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| KJ-500 AWACS (Internet photo) |
Taiwan's advantage over China in term of air defense may have been lost as the People's Liberation Army recently added a fleet of new airborne early warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft to its Air Force, a global defense magazine reported Thursday.
Referring to photographs that were released on a Chinese online military forum, the magazine IHS Jane's 360 said the Chinese Air Force has commissioned its newly developed KJ-500 AWACS aircraft to bolster its air superiority capabilities.
Reports from China indicate that the PLA Air Force had been relying on its KJ2000 AWACS aircraft, which is based on the design of the aging Russian Ilyushin IL-76 airframe, the online magazine said.
Despite its stellar maximum endurance rating, the PLA Air Force's fleet of 4 KJ-2000 aircraft is not enough to meet the country's need in combat, according to reports from China.
Read the full story at Want China Times