Kenneth Allen

Kenneth W. Allen is a retired U.S. Air Force officer, whose extensive service abroad includes a tour in China as the Assistant Air Attaché. He has written numerous articles on Chinese military affairs.

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Articles by Kenneth Allen

PLA Officer Cadet Recruitment: Part 2

Editor’s Note: This is the second article in a two-part series on People’s Liberation Army (PLA; 人民解放军) officer cadet recruitment since the PLA reduced the number of officer academic institutions

PLA Officer Cadet Recruitment: Part 1

Editor’s Note: This is the first article in a two-part series on People’s Liberation Army (PLA; 人民解放军) officer cadet recruitment since the PLA reduced the number of officer academic institutions

Managing the PLA’s Military Diplomacy: Key Institutions and Personnel

Introduction The People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) status as the armed forces of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is particularly manifest in its handling of military diplomacy. This article examines the

The PLA’s Military Diplomacy in Advance of the 20th Party Congress (Part Two)

Editor’s Note: This is the second article in a two-part series on PLA military diplomacy. The first article focused on leader-level engagement. This piece examines specific areas of activity in

The PLA’s Military Diplomacy in Advance of the 20th Party Congress (Part One)

Introduction As the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) Chinese Communist Party (CCP) approaches its 20th Party Congress, which begins on October 16, General Secretary Xi Jinping is set to continue

All Eyes on the Ministry of Veterans Affairs

Introduction On March 19, 2018, the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) ratified the establishment of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs (MVA) (中华人民共和国退役军人事务部, Zhonghua renmiin gongheguo tuiyi junren shiwu bu) as an element

The Evolution of the PLA’s Enlisted Force: Training (Part Two)

Introduction On January 4, 2022, Chinese President and Central Military Commission Chairman Xi Jinping issued a mobilization order for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to begin its annual training cycle.

The Evolution of the PLA’s Enlisted Force: Conscription and Recruitment (Part One)

Introduction This article is the first in a two-part series on the evolution of the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) enlisted force. Part one provides background and examines key issues in

Early Warning Brief: The PLA’s Military Diplomacy Under COVID-19

Introduction The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been responsible for conducting military diplomacy since the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. In the 1950s, military cooperation

Waiting in the Wings: PLAAF General Yi Xiaoguang

Central Military Commission (CMC) Member and People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force (PLAAF) Commander, General Ma Xiaotian (马晓天), will reach his mandatory retirement age later this year and will likely

China’s Navy Gets a New Helmsman (Part 2): Remaining Uncertainties

Part 1 of this series discussed Vice Admiral Shen Jinlong’s background, meteoric rise, and recent promotion to PLAN Commander. However, his appointment raises a number of questions about his role

China’s Navy Gets a New Helmsman (Part 1): Spotlight on Vice Admiral Shen Jinlong

A new leader has just taken the helm of the world’s largest navy. Vice Admiral Shen Jinlong (沈金龙) reportedly replaced Admiral Wu Shengli (吴胜利) as PLAN Commander on January 17,

China Announces Reform of Military Ranks

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is not satisfied with its organizational structure and has been trying to adjust it to create a more effective joint war fighting capability. 2016 saw

Assessing Who Will Be the Next PLA Navy Commander

Admiral Wu Shengli, who has been the commander of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) since August 2006, a Member of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Central Military Commission (CMC)

Growing PLA Transparency as a Means of Employing Soft Power Part 2: PLA External Signaling since the 18th Party Congress

This article, the second of a two-part series, examines the PLA’s use of soft power for external signaling. The first article, available, here examines Chinese military soft power as part

Growing PLA Transparency as a Means of Employing Soft Power, Part 1: PLA Internal Signaling Since the 18th Party Congress

As China emerges during the 21st Century as a strong regional power with a growing global footprint, the role of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) as a means of employing

The Human and Organizational Dimensions of the PLA’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems

PLA theorists see unmanned operations (无人作战) as integral elements of future warfare. For instance, in a January 2016 article, Xiao Tianliang, editor of the People’s Liberation Army National Defense University’

Building a Strong Informatized Strategic Missile Force: An Overview of the Second Artillery Force with a Focus on Training in 2014

This report analyzes the training and personnel recruitment of the People’s Liberation Army Second Artillery Force (PLASAF), China’s main strategic deterrent force. While there has been a considerable amount of

PLA Air Force, Naval Aviation, and Army Aviation Aviator Recruitment, Education, and Training

This report provides an overview of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) aviation branch’s aviator recruitment, education, and training. Although the focus of the report is on the PLAAF,

The PLA’s New Organizational Structure: What is Known, Unknown, and Speculation (Part 2)

Note: This article is part of a series examining changes to China’s Military organizational structure and personnel. Part 1 examines what is known and unknown. Part 2 contains speculation as

The PLA’s New Organizational Structure: What is Known, Unknown and Speculation (Part 1)

Note: This article is part of a two-part series examining changes to China’s Military organizational structure and personnel. Part 1 examines what is known and unknown. Part 2 contains speculation

The Top Trends in China’s Military Diplomacy

Global outreach is the inevitable course for China’s forces to deal with various threats and to fulfill multiple tasks in the process of realizing the “Chinese Dream” and a strong

China’s Military Political Commissar System in Comparative Perspective

In October 2012, most Western analysts of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) were surprised when the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Central Military Commission (CMC) appointed General Tian Xiusi—who had served

Assessing PLA Navy and Air Force Political Commissar Career Paths

This article briefly discusses the history of the political commissars (PCs, zhengwei) for the People’s Liberation Army’s Navy (PLAN) and Air Force (PLAAF) since the services were established in 1949,

China’s Air Force Female Aviators: Sixty Years of Excellence (1952-2012)

In March 2012, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force celebrated the 60th anniversary of female aviators (feixing renyuan) joining the first operational unit, thus making China one of 16

Assessing the Growing PLA Air Force Foreign Relations Program

The People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s (PLAAF) foreign relations program is an increasingly important component of the PLA’s overall foreign relations program. As part of China’s overall program, it gradually

PLA Air Force Male Aviation Cadet Recruitment, Education and Training

China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is still searching for the best way to recruit, educate and train its male aviation cadets (feixing xueyuan). After graduation, they serve as

Chinese Air Force Officer Recruitment, Education and Training

As the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continues to emphasize the need to raise the quality of its personnel, analyzing the recruitment, education and training of the officer corps becomes

Assessing China’s Response to U.S. Reconnaissance Flights

On June 29, 2011, for the first time in a decade, a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force (PLAAF) J-11 crossed the center line of the Taiwan Strait in an

Assessing the Grade Structure for China’s Aircraft Carriers: Part 2

This is the second of a two-part series about the grade (zhiwu dengji) system of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), and how China’s forthcoming carrier might fit into the fleet

Assessing the Grade Structure for China’s Aircraft Carriers: Part 1

IntroductionAs China’s maiden aircraft carrier nears its sea trials, speculation about its capabilities, missions, level of technology and the rank of its commanding officer (CO) has increased [1]. This two-part

The Ten Pillars of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force: An Assessment

During Secretary of Defense Robert Gates's visit to China in January 2011, he stressed the importance of solid military-to-military relations. As a result of this visit, the U.S. Air Force

Assessing the PLA Air Force’s Ten Pillars

During Secretary of Defense Robert Gates’ visit to China in January 2011, he stressed the importance of solid military-to-military relations. As a result of his visit, the U.S. Air Force

Assessing the PLA’s Promotion Ladder to CMC Member Based on Grades vs. Ranks – Part 2

On July 19, Central Military Commission (CMC) Chairman Hu Jintao promoted 11 military officers to three stars (general/admiral), bringing the total since 1988 to 129 officers (Xinhua News Agency, July

Assessing the PLA’s Promotion Ladder to CMC Member Based on Grades vs. Ranks – Part 1

As China approaches the 18th Party Congress in late 2012, followed by the 12th National People’s Congress (NPC) in early 2013, China watchers have begun to speculate about the next

REFORMS IN THE PLA AIR FORCE

“The People’s Liberation Army is stepping up preparations for military struggle. While continuing to attach importance to building the Army, the PLA gives priority to building the Navy, Air Force,