The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) believes it now has the quantitative and qualitative advantages needed to send its planes on regular combat patrols over what China calls the "First Island Chain" it must secure to be able to attack U.S. Navy warships and their bases among U.S. allies in Southeast Asia.

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PLAAF also said it will organize its aviation units for regular "far-sea training" beyond the First Island Chain. It noted its planes have flown patrols over the First Island Chain since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in November 2012.

PLAAF revealed it has sent patrols over the First Island Chain and conducted military exercises in the West Pacific six times. These most recent of these long-range patrols took place last September.

This patrol of the Western Pacific took PLAAF aircraft over the Bashi Channel separating the Philippines from Taiwan.

Described as a "routine combat simulation drill," the patrol on Sept. 12 consisted of Sukhoi Su-30MKK two-seat, long-range strike fighters; Xian H-6K long-range strategic bombers and unidentified aerial refueling tankers, probably Xian H-6Us. The patrol consisted of 12 aircraft, said PLAAF.

It conducted reconnaissance and early warning, sea surface cruising and inflight refueling. PLAAF said this patrol and the others that preceded them are normal, annual, planned exercises to raise its ability to defend Chinese sovereignty and security.

"This is common practice for the air forces of coastal states, and a normal need for developing China's defense. The Chinese air force will normalize this kind of exercises beyond the 'First Island Chain' according to international laws and regulations," said Shen at the time.

The patrol sent a renewed message China can now pierce the First Island Chain at will.

The First Island Chain refers to the first chain of major archipelagos out from the East Asian continental mainland coast. It consists of the Kuril Islands, the Japanese archipelago, Japan's Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, northern Philippines and Borneo.

It extends from the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia in the north to the Malay Peninsula in the south.

China views the First Island Chain as the area it must secure so it can disable U.S. bases in the Philippines, U.S. aircraft and U.S. Navy aircraft carrier groups.

Securing the First Island Chain will allow China to launch a pre-emptive attack against the Americans. China's First Island Chain Doctrine aims to seal off the Yellow Sea, the South China Sea and East China Sea inside an arc running from the Aleutians in the north to Borneo in the south.

PLAAF said it will organize regular patrols that fly past the First Island Chain.

TagsPeople's Liberation Army Air Force, PLAAF, First Island Chain, Communist Party of China, Bashi Channel, Sukhoi Su-30MKK