Chinese air force’s combat experience sketchy: Former IAF chief BS Dhanoa

He was moderating a panel discussion on China airpower capabilities on the opening day of the fourth edition of the Military Literature Festival

Former Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa said on Friday that the combat experience of China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is “very sketchy”, even as he raised concerns over the large resources available with the neighboring country in case India goes to war with it.

The former Indian Air Force chief was moderating a panel discussion on China airpower capabilities on the opening day of the fourth edition of the Military Literature Festival, which is being organized in the virtual mode this year. Other participants included former Air Vice Marshal Arjun Subramaniam, Group Captain Ravinder Chhatwal, and Dr. Ming-Shih Shen from Taiwan.

Speaking amid rising tensions in eastern Ladakh, Dhanoa said China has got such a large force that whatever it loses at the battlefront can be replaced from elsewhere. The same goes for its loss of fighter aircraft.

“One of the reasons we always say that (India) needs squadron strength is because we also need deep pockets to replace our attrition,” he said.

However, he also raised doubts about the combat experience of the Chinese air force.

“Combat experience of the PLAAF is very very sketchy; there is one bombing mission they carried out in the Korean war… after that, there have been no offensive missions by them,” said Dhanoa.

Air Vice-Marshal Arjun Subramaniam (retd) said that unlike in 1962, when thousands of PLA troops swarmed down the Himalayan slopes in the eastern sectors and into Ladakh, this time around, “I think no such thing will happen as because every thrust will be met by significant friction on the ground”.

“Outcomes (of the war) will likely be driven by the airpower with a few disruptive technologies, like electronic warfare, cyber, unmanned aerial vehicles and space capabilities, emerging as important factors,” he said.