The Nanjing Military Region Air Force (MRAF), headquartered in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, is one of the seven MRAFs under of the PLA Air Force. It is the air component of the Nanjing Military Region (MR), responsible for the air defence of China's southeast region and providing air support for the ground and naval forces. The Nanjing MRAF is under the dual leadership of the Headquarters Air Force (HqAF) and the Nanjing MR. The commander of the Nanjing MRAF is concurrently a deputy commander of the Nanjing MR.
The Nanjing MRAF possesses the strongest aviation asset among the seven MRAFs. These units include: the 3rd Fighter Division (Wuhu), 10th Bomber Division (Nanjing), 14th Fighter Division (Xiangtang), 26th Special Mission Aircraft Division (Chongming), 28th Attacker Division (Hangzhou), 29th Fighter Division (Quzhou), MRAF Training Base (Rugao), two reconnaissance regiment based in Jiangxi and Jiangsu Province, and the 13th Flying College based at Bengbu.
The aircraft deployed by the Nanjing MRAF include: JH-7A (one regiment), H-6A and H-6E (two regiments), Su-30MKK (two regiments), J-10 (one regiment), J-11 (one regiment), J-7E (two regiments), J-7B (1~2 regiments),Q-5 (1~2 regiments), and J-7D (one regiment). The two reconnaissance regiments were previously equipped with the JZ-6 reconnaissance aircraft, but they may no longer be operational. In 2004, the 26th Fighter Division was reorganised into a special mission aircraft division consisting of an airborne early warning regiment (KJ-2000), a search & rescue regiment (Z-8K), and a reconnaissance regiment (JZ-8F?).
Major airbases in the region include Wuhu (Anhui), Zhangshu (Jiangxi), Quzhou (Zhejiang), Suzhou (Jiangsu), Chongming (Shanghai), Xiangtang (Jiangsi), Jinggangshan (Jiangxi), Qianqiao (Zhejiang), Daxiaochang (Nanjing, Jiangsu).
The air defence troops of the Nanjing MRAF include a SAM brigade and a SAM regiment, both are equipped with the indigenous HQ-2 SAM. At least one battalion of the Russian S-300PMU2 missile air defence system has been deployed in the region. Sone reports suggested that the Nanjing MRAF has received some HQ-12 (KS-1) SAM systems for test and evaluation in the late 1990s, but this cannot be confirmed.
Command and control elements of the Nanjing MRAF include the Shanghai Command Post, the Fuzhou Command Post, the Zhangzhou Command Post, three radar brigades and a communications regiment.
