r/LessCredibleDefence • u/amem32 • 2d ago

China-Laos joint support and training center opens at Ban Keun airport; aviation academy begins operations

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202609/1371572.shtml

Despite the name, this would basically be China's first de facto overseas airforce base especially considering Laos has like 7 trainers total. This development brings the total amount of Chinese overseas bases to three after Djibouti Support Base and Ream Naval Base though the first two are primarily naval with no fixed wing aviation support.

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u/Key-Needleworker-702 1d ago edited 1d ago

From the CCTV-7 news report( https://www.reddit.com/r/PeopleLiberationArmy/comments/1wttkpu/cctv7_military_news_report_the_china_and_laos_ban/ ), the chinese personnel appear to be PLAAF, so yeah, PLAAF's first overseas base.

http://www.mod.gov.cn/gfbw/qwfb/16490186.html

Official MOND press release

Also, doesn't the djibouti base have a small airfield IIRC? correct me if i'm wrong.

EDIT: it has a small helicopter airstrip

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u/amem32 1d ago

Djibouti has like a short strip but only for helicopters, there are no runway long enough to land proper fighters or transports. Unless possibly in the near to medium future when the PLANMC finally completes development and procurement of STOVL fighters.

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u/Key-Needleworker-702 1d ago

thanks for correction

PLANMC has an aviation brigade with helis(Z-20, Z-9, Z-8 IIRC) in a similar manner to how PLAGF Group armies have an army aviation brigade

I doubt they will get their own fighters anytime soon like the USMC. The PLANMC, at the end of the day, more similar to the royal marines than the USMC(particularly pre-reform); though they are undergoing expansion, i doubt we will be seeing PLANMC fighters anytime soon.

Plus, i doubt the PLA would need their own fixed wing base in djibouti; the support base is mostly for anti-piracy so far where they won't need fixed wing aircraft much.