Which is Superior, Chinese Airforce of Japanese airforce today?

[remotay]

I'm having this debate with my brother here, and I'd like some outside opinions.

The People's Liberation AirForce has some 2025 or so fighters, with 400+ being modern and a whole bunch of semi modern / older ones. Japanese self defense air force is only 460 some planes.

Simple question, which one of superior?

 

[ReAl PrOeLiTeZ]

superior in what area??

 

[remotay]

If they were to all lift off and fight one huge air battle. No sneak attacks or anything like that.

Pretty silly question, i know.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

Depends where the air battle will be hold.
Japan has some 767 AWACS planes and tankers.
I dont know about China, but surely some Il-78...

 

[the road runner]

Inventories of Chinese and Japanese AIR FORCES

Chinese Air Force(no navy or army units included)
H-5=250
H-6=120
J-6=25
J-7=392
J-8=96
J-10=140
J-11=98
Q-5=500
SU-27/30=151.......135 on order

Special Mission
II-76(EW)=2

Tanker
II-78=8 on order

Transport
737=5
An-12=5
An-26=83
An-30=5
II-76=27............30 on order
Ma-60=4
Tu-154=4.....9 in storage

Combat Helicopters
Mi-8/17=32
As-321=7

Training Aircraft/helicopters
JJ-6=149
JJ-7=39
JL-8(K-8)=170

Japanese Air Self Defence Force(no navy or army units included)
F-2A=43.............20 on ordered
F/EF-4EJ=91
F-15J=157
RF-4E/EJ=26

Special Missions
767(AEW)=4
E-2C(AEW)=13
MU-2S(SAR)=28
YS-11(calibration)=3
YS-11(EW)=4

Tanker
KC-767=2 and 2 on order

Transport
BAE-125=28
C-1=27
C-130H=16
GulfStreamIV=5
YS-11=3

Combat Helicopters
CH-47=14
UH-60=31

Training Aircraft/Helicopters
Beachjet400=13
F-2B=32
F-15DJ=45
T/XT-4=207
T-7=44
YS-11=3

AS Sandhi Yudha,has said Japan would have superior AEWC, Tanking and Electronic Warefare capabilities>having assets of this capability would give the advantage to Japan IMHO.

Also high tech computing/sensors/hardware and softwear,intergrated into western aircraft,by Japanese industry/technicians would add to Japans capability,for its Country.

But where would they fight?
Close to Japanese/Chinese shores?
Over Japanese Territory?
Over Chinese Territory?
In the Littoral?

 

[Blitzo]

China has multiple KJ-2000 platforms and Y-8 rotodome platforms too (I'm not going to say if they're AWACS or AEW, I don't know much in this area).
China also has multiple H-6U tankers. Not the best but they do their job well enough.
At present I think China may be just a bit more superior due to the numbers of fighters. Even if the 4th gen fighters knock each other out China will still have many J-8II and J-7's to all upon.
This is of course, if we assume both sides air forces are only what is known to the public. We all know both countries are undergoing 5th gen development.

Self reliance may also be an issue. Chinese fighters can mostly be produced independently. While Japan has to rely on the US a bit more.

But either way I think this thread should be closed. This is a really confrontational thread I think.

 

[onslaught]

We're not supposed to have X vs. Y thread here unless more specifications are given.
I haven't done a lot of searching around this subject but there are a few things I'd immediately take into consideration. I'm going to assume that the PLAAF is attacking Japan as having Japan attack China alone would seem less likely. The first issue would be the quality of pilots. Like I said, I haven't done much research in this particular area but that would be one question I'd bring up. There's also the issue of Japan's ground based air defense network and how effective that will be. Correct me if I'm wrong but I would think that the Japanese have better electronic warfare capabilities; that could sway the battle in favor of Japan. I'm not going to go into a plane vs. plane thing because there isn't really a point going down that road.

 

[Blitzo]

We're not supposed to have X vs. Y thread here unless more specifications are given.
I haven't done a lot of searching around this subject but there are a few things I'd immediately take into consideration. I'm going to assume that the PLAAF is attacking Japan as having Japan attack China alone would seem less likely. The first issue would be the quality of pilots. Like I said, I haven't done much research in this particular area but that would be one question I'd bring up. There's also the issue of Japan's ground based air defense network and how effective that will be. Correct me if I'm wrong but I would think that the Japanese have better electronic warfare capabilities; that could sway the battle in favor of Japan. I'm not going to go into a plane vs. plane thing because there isn't really a point going down that road.

Hmm well EW is pretty debatable. The JASDF has 767 AWACS. China has (known to the public) at least 4 KJ-2000's.
China has multiple variants of the Y-8 which have been modified for EW. Hmm I don't know. There simply isn't enough information on the Chinese planes. Both have the same number of large AEWC. Japan has more E-2's which may tip the balance a bit.

I'm very reluctant to name which air force is better. There are far too many variables and the fact that the number of planes (EW and others at least) are very similar makes it harder to decide. If we only count fighter aircraft China will be definetly superior.

 

[gf0012-aust]

We're not supposed to have X vs. Y thread here

Exactly. Closed by another Mod but concur with the decision.

 

[Preceptor]

Thread locked: This thread is very much a vs. thread which is against forum rules as it tends to devolve into nationalistic 'size measuring' contests. Given the extensive variables that would come into play in an air war between China (PRC) and Japan, discussion as to which is superior is virtually impossible to determine. The only areas which could likely be determined is if narrow areas of superiority were defined, and then these areas could be determined (i.e. which force has overall numerical superiority, average technological superiority, etc etc.
-Preceptor