China's first homegrown aircraft carrier has completed several sea trials. （Photo via navy.81.cn）
The Navy's aviation branch was traditionally land-based, and naval pilots were trained by the PLA Air Force until 2013. With the Liaoning carrier going operational and more to follow, the PLAN's long-term goals and operational concept have profoundly changed, said Yang Zhen, a researcher at Fudan Institute of Belt and Road and Global Governance.
For more diversified operations in the open sea, a vastly different flight environment, carrier-borne aircraft pilots will be crucial to a naval fleet's efficiency and combat capacity.
"Carrier-based aircraft are like the carrier's fist. They will directly affect the Navy's ability to take command of the sea. It is an issue of strategic importance," Yang said.
The PLA Naval Aviation University opened in 2017 after the merging of the former Naval Aviation Academy and Naval Aeronautical and Astronautical University established by the PLA in the 1950s. The new university combines an aviation school with the Naval Air Force training base to cultivate skilled officers.
The training program for naval pilots has also been streamlined, with a shortened training period and increased flight time and intensity.
