[1] He enlisted in the People's Liberation Army in 1946 and joined the Chinese Communist Party in the same year.

[1] After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Cao was selected to join the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and received pilot training at the PLAAF Fourth Flight Academy (now Shijiazhuang Flight Academy).

[3] In the 1980s, Cao concurrently served as commander of the Shenyang Military Region Air Force and deputy commander of the Shenyang MR.[3][4] When the PLA restored its military ranks in 1988, he was awarded the rank of lieutenant general.

[3] In November 1992, Cao succeeded Wang Hai as the commander of the PLAAF,[5] and was promoted to full general in 1993.

[3] However, the Air Force suffered an excess number of accidents under his command, and he was dismissed after only two years[6] and replaced by Yu Zhenwu in November 1994.