By Li Jianwen and Wang Zhijia

BEIJING, Nov. 7 (ChinaMil) -- In recent years, with the introduction of new-type homegrown ground-to-air missiles into the military training and combat preparedness of the new era, the ground-to-air defense units of the PLA Air Force (PLAAF) have formed a combat system with comprehensive coverage ranging from long, medium to short range, as well as from high, medium to low altitude. Their systematic combat capability under the conditions of information technology has been fully improved.

The ground air defense forces consist of anti-aircraft artillery unit and ground-to-air missile unit, which have been baptized by war and have achieved outstanding results since their establishment. Nowadays, the ground air defense forces accelerated the pace of construction. The new domestic air-to-air missiles such as HQ-9B and HQ-22 have been successively commissioned, forming a structure with the third-generation equipment as the main body and the fourth-generation as the backbone, and accelerating the transformation of air defense mode from anti-aircraft to anti-aircraft and anti-missile.

In recent years, the PLAAF ground air defense units have continuously updated their combat concepts, highlighted the capabilities to search, find and strike the targets under ultimate conditions of weapons performance, and innovated the multi-model and multi-service joint air defense training forms, in an all-round way to enhance the rapid maneuvering capability of their troops.

During the “Blue Shield” drills by the PLAAF, the ground air defense units of the PLAAF conducted joint air defense exercises with the PLA Army, Navy, Rocket Force and other services, integrated the fire units in various services and effectively tested the systematic combat capability under the conditions of information warfare.

The ground air defense troops of the PLAAF have now become an important component of China’s air defense system. In the new era, the ground air defense units will continue to improve their air defense and anti-missile capabilities based on the network information system and build a shield to safeguard China’s airspace security.