White paper outlines air defense

The integrated support sub-system is responsible for ensuring the survival and completion of the aforementioned sub-systems and missions, while the civil air defense sub-system organizes personnel and materials for protection, firefighting, medical care and other work.

The white paper made public the Chinese army's combat readiness for the first time, saying that combat readiness refers to preparations of the armed forces for undertaking operational tasks and military operations other than war (MOOTW), and it is the general, comprehensive and regular work of the armed forces.

Based on different tasks, troops assume different levels of readiness (Level III, Level II and Level I, from the lowest degree of alertness to the highest).

The white paper said the PLAAF focuses its daily combat readiness on territorial air defense. It follows the principles of applicability in both peacetime and wartime, all-dimension response and full territorial reach, and maintains a vigilant and efficient combat readiness.

PLAAF organizes air alert patrols on a regular basis to verify abnormal and unidentified air situations promptly. The PLAAF command alert system takes PLAAF command posts as the core, field command posts as the basis, and aviation and ground air defense forces on combat duty as the pillar.

Hou said command organs and armed forces at all levels of the PLAAF maintain combat readiness duties 24 hours a day, year round and are ready for orders for operations. In case of any situation, command organs at all levels, aircraft on combat readiness duties and ground air defense weapons can make up their mind to take actions.

Hou added that the PLAAF's command, warning and combat readiness systems are connected as a network with cable, wireless, satellite and other communications facilities, forming a command and warning network with PLAAF command posts as the core, field command posts as the basis, and technical surveillance, ground radars, electronic countermeasures, air units, surface-to-air missiles and antiaircraft guns in combat readiness duties as the pillar.

The network can quickly exchange information with superior and subordinate organs, take actions as a whole, mainly adapting the rapid, sudden and quickly-changing air combats.

In recent years, air units, most of them based in coastal areas, have scrambled more than 1,000 sorties annually, and ground air defense units have exercised maneuvers hundreds of times, in a bid to identify abnormal air situations, or carry out air patrols and reconnaissance missions.