Professional Military Education, Training, and Academic Institutions within the PLAAF

The PLAAF’s education and training system (ЙМЛІШФФ1) consists of three main components: leadership and management system (^й^вїИФФІ); academic institution professional military education (PME) system (ідіЛКФФІ); and flight training system (^ТЛНШФФІ).76

The leadership and management system has five tiers: PLAAF Headquar­ters, MRAF Headquarters, corps, division (academic institutions, aviation troop training bases, brigades), and regiments. The Military Training Department (¥-ЩЛШМ / ¥ЛНнР) in the PLAAF Headquarters’ Headquarters Department is the highest organization for leading PLAAF education and training. Each of the other four tiers has an equivalent department for leading training at their level.77 Significantly, however, the Political Department’s Cadre Department (ШпнРТнРнР), not the Military Training Department, is responsible for manag­ing the Defense Student program.78 Based on a review of PLAAF-related books, journals, newspapers, and Internet articles, it appears that the Headquarters Department in each MRAF Headquarters and the 15th Airborne Corps Head­quarters has a Training Division (iJII^F,^); some divisions and brigades have a Training Office (ІЛІШ4), while others have a combined Operations and Train­ing Office (1ТШ4); and all regiments have a combined Operations and Training Branch (1TJJ№). There are no training organizations below the regiment level.

Table 4-4. PLAAF Command Posts Military Region Air Force Corps Deputy Leader – Command Posts Division Leader – Command Posts Beijing Datong [None] Chengdu Kunming Lhasa Guangzhou Wuhan Nanning Jinan [None] [None] Lanzhou Wulumuqi, Xi’an Hetian Nanjing Fuzhou Shanghai, Zhangzhou Shenyang Dalian Changchun

The PLAAF’s PME system is different from the USAF system. Basically, the United States Air Force Education and Training Command (AFETC), one of the USAF’s major commands, is responsible for enlisted and officer basic educa­tion, specialty training, and PME, throughout the member’s career. The excep­tion is the U. S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), which is a Direct Reporting Unit (DRU) under Headquarters Air Force. Upon graduation from USAFA, the new officers receive their specialty training under AFETC. The differences between the PLAAF and USAF education and training systems for enlisted personnel, noncommissioned officers (NCOs), and officers are both numerous and signifi­cant. For example, whereas the USAF conducts basic training for all of its enlisted members at Lackland Air Force Base, the PLAAF does not train its new recruits and conscripts (who serve for 2 years) at a single location.79 Instead, they receive basic training at their operational unit or at a technical training unit. All PLAAF basic training occurs between early December and late January and the instruc­tors are assigned by that unit on a temporary basis. Upon completion of basic training, the new enlisted members either receive on-the-job training (OJT) at their operational base or at the technical training unit.

To achieve promotion, USAF NCOs must satisfactorily complete cor­respondence courses throughout their career, and selected senior NCOs take in-residence PME at a training organization, such as the Air Force Senior NCO Academy, for a few weeks. In contrast, the PLAAF emphasizes lengthier in-res­idence training. It has only one NCO school (specializing in communications), which students attend for 2 years. Several other PLAAF officer academic institutions offer separate 2- or 3-year associates degree programs for NCOs, including the Air Force Engineering University, Aviation University, Radar College, 1st Aviation (Aircraft Maintenance) College, Guilin (AAA and Airborne) College, Xuzhou (Logistics) College, and the 2d Flight College.80 Like the USAF, the PLAAF also provides correspondence courses for its NCOs, where they can receive a high school equivalency degree or an associate’s degree. If necessary, NCOs can attend a short course for squad leaders and for technical training if, for some reason, they did not receive it during their first 2 years as a new recruit/conscript.

The USAF’s officers come from graduates of USAFA, Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs, and college graduates who successfully complete a postgraduate Officer Training School (OTS) course. Upon gradua­tion, these officers then receive their specialty training. All officers must have a bachelor’s degree. In contrast, the PLAAF’s officer cadre comes from grad­uates of one of three PLAAF universities and 15 colleges, from Defense Stu­dent programs at 18 civilian universities, or from directly-recruited civilian college graduates with a science or engineering degree. The PLAAF ceased directly recruiting enlisted personnel as officers in the early 1980s. All cadets who attend a PLAAF academic institution also receive their technical training and are assigned directly to their operational unit upon graduation. Students who graduate from the Defense Student program or who are directly recruited after graduation are assigned to their operational unit, where they receive OJT.

USAF officers must complete PME correspondence courses at each level to be competitive for promotion. Some, though not all, officers also have the opportunity to attend in-residence courses sponsored by the Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base. These programs include the 6-week Air and Space Basic Course for second lieutenants, 5-week Squadron Officer School course for captains, 40-week Air Command and Staff College course for majors and major selectees, and the 44-week Air War College course for lieutenant colo­nels and colonels. Some officers also have the opportunity to attend joint insti­tutions such as the National War College, or specialized training such as the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies. Students in these courses come from all specialties, as well as from other service branches and selected civil­ians in government service. In addition, the Air Force Institute of Technol­ogy (AFIT) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base provides a variety of graduate programs in science and technology-related subjects. Some USAF officers are sponsored to attend nongovernmental academic institutions such as the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University or other civilian insti­tutions, with majors ranging from military history to aerospace engineering.

Currently, the PLAAF’s officer PME academic education system is divided into two levels of education: basic and specialized education and advanced education (S^SW).81 Whereas all cadets who attend a PLAAF college, including pilots, receive both their basic education and specialty train­ing before they graduate, Defense Students do not receive any technical training until after they graduate. Pilot cadets who are selected from high school grad­uates receive 30 months of basic education at the Air Force Aviation Univer­sity (Й¥^Й^^). Upon completion, they are assigned to the university’s flight training base or to one of seven flight colleges, where they complete 6 months of flight training in a basic trainer and 12 months in an advanced trainer. Depend­ing on the type of aircraft they will eventually fly at an operational unit, they are then assigned directly to an operational base or for 1 year to one of seven tran­sition training bases. Pilot candidates who were recruited from PLA or civilian college graduates receive 2 years of training that includes basic flight theory and flying time in a basic trainer and advanced trainer. After graduation, they are then assigned to one of the seven transition training bases for 1 year.

Nonaviation PLAAF cadets receive basic education either at the Air Force Engineering University (AFEU) or at a PLAAF specialty college. Those finishing AFEU are then assigned to one of the PLAAF’s colleges to complete their specialty training and a bachelor’s degree. Cadets who do not attend AFEU remain at the same college to complete their specialty training and receive either a senior technical (associate’s) or bachelor’s degree. Upon grad­uation, all new officers are assigned to their permanent unit, where the first year is considered a probationary (Я^) period, during which they spend the first 6 months as a squad (enlisted troop) leader.82 Prior to graduation, some Defense Students spend a short period of time at an operational unit observing the daily activities. Upon graduation, Defense Students have several options, including attending graduate school. If they do not attend graduate school, they are assigned either directly to an operational unit or to a training organization where they receive specialty training. With the exception of new graduates who serve in remote areas, the first year is a probationary (Я^) period.83 Almost all Defense Student graduates serve in technical, rather than command, billets.84

Advanced education for intermediate – and senior-level PLAAF officers (lieutenant colonels, colonels, senior colonels, and major generals) is conducted in only a few military academic institutions. Only selected officers have the oppor­tunity to receive advanced PME or a graduate degree. For example, command track officers receive 1 year of intermediate – and senior-level PME at the Air Force Command College (Й¥1н№^й), which does not award a graduate degree, while some technical officers attend specialized programs for 2 to 3 years in various PLAAF colleges, such as AFEU, the Air Force Radar College (Й^га&^й), or Xuzhou Air Force (Logistics) College (ШИЙ^^й), to obtain graduate degrees. Certain command track officers, such as radar and SAM commanders, can attend specific graduate programs in a PLAAF college or a civilian university where they receive an advanced degree. Some officers (senior colonels and major generals) receive their senior-level PME at the National Defense University (ИШЛ^).

The PLAAF’s various academic institutions are organized into two basic categories: flight colleges and all others.85 Each category has three main compo­nents: a command element ($й^ЛЙ), administrative departments (ШП), some of which also provide certain types of training, and academic departments (^).86

Flight training for all new high school graduates or enlisted personnel selected for pilot training begins at the Air Force Aviation University (Й^^ЙЛ ^), which was created in 2004 by combining the Changchun Flight College (R# ЛТ^й), 7th Flight College (Щ^ЛТ^й), and the 2d Aviation (Aircraft Mainte­nance) College (Щ“^Й^й). All new flight cadets spend their first 30 months at the university, where they receive their basic education. They then transfer to one of the seven numbered flight colleges for 18 months to receive their flight training.87

The Aviation University, which is located in Changchun, Jilin Province, has a commandant (RR), PC, and at least two deputy commandants and one deputy PC. The university has a Training Department (Х)\ШМ) that serves as well as the Headquarters Department. It also has a Political Department (&)n Ш), College/School Affairs (й#Ш / Й^Ш), and Scientific Research Depart­ment (HWH).88 The Scientific Research Department is responsible for over­seeing all of the institution’s technical training curricula and systems research work.89 The Training Department and Scientific Research Department also have subordinate classrooms and laboratories, where personnel from the departments provide training to the cadets. The College/School Affairs Depart­ment is responsible for managing facilities and logistics issues.

All seven of the PLAAF’s numbered flight colleges are division leader-grade organizations and are structured similarly to an operational air division, with a command staff plus four administrative and functional departments—Headquar – ters Department, Political Department, Logistics Department, and Equipment Department. Rather than academic departments, each college has a subordinate basic trainer regiment and one or more advanced trainer regiments. Table 4-5 shows the flight colleges, their location, and the types of personnel they train.90

Upon graduation, the pilots from the 1st and 2d flight colleges are assigned directly to their operational units. Pilots graduating from the other five colleges are assigned to one of the PLAAF’s seven transition training bases for about 1 year. Upon completing transition training, they are then assigned to their permanent operational unit, where they transition into that unit’s air­craft. Some of the graduates from the five colleges that train fighter pilots tran­sition into multirole or ground attack aircraft.

Table 4-5. The Seven PLAAF Flight Colleges Academic Institution City, Province Education and Training Missions 1st Flight College Harbin, Heilongjiang Bomber and transport pilots, navigators, and communi­cations personnel 2d Flight College Huxian, Shaanxi Bomber and transport pilots and navigators, ground con­trollers [officers], and approach radar controllers [NCOs] 3d Flight College Jinzhou, Liaoning Fighter pilots 4th Flight College Shijiazhuang, Hebei Fighter pilots and foreign pilots 5th Flight College Wuwei, Gansu Fighter pilots 6th Flight College Zhuozhou, Hebei Fighter pilots 13th Flight College Bengbu, Anhui Fighter pilots

The PLAAF’s nonaviation colleges are organized differently from its avi­ation colleges. They each have a command staff, 2-5 administrative and func­tional departments, academic departments, and cadet teams.91 As shown in table 4-6, all nonaviation academic institutions have at least a Training Depart­ment and Political Department (ШпнР). Depending on the institution’s mis­sion, location, and curriculum, other administrative departments include a College/School Affairs, Basic Department (вїїнР), and/or Scientific Research Department. The Basic Department is responsible for providing instruction in certain required basic education courses that all undergraduates must take regardless of their specialty.92 The protocol order for the five departments is Headquarters, Political, College/School Affairs, Basic, and Scientific Research.

Each institution has several academic departments and associated spe­cialties, which prepare graduates to assume their operational duties. For exam­ple, the PLAAF’s Surface-to-Air Missile College (№Й^#^[й) has six academic departments—Command Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electro­Mechanical Engineering, Radar Engineering, Guided Missile Engineering, and Systems Engineering—and 12 academic specialties.93

Depending upon the academic institution, undergraduate students/cadets (^M) and graduate students are grouped into various organizations,

which are typically subordinate to the academic department to which they are affiliated. These include the student group (^M^PA), which is a battalion-level organization; student companies (^йй); student teams (^MKPA / ^MPA); and student squads (^Mffi). Of note, within the PLA, a cadet’s graduating class year is based on the year training begins, not the year of graduation. For example, the cadets who began training in summer 2010 are identified as the class of 2010. The reason for this is that not all cadets receive a 4-year degree. In addition, their total time-in-service includes their cadet time, not just their active duty time, once they become an officer.

Table 4-6. Nonaviation Academic Institution Departments and Grades Academic Institution (grade) Training Political Affairs Basic Scientific Research City, Province Missions Command College (corps leader) x x x x Beijing Command officers Engineering University (corps leader) x x x x x Xian, Shaanxi Aircraft mainte­nance, surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), and communications Natural Science College (division leader) x x Xian, Shaanxi Basic education Engineering College (division leader) x x x x x Xian, Shaanxi Aircraft mainte­nance Surface-to-air Missile College (division leader) x x x x Xian, Shaanxi SAMs Telecommunications Engineering College (division leader) x x x x Xian, Shaanxi Communications Guilin Air Force College (corps deputy) x x x Guilin, Guangxi Antiaircraft artillery and airborne Radar College (corps deputy) x x x x x Wuhan, Hubei Radar Xuzhou Air Force College (corps deputy) x x x x x Xuzhou, Jiangsu Logistics 1st Aviation College (division leader) x x x x x Xinyang, Henan Aircraft mainte­nance Dalian NCO Communications School (division leader) x x x Dalian, Liaoning Communications

Scientific Research System

The PLAAF’s scientific research system is incor­

porated into the broader Chinese research, development, and acquisition (RDA) structure.94 According to PLAAF 2010, RDA of a specific weapon or system usually involves multiple phases of development and related activ­ities by different organizations within and outside of the PLAAF. China’s RDA process allows it to plan properly and to lay a solid foundation for PLAAF modernization programs. Under the overall guidance of the GAD, the PLAAF Headquarters’ Equipment Department is responsible for over­seeing all of the PLAAF’s equipment and weapons systems development.95 The process involves the following sequential phases: Demonstration/ Development and Evaluation (iUffi); Proposal (Й"Щ); Engineering Develop­ment (ifMWfiJ); Design Finalization (ШТ^М) and Production Finalization (±^^M).96 Before the RDA process actually begins, preparatory research takes place for the chosen area of development under the official rubric “National Defense Science and Technology Preparatory Research.” Research­ers examine ongoing technology efforts that could meet operational require­ments and evaluate candidate technologies that could possibly mature into useful weapons.97

In February 2004, PLAAF Headquarters formally established the Air Force Equipment Research Academy (S^S^W^K), consolidating admin­istration of more than 20 PLAAF scientific research organizations.98 The acad­emy is a corps deputy leader-grade organization.99 Its administrative depart­ments include the Science and Technology (S&T) Department (ДЙН), Political Department (ikinH), and Academy Affairs Department (K^H).100 The S&T Department serves as the Headquarters Department, and the Acad­emy Affairs Department most likely manages the facilities. The academy has about 1,500 S&T officers and 490 senior technical billets.

A review of the academy’s activities since 2004 indicates at least two rea­sons the PLAAF, along with the PLA Navy and Second Artillery, created their own equipment research academy. The first was consolidating management of all RDA under a single organization. The second reason was to deal with the GAD and government RDA organizations on a more equal basis.

The academy has a dozen primary functions and responsibilities for equipment and weapons systems research and development (R&D/W$[I), which involve tracking foreign development of new military technology, equipment, and weapons systems; serving as the PLAAF’s top level organiza­tion for equipment and weapons system design, system development, regula­tions, and planning for new systems, modifying older systems and special-use equipment; and conducting research for the operational use, maintenance, and technical support for new and modified equipment.101 Some of the subordinate institutes are shown below.102 The research institutes are either division – or reg­iment-level organizations.103

■ Air Force Equipment General Demonstration (Development and Eval­uation) Research Institute a regiment-grade

organization, has an Organization and Plans Division (ШАра+£№), Political Division (Й/п&), and Management Division (®Щ&), and nine research labs (ШЙЙ)104

■ Air Force Aviation Equipment Research Institute (Й¥^Й^^ЭДЙ№), a division-grade organization, has an S&T Division (ДЙ&), Political Department (ШпнР), and Management Division, and several subor­dinate research institutes and labs105

■ Air Force Ground Air Defense Equipment Research Institute (Й¥±№

a regiment-grade organization, has an S&T Division, Political Division, and Management Division, six research labs, and one testing workshop (й$[№Й)106

■ Air Force Radar and Electronic Countermeasures Research Institute

a division-grade organization, has an S&T Division, Political Department, and Management Division, and sev­eral research labs107

■ Air Force Communications, Navigation, and Command Automation Research Institute (Й¥®1ШЩ^^1н№Шй1ЬЭДЙ№), has a General Office (ІЇ&Ш), several research labs, and a services subunit (Mi^^PA)108

■ Air Force Reconnaissance and Intelligence Equipment Research Institute (Й

with three research labs and a testing workshop109

■ Air Force Weather and Chemical Defense Research Institute (^ЩНМ PMhW^fff), which has an S&T Division, Political Department, and Management Division, as well as four research labs110

■ SAM Technical/Technology Services Research Institute (Щ#Й^Ш^ЭД

W111

■ Air Force Equipment Software Testing and Evaluation Center

(^ШШШПФй).112

Political Work System

The PLAAF’s political work (ШпІ"№) system mirrors the PLAs overall polit­ical work system.113 The PLAs political work system is the means through which

the Chinese Communist Party guarantees absolute control over the military. The PLAAF political work system consists of six main elements integrated into every organization within the PLAAF Party Congress system: Party Committee system; Party Congress system; political officer system; political functional and administra­tive department system; discipline inspection system; and judicial system.114