Chengdu Aircraft Corporation

AVIC Chengdu Aircraft Industrial (Group) Co., Ltd.
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Aerospace, Defense
Predecessor	National 132nd Factory
Founded	1958 in Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Headquarters	Chengdu, China
Area served	Primarily Chinese military; international exports
Products	Military aircraft (fighter jets), aircraft components, engines, UAVs, business jets
Owner	Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)
Number of employees	Approx. 30,485 (10,485 in 1964 + 20,000 at Chengdu Engine Corporation) (Various years)
Parent	Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)

AVIC Chengdu Aircraft Industrial (Group) Co., Ltd., widely referred to as Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), operates as a subsidiary under the AVIC umbrella. It stands as a prominent Chinese aerospace entity focused on the development and manufacturing of military aircraft and related components. Established in 1958 originally as the National 132nd Factory located in Chengdu, Sichuan, its primary clientele is the Chinese military.

CAC is responsible for designing and producing a range of sophisticated fighter jets, including the Chengdu J-10, a lightweight multi-role fighter; the Chengdu J-20, a fifth-generation stealth aircraft; and the CAC/PAC FC-1 Xiaolong, a very light multi-role fighter developed collaboratively with Pakistan.

The corporation is acclaimed for introducing China's inaugural fifth-generation stealth fighter, marking China as the second country worldwide—and the first across Asia—to deploy such cutting-edge aviation technology.

History

In April 1956, China entered into an agreement with the Soviet Union to receive support for its aviation industry, which included establishing the No. 132 fighter production facility. Construction commenced in October 1958 and concluded by October 1964, involving an investment of 180 million yuan and encompassing an area of 507.4 hectares with a workforce of 10,485 employees. The factory achieved the successful maiden flight of its first J-5 fighter in November 1964, followed by the dual-seat FT-5 variant in May 1966. Preparations were made for producing the J-7 model; however, during the Cultural Revolution, the facility remained under military jurisdiction until 1972.

Following the Cultural Revolution, the No. 132 factory transitioned towards scientific innovation and manufacturing. The initial flight of the J-7I took place in March 1970, with design work on the J-7II completed by 1975. To support mass production of the J-7 series, an expansive workshop covering 80,642 square meters was constructed by 1985, enabling an annual output nearing 200 fighters. In 1979, the facility was renamed Chengdu Aircraft Company (CAC), broadening its scope to include exports and civilian product lines such as motorcycles. In 1982, CAC underwent restructuring under a management approach described as "unified leadership and decentralised management."

To improve its offerings for both domestic use and international markets, CAC integrated advanced foreign technologies into its products. Exported variants like the J-7A, F-7IIA, F-7B, F-7M, and F-7III reached over ten countries globally. The J-7M model, introduced in 1984, represented China's most sophisticated light fighter at that time. By 1985, CAC had established a quality assurance system dedicated to military products and diversified into civilian sectors including light vehicles and precision tooling. By 1987, specialized factories producing hydraulic landing gear fixtures, motorcycle engines, and dry-cleaning equipment were operational; CAC also became one of China's nineteen motorcycle manufacturers.

In 1988, CAC formed a subcontracting alliance with a U.S. company contributing to production efforts for the McDonnell Douglas MD-80. The company reorganized as Chengdu Aircraft Industrial Corporation in 1989 and attained state enterprise status in 1990. The first MD-80 nose section was delivered in 1991.

By 1992, facilities related to motorcycle manufacturing and jack production were separated into a distinct civilian products enterprise. CAC earned recognition as a key industrial player within China's aviation sector. Throughout the early 1990s, wage reforms and workforce reductions were implemented to enhance operational efficiency. International subcontracting partnerships expanded by 1995 to include major aerospace firms such as McDonnell Douglas and Boeing, as well as collaborators from South Korea and Singapore. By 1996, non-aviation revenue surpassed one million yuan due to increased diversification efforts. CAC began manufacturing components like vertical and horizontal tails for aircraft including the Airbus A320 and Boeing 757, while also achieving ISO9001 certification for quality management within avionics.

The successful first flight of the Chengdu J-10 fighter in 1998 showcased CAC's ability to produce third-generation fighter technology domestically. By 2002, prototypes of the FC-1 / Super-7 fighter—developed jointly with Pakistan—were completed. This era also saw adoption of digital design tools alongside modern manufacturing and management systems. Additionally, the J-7G completed its inaugural flight during this time frame, accompanied by agreements signed with Dassault for manufacturing Falcon 2000EX fuel tanks.

Facilities

Chengdu Airframe Manufacturing Plant
Chengdu Engine Corporation – originally established as Chengdu Aero-Engine Factory in 1958; spans 137 hectares and employs approximately 20,000 personnel
Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute
Wenjiang Airbase

Aircraft

Chengdu JJ-5 (JianJiao-5) – basic jet trainer; export variant known as FT-5
Chengdu J-7 – lightweight interceptor aircraft; export versions designated F-7 (both operational and retired models)
- Project Sabre II
Chengdu J-9 – interceptor project from the 1970s that was eventually cancelled (prototype stage)
Chengdu J-10 – fourth-generation multi-role fighter jet (currently operational and under production)
FC-1 Xiaolong/JF-17 Thunder – lightweight multi-role fighter of the fourth generation (operational and in production)
Chengdu J-20 – fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft (operational and actively produced)
Chengdu J-36 – stealth fighter currently in development

Business Jet

CBJ800 – large-scale business jet undergoing development

Aircraft Components

Nose section for the ACAC ARJ21
Licensed manufacturing of McDonnell Douglas MD-80 / MD-90 series
Supplier of parts for Northrop Grumman
Empennage assemblies for the Boeing 757
Production of components and maintenance tools for Airbus

Engines

Licensed production of the RD-500K turbojet engine
WP6 turbojet – Chinese adaptation of the Tumansky RD-9 engine
LM WP13 turbojet – Chinese variant of the Tumansky R-13 engine
Support components for operators of the Pratt & Whitney JT8D turbofan engine

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Chengdu Winglong UAV
Chengdu Xianglong UAV