The deadly crash of a People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military plane in Guizhou province last month during a training exercise has raised questions about whether China’s relentless push for military modernisation has outpaced its actual capabilities.

While China may have succeeded in cracking design secrets and technical aspects of foreign jets, it is still grappling with cutting-edge engine production which requires high-precision manufacturing and deep materials engineering know-how, which China lacks, said analysts.

The use of ageing aircraft, such as the 1990s-era Tu-154, for long-distance maritime missions also shows a lack of confidence in the new models when it comes to longer missions, said S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies research fellow Wu Shang-Su.

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