The Navy of the PLA was established on April 23, 1949. Its primary missions are, independently or jointly with the Army and Air Force, to guard against enemy invasion from the sea, defend the states sovereignty over its territorial waters, and safeguard the states maritime rights and interests. The Navy has such arms as the sub marine, surface, naval aviation, coastal defense and marine corps, as well as other specialized units. Under the Navy, there are three fleets, namely, the Bei hai, Dong hai and Nan hai fleets, as well as the Naval Aviation Department. Each fleet has bases, maritimegarrison commands, flotillas and squadrons under its command. The submarine force is composed both of conventional and nuclear-powered units, with underwater attack and some nuclear counterattack capabilities respectively. The nuclear-powered sub-marine force, which assumes the strategic nuclear counter attack mission, is under the direct command of the CMC. The surface force has combat and support units, which have anti-ship, antisubmarine, air defense, mine warfare and shore attack capabilities. The navalaviation is composed of bomber, fighter-bomber, attacker, fighter,an tisubmarine and reconnaissance units, and security, ECM, trans-port, rescue and air refueling Units, which have reconnais sance,security, anti-ship, an tisubmaritle and air defense capabilities. Theor ganizational order is: Naval Aviation Department, fleet aviation ,and aviation division and regiment. The naval coastal defense forceis composed of shore-to-ship missile and coastal artillery units,which have capabilities to defend Chinas coasts. The marine corps has infantry, artillery, armor and engineering units, as well as reconnaissance, chemical defense and communications units. It is arapid assault force for amphibious operations.<br> The Air Force of the PLA was established on November 11,1949. Its primary missions are organizing homeland air defense top rotect the territorial air, and providing air security for key facilities; organizing relatively independent air offensive operations; in dependently or jointly with the Army, the Navy or the Second Artillery Force, engaging in joint operations against enemy invasion from the air, or in conducting air strikes against the enemy.
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