Xian JH-7
Encyclopedia
The Xian JH-7 (Jianjiji Hongzhaji - fighter-bomber); NATO reporting name
Flounder), also known as the FBC-1 (Fighter/Bomber China-1) Flying Leopard, is a tandem
two-seat, twin-engine fighter-bomber
in service with the People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force
(PLANAF), and the People's Liberation Army Air Force
(PLAAF). The main contractors are Xian Aircraft Industry Corporation (XAC) and the 603rd Aircraft Design Institute (later named the First Aircraft Institute of AVIC-1
.)
The first JH-7s were delivered to the PLANAF in the mid-1990s for evaluation
, with the improved JH-7A entering service in 2004.
to replace the Harbin H-5 and Nanchang Q-5
. A request was duly submitted to the Ministry of Aviation Industry
(later renamed to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China), which organized a domestic development program when efforts to secure a joint venture with foreign partners failed. The program was authorized on April 19, 1983 by then-paramount leader
Deng Xiaoping
. The program was also aiming for make use of newly imported British Spey turbofan engines at the time.
Key positions were filled as follows:
(ECM), and terrain following
capabilities similar to the General Dynamics F-111
. The PLANAF would receive a two-man all-weather, tandem cockpit, strike and reconnaissance aircraft. The PLAAF variant was dropped in the early 1980s, with the PLANAF variant becoming the JH-7.
Six prototype
s were built by December 1988, and the PLANAF received 12 to 18 aircraft in the early 1990s for evaluation. The first aircraft used imported Rolls-Royce Spey Mk.202 engines, later replaced by a license-built copy, the WS-9. They were equipped with the Type 243H multifunction radar, which could detect ships at a maximum of 175 kilometres (108.7 mi), and MiG-21-sized aerial targets at 75 kilometres (46.6 mi).
The JH-7 was designed as an anti-shipping fighter-bomber. As with the later JH-7A, its aerial combat capability was insignificant given the large number of specialist aircraft for that role.
When the PLA examined the future role of air forces, it identified a need for precision air-to-surface
capability. An improved JH-7, the JH-7A, was designed to meet this requirement. The JH-7A's general and deputy general designers were Tang Changhong (唐长红) and Wu Jieqin (吴介琴) respectively.
The JH-7A had a lighter and stronger airframe than the JH-7, allowing the newer aircraft to carry a maximum ordnance load of 9000 kg. In PLANAF, this allowed four YJ-82 anti-ship missiles to be carried, compared to the two on the JH-7. In addition, it had JL-10A
pulse doppler radar, fly-by-wire
flight control system, one-piece windscreen, additional hardpoint
s, and could fire laser-guided bomb
s and Kh-31
P anti-radiation missile
s. The existing JH-7s were upgraded with JH-7A electronics.
The JH-7A was the first Chinese aircraft to use paperless design, and was the first aircraft in the world to be designed using CAD/CAM CATIA
V.5 software.
On 19 July 2009, a JH-7A crashed during the Sino-Russia military exercise "Peace Mission 2009". Both pilots failed to eject and were killed.
On 14 October 2011, a JH-7A crashed during an exhibition at an air show in central China, outside the city of Xi'an. One pilot was killed and one injured in this accident.
NATO reporting name
NATO reporting names are classified code names for military equipment of the Eastern Bloc...
Flounder), also known as the FBC-1 (Fighter/Bomber China-1) Flying Leopard, is a tandem
Tandem
Tandem is an arrangement where a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction....
two-seat, twin-engine fighter-bomber
Fighter-bomber
A fighter-bomber is a fixed-wing aircraft with an intended primary role of light tactical bombing and also incorporating certain performance characteristics of a fighter aircraft. This term, although still used, has less significance since the introduction of rockets and guided missiles into aerial...
in service with the People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force
People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force
The People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force is the naval aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army Navy of the People's Republic of China.-Mission:Primary Mission* Provide fleet air defense for PLAN surface combatants...
(PLANAF), and the People's Liberation Army Air Force
People's Liberation Army Air Force
The People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China...
(PLAAF). The main contractors are Xian Aircraft Industry Corporation (XAC) and the 603rd Aircraft Design Institute (later named the First Aircraft Institute of AVIC-1
China Aviation Industry Corporation I
China Aviation Industry Corporation I was a Chinese consortium of aircraft manufacturers. The consortium was created on July 1, 1999 by splitting the state-owned consortium China Aviation Industry Corporation into AVIC I and AVIC II...
.)
The first JH-7s were delivered to the PLANAF in the mid-1990s for evaluation
Evaluation
Evaluation is systematic determination of merit, worth, and significance of something or someone using criteria against a set of standards.Evaluation often is used to characterize and appraise subjects of interest in a wide range of human enterprises, including the arts, criminal justice,...
, with the improved JH-7A entering service in 2004.
A new fighter bomber
In the early 1970s, the PLAAF required a new fighter-bomberFighter-bomber
A fighter-bomber is a fixed-wing aircraft with an intended primary role of light tactical bombing and also incorporating certain performance characteristics of a fighter aircraft. This term, although still used, has less significance since the introduction of rockets and guided missiles into aerial...
to replace the Harbin H-5 and Nanchang Q-5
Nanchang Q-5
The Nanchang Q-5 , also known as the A-5 in its export versions, is a Chinese-built jet ground-attack aircraft based on the Soviet MiG-19. Its main role is close air support.-Design and development:...
. A request was duly submitted to the Ministry of Aviation Industry
Aviation Industry Corporation of China
Aviation Industry Corporation of China is a Chinese state-owned company of aviation industry, both military and civilian...
(later renamed to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China), which organized a domestic development program when efforts to secure a joint venture with foreign partners failed. The program was authorized on April 19, 1983 by then-paramount leader
Paramount leader
Paramount leader literally "the highest leader of the party and the state ", in modern Chinese political science, unofficially refers to the political leader of the People's Republic of China....
Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping was a Chinese politician, statesman, and diplomat. As leader of the Communist Party of China, Deng was a reformer who led China towards a market economy...
. The program was also aiming for make use of newly imported British Spey turbofan engines at the time.
Key positions were filled as follows:
- General designer: Chen Yijian
- General engineer: Liu liangZhi
- Test flight program manager: Wang Ang (王昂), deputy minister of the Chinese Aeronautical Ministry
- Deputy test flight program manager: Ma Chenglin , deputy director of the Military Aircraft Directorate of the Chinese Aeronautical Ministry
- Chief test pilot: Huang Bingxin , commander of the PLAAF Flight Test Regiment and China Flight Test Establishment (CFTE) vice president
- Chief of ground operations during test flights: Peng Diyu , deputy commander of the PLAAF Flight Test Regiment
- Chief backseat test pilot: Xing Yancai , CFTE chief navigator
JH-7
The PLANAF required a similar aircraft and the program set out to develop a variant for each set of requirements. The PLAAF variant would be a two-man all-weather deep strike bomber, with side-by-side cockpit seating, electronic countermeasuresElectronic countermeasures
An electronic countermeasure is an electrical or electronic device designed to trick or deceive radar, sonar or other detection systems, like infrared or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny targeting information to an enemy...
(ECM), and terrain following
Terrain-following radar
Terrain-following radar is an aerospace technology that allows a very-low-flying aircraft to automatically maintain a relatively constant altitude above ground level. It is sometimes referred-to as ground hugging or terrain hugging flight...
capabilities similar to the General Dynamics F-111
General Dynamics F-111
The General Dynamics F-111 "Aardvark" was a medium-range interdictor and tactical strike aircraft that also filled the roles of strategic bomber, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare in its various versions. Developed in the 1960s by General Dynamics, it first entered service in 1967 with the...
. The PLANAF would receive a two-man all-weather, tandem cockpit, strike and reconnaissance aircraft. The PLAAF variant was dropped in the early 1980s, with the PLANAF variant becoming the JH-7.
Six prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
s were built by December 1988, and the PLANAF received 12 to 18 aircraft in the early 1990s for evaluation. The first aircraft used imported Rolls-Royce Spey Mk.202 engines, later replaced by a license-built copy, the WS-9. They were equipped with the Type 243H multifunction radar, which could detect ships at a maximum of 175 kilometres (108.7 mi), and MiG-21-sized aerial targets at 75 kilometres (46.6 mi).
The JH-7 was designed as an anti-shipping fighter-bomber. As with the later JH-7A, its aerial combat capability was insignificant given the large number of specialist aircraft for that role.
JH-7A
Precision-guided munition
A precision-guided munition is a guided munition intended to precisely hit a specific target, and to minimize damage to things other than the target....
capability. An improved JH-7, the JH-7A, was designed to meet this requirement. The JH-7A's general and deputy general designers were Tang Changhong (唐长红) and Wu Jieqin (吴介琴) respectively.
The JH-7A had a lighter and stronger airframe than the JH-7, allowing the newer aircraft to carry a maximum ordnance load of 9000 kg. In PLANAF, this allowed four YJ-82 anti-ship missiles to be carried, compared to the two on the JH-7. In addition, it had JL-10A
JL-10A
The JL-10A airborne radar is a highly digitized pulse-Doppler radar with slotted planar array developed for the People's Liberation Army Air Force as a replacement for the older Type 232H radar currently employed by the Chinese air force. The radar is built to MIL-STD-1553 standard so it is...
pulse doppler radar, fly-by-wire
Fly-by-wire
Fly-by-wire is a system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires , and flight control computers determine how to move the actuators at each control...
flight control system, one-piece windscreen, additional hardpoint
Hardpoint
A hardpoint, or weapon station, is any part of an airframe designed to carry an external load. This includes a point on the wing or fuselage of military aircraft where external ordnance, countermeasures, gun pods, targeting pods or drop tanks can be mounted.-Rail launchers:Large missiles and...
s, and could fire laser-guided bomb
Laser-guided bomb
A laser-guided bomb is a guided bomb that uses semi-active laser homing to strike a designated target with greater accuracy than an unguided bomb. LGBs are one of the most common and widespread guided bombs, used by a large number of the world's air forces.- Overview :Laser-guided munitions use a...
s and Kh-31
Kh-31
The Kh-31 is a Russian air-to-surface missile carried by aircraft such as the MiG-29 or Su-27. It is a sea skimming cruise missile with a range of or more and capable of Mach 3.5, the first supersonic anti-ship missile that could be launched by tactical aircraft.There are several variants, it is...
P anti-radiation missile
Anti-radiation missile
An anti-radiation missile is a missile which is designed to detect and home on an enemy radio emission source. Typically these are designed for use against an enemy radar, although jammers and even radios used for communication can also be targeted in this manner.- Air-to-Ground :Most ARM designs...
s. The existing JH-7s were upgraded with JH-7A electronics.
The JH-7A was the first Chinese aircraft to use paperless design, and was the first aircraft in the world to be designed using CAD/CAM CATIA
CATIA
CATIA is a multi-platform CAD/CAM/CAE commercial software suite developed by the French company Dassault Systemes...
V.5 software.
Operational history
The JH-7A entered service with the PLANAF in early 2004, and with the PLAAF by the end of the year.On 19 July 2009, a JH-7A crashed during the Sino-Russia military exercise "Peace Mission 2009". Both pilots failed to eject and were killed.
On 14 October 2011, a JH-7A crashed during an exhibition at an air show in central China, outside the city of Xi'an. One pilot was killed and one injured in this accident.
Operators
- People's Liberation Army Naval Air ForcePeople's Liberation Army Naval Air ForceThe People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force is the naval aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army Navy of the People's Republic of China.-Mission:Primary Mission* Provide fleet air defense for PLAN surface combatants...
- 54 . - People's Liberation Army Air ForcePeople's Liberation Army Air ForceThe People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China...
- 59 .
Variants
- JH-7 - Initial production version of the PLANAF anti-shipping fighter-bomber.
- JH-7A - Later production utilising composite structure to reduce weight, improved flying control system and improved avionics including the JL10A Shan Ying J-band pulse-doppler radar. Weapon loads increased by the addition of two more wing hardpoints and two hardpoints under the intake trunking for mission pods such as targeting pods.
- FBC-1 Flying Leopard - Export version of the JH-7.
- FBC-1A Flying Leopard II - Export version of the JH-7A.