BEIJING: China's air force has improved its tertiary training to emphasize war preparedness and joint operations, according to state media reports.

According to military mouthpiece PLA Daily, the Air Force Logistics University in the eastern city of Xuzhou on Tuesday changed its teaching curriculum, leaving classes and subject matter with no direct relation to the two areas.

Although the report did not specify which courses were abolished, they were replaced by others, such as the emergency plan. As per the 2020 PLA ​​Daily report, the university had changed more than 20 courses to better prepare students for war situations.

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For example, students will learn to identify and address mechanical issues during a fire.

A similar change was made last year at the PLA Air Force Command College in Beijing, with a greater emphasis on joint operations and ground training.

According to an unnamed Air Force Logistics University official cited in Tuesday's report, the curriculum was changed to place a greater emphasis on training for combat.

Before now, the emphasis was on training components unrelated to the war, such as theoretical and political studies.

The updates follow a request from the Central Military Commission that the People's Liberation Army become a more coordinated and war-ready organization in 2019.

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The Air Force was urged the following year by President Xi Jinping to accelerate the training of new combat forces.
Over the past year, the Air Force has undergone a significant modernization process and sent an increasing number of state-of-the-art military aircraft to sensitive locations such as the Taiwan Strait.

According to experts more training reforms are necessary.
According to Song Zhongping, military analyst and former PLA instructor, the Chinese Air Force should develop its ability to coordinate with other forces and conduct joint operations.

Song said the use of drones to enhance strike capabilities would be essential for victory in future conflicts.

According to Zhou Chenming, a researcher at the Yuan Wang Think Tank for Military Science and Technology, the Air Force still had logistical issues, and personnel needed to learn how to better provide support for fighters.

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"China can now produce state-of-the-art aircraft such as the J-20, but there is a lack of qualified pilots for oil tankers and transport aircraft. According to Zhou, the Chinese Air Force's ability to project power could be hampered.

With more than 2,800 aircraft, the Chinese Air Force is the largest in the region and the third largest in the world, according to the China Military Strength Report published by the US Department of Defense.

According to the report, as China continues to modernize with the delivery of domestically built aircraft and various types of drones, it is quickly catching up to the Western Air Force.