foreign production of its latest export product, the L-15 Falcon supersonic trainer. The aircraft is likely to retain the key advantage of an aircraft from a developing country, however, since the manufacturer is also suggesting it will be cheaply priced.

Undertaking the historical mission of "strengthen the military forces and enrich the people" and after the development of more than 50 years, the family of Chinese military aircraft is growing larger and stronger. Since 1956 when J-5, the first jet fighter made in China, came out, over 20,000 aircraft have been produced. J-10 the representative of the third-generation fighter, FBC-1 the representative of fighter bomber, FC-1 the new fighter, tanker aircraft, UAV, trainer, special aircraft, air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles and ground-to-air missiles have equipped the Chinese military forces. The independent innovation system for the national defense is now in place. The achievements speed up the transformation of national defense power from the defense only to the combination of offence and defense.

Shouldering the mission of enriching the nation and strengthening the military forces and after more than 50 years of development, over 20,000 military aircraft of various types soar in the blue sky. The third generation fighter represented by J-10, the fighter-bomber represented by FBC-1, air-refueling tanker and receiver, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), trainer, early warning aircraft and the military forces equipped with air-to-air, air-to-ground as well as ground-to-air missiles have formed a new domestic aviation innovation system, while strongly supporting China's peaceful development, having successfully entered into the international mainstream market for military trade, and providing strong guarantee for world peace.

In 2007, FBC-1 participated in the Sino-Russian joint military exercise of 'Peaceful Mission 2007', showing China's Air Force power to the world. In order to ensure the success of the military exercise, AVIC sent a specialized team to provide support. This was the first time ever in China that support staff from enterprise worked together with the military in good coordination, thus showed the overall Chinese aviation strength to the rest of the world with our strong determination to safeguard peace.

On October 1, 2009, it was the 60th National Day Military Parade. The 60th National Day Military Parade was the largest parade since the founding of New China in terms of number of fighters, scale, types and formation of the aircraft. In total, 151 aircraft of 15 types developed and manufactured by AVIC flew over the Tian'anmen Square in 12 fleets and received inspection. 34 AVIC companies and almost 200 employees were involved in such an arduous and high standard support task to the military air parade with great success achieved, demonstrated by flying over Tian'anmen Square with all the accuracies in time and distance, which showed the world our national and military pride, winning glory and honor for AVIC.

• J-10 is the third generation of fighter, with independent IPR and advanced level of overall campaign performance in comparison with fighters of the same category in the world, is a business card of China as a big country.
• J-11 is the third generation of heavy fighter, an important and major Chinese combat and defense equipment in air battle.
• FC-1 is the new generation of light fighter with multiple purposes and an example of international cooperation.
• FBC-1 is the first type of fighter-bomber independently researched and manufactured by China is the first aircraft going abroad to participate in military exercise for peacekeeping purposes.
• KJ-200 is an early warning aircraft based on Y-8, the information-based aero equipment with independent innovation.
• KJ-2000 air combat command centre and the first type of large early warning aircraft independently developed by China and formally equipped the air force, it marks the transition of China's air force from mechanization to informationization and enjoys a great fame of station in the air.
• L-15 is a world state-of-arts third generation trainer and the only Chinese aircraft type that gave flight performance at the Dubai Aishow with great attention from all over the world.
• K-8 basic trainer is widely renowned for its international design standard and set the record in China to export whole aircraft production line abroad.
• Z-8 is a large multi-purpose helicopter of 13 tonnages independently developed by China. It is the helicopter of the largest tonnage in Asia and also one of few helicopters in the world capable of takeoff and landing on water.
• Z-9 is a light multi-purpose helicopter, modified in series to meet various military and civil applications and demands.