[EDITED] The Chinese military aviation data dump of 2014 continues

And the 2014 data dump on China's military aviation developments continue. Following closely on the recent hi-res pic of a J-16 in flight, we now have:

Shenyang J-15 S/N 556 carrying a Russian UPAZ-1A buddy refuelling store. Click on thumbnail for hi-res photo.

Xi'an H-6G Badger bomber carrying the YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship missile.

Chinese Il-76MD in flight with a new high-bypass turbofan engine (WS-20?) mounted on the port inboard station. This will most likely be the engine that will eventually power the Y-20 airlifter, with the engine having started aircraft tests several months back and expected to enter into service in 2015.

Both the H-6G and Il-76 pictured are both test aircraft, belonging to the China Flight Test Establishment (CFTE) based at Xi'an-Yanliang.

[EDIT 09JAN2014]: And the reveals are not just restricted to fixed wing aircraft. Yesterday saw photos of a Harbin Z-19 light attack helicopter carrying what appears to be a roof-mouted radar similar to the Longbow millimetre wave radar carried by the AH-64D/E Apache. As Greg Waldron over at Flightglobal notes, we are not sure if the radar is a prototype, mockup or the real deal. But it does say a lot about China's ambitions. More pics here and here.

And not strictly 2014, but while most of the world was celebrating Christmas or nursing Boxing Day hangovers in 2013, China's Harbin Z-20, which has been likened by many to be a clone of the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, made its first flight.

All photos from the Chinese internet

Chinese Shenyang Jian-8 (J-8) crashes in Zhejiang, pilot killed

Shenyang JZ-8F. Note the camera fairing immediately aft of the nose landing gear. (Chinese Internet)

BEIJING, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- A fighter plane crashed in Anji County in east China's Zhejiang Province at 7:11 p.m. on Thursday, leaving the pilot dead, according to the Ministry of National Defense.

The fighter aircraft, the Jian-8, was conducting night flight training when the accident occurred, the ministry said in a statement on its website Friday.

There are no casualties on the ground, according to the statement.

My notes: Judging by the location of the crash, the aircraft could be a Shenyang JZ-8F reconnaissance platform from the Nanjing Military Region's 93rd Brigade, based at Suzhou to the northeast of Anji County.

Another possibility is that the crashed aircraft was a J-8H interceptor of the 78th Brigade at Shanghai-Chongming, an island immediately to the north of Shanghai. (Map © Google )

PHOTO: Chinese Nanchang Q-5 ground attack aircraft

Via Chinese Internet. Click on thumbnail for high resolution image

It's not the most capable combat aircraft out there, but I really like the lines of the Nanchang Q-5 ground attack jet. Based on the MiG-19/J-6, the Q-5 mated the MiG-19/J-6 rear fuselage and wings (incorporating improvements) with a basic radar in the nose and a more conventional intake design. This aircraft, a precision strike-enabled Q-5L variant serving with the Chinese Air Force's 5th Ground Attack Division, 13th Air Regiment at Weifang-Weixian in Shandong Province, represents the zenith of the design. In this high-quality photo from the Chinese Internet, Q-5L 10368 is pictured landing while carrying a K/PZS-01 targeting pod on one of its fuselage pylons.

More on that Chinese Electronic Warfare Y-8 patrolling China's ADIZ

After the Chinese declaration of a Air Defense Identification Zone over the East China Sea on the 23rd of November (see my take over at War Is Boring), China sent up the first patrol to "enforce" its ADIZ that very same day. It was duly intercepted by fighters from Japan's Air Self Defense Force, which brought back a photo of another of China's rarely-seen Y-8 Special Missions types, this time being a Chinese Air Force Shaanxi Y-8GX-1 Electronic Warfare platform.

The Y-8GX-series (GX - GaoXin, 高新 or literally translated as "High New" which is the code name for China's Special Missions Y-8 project) of Special Missions aircraft is not really well known in the public sphere. The various sub-types - eight have been identified so far - fulfill a range of missions such as Electronic Warfare and intelligence gathering (ELINT and SIGINT) along with more orthodox roles like Maritime Patrol and Anti-Submarine Warfare.

The Y-8GX-1 is the first Gao Xin variant, and first flight took place on 26th January 2000. At least four, possibly up to six, airframes were converted to this variant. The Y-8GX-1 featured the removal of the Y-8 transport's rear cargo ramp and is liberally covered in various antennae along the top and bottom fuselage. A large semi-spherical fairing (SATCOM antenna?) sits in front of the vertical tail while a ventral canoe fairing is located on the forward fuselage.

Not much else is known publicly about on-board equipment, but it is reportedly equipped with the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) JN1119 Airborne Communication Reconnaissance System capable of intercepting, direction finding, and jamming wireless communication signals between 100-500MHz and may also carry the 300 & 308 systems for similar purposes.

The first sighting of this type occured in July 2005 while serving with the former 30th Independent (Electronic-Warfare) Regiment, at Nanjing-Dajiaochang in Jiangsu Province. Sometime between late 2011 and 2012 at least two aircraft, including the aircraft photographed here, were transferred to an as-yet unknown Regiment of the newly-formed 20th Division and rehomed to Luzhou in Sichuan Province, part of China's Chengdu Military Region.

Japanese fighters intercept Chinese Tu-154MD SIGINT/ELINT aircraft

And now China's special missions Tupolev 154s have gotten in the act. The Japanese Ministry of Defence has issued a press release that it has scrambled interceptors against a Chinese Air Force Tu-154MD Type II Signals Intelligence/Electronic Intelligence (SIGINT/ELINT) aircraft west of Okinawa (see attached map for flightpath) on Saturday the 16th of November.

The aircraft, carrying a civil code (B-4015) is one of at least four such aircraft in the Chinese Air Force's inventory. The conversion of the type to its current role was carried out in the early 1990s, and originally carried a BM/KZ-800 ELINT suite. The Type II aircraft that was intercepted sports a long canoe fairing at the front of the fuselage, believed to house a Synthetic Aperture Radar as well as other fairings for its specialised role. The aircraft serve with the secretive 102nd Air Regiment, 34th Transport Division at Beijing-Nanyuan.

New photos of China's new KJ-500 AEW emerge

More photos have emerged of the prototype KJ-500 Airborne Early Warning Aircraft. The new aircraft is based on the Shaanxi Y-9 turboprop transport, and features a fixed rotodome on the top fuselage, reportedly housing 3 Active Electronically Scanned Array radars providing 360° coverage. Additional sideways looking Synthetic Aperture Radar antennas also appear to be fitted, with 2 antennas on the rear fuselage side.

China already operates 2 other types of AEW aircraft, with the 11 KJ-200 aircraft (based on the Y-8 transport) and 5 KJ-2000s (based on the Ilyushin Il-76) already in service with the Chinese Air Force's 76th Electronic Warfare Regiment, 26th Special Mission Division at Wuxi-Shuofang.

And a couple of pretty well-done rendering of what the KJ-500 will look like, although the nosecone in the 1st rendering is of a typical Y-9. The KJ-500 seems to sport an enlarged nosecone, most likely housing a specialised radar set.

Asia-Pacific Military Aviation News roundup: 26 Sept 2013

Kadena-based F-15C Eagle

Aircraft from the USS George Washington have conducted a joint exercise between the U.S. Navy and Air Force. USAF participants comprised of F-22s and F-15s from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa.

Demonstrating the global nature of their training, the Republic of Singapore Air Force's U.S.-based F-15s will train with the American, Canadian and German air forces in Idaho, while their F-16s are flying with the Indonesian Air Force and AH-64 Apaches and CH-47 Chinooks have been ferried to Australia to take part in Exercise Wallaby.

As if highlighting how they need replacement, a South Korean Northrop F-5E Tiger II has crashed. The pilot successfully ejected from the stricken jet.

The Chengdu J-10 fighter needs an export licence before it could be exported to overseas customers. There has reportedly been interest, though.

Asia-Pacific Military Aviation News roundup: 24 Sept 2013

Well, this is a surprise. South Korea has decided against acquiring the Boeing F-15SE Silent Eagle and will likely restart the fighter competition to select a replacement for the RoKAF's F-4 and F-5 fleets.

Chatter is increasing that budget problems will see the USAF retire its entire A-10 fleet. In the Asia-Pacific region this will affect one squadron based at Osan in South Korea.

The impending delivery of Taiwan's first P-3C Orion has been delayed due to a tropical storm forming in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Various companies are forming teams to offer proposals for Australia's Project AIR 5428 to supply trainers for Australia's fixed-wing pilot training system.

Asia-Pacific Military Aviation News roundup: 23 Sept 2013

Taiwanese F-16B

A bit of Taiwan-centric regional military aviation news roundup today:

Frustrated by American refusal to sell it JDAMs, Taiwan has developed its own smart munitions to equip the RoCAF's fighters.

In an effort to determine the cause, Taiwan has salvaged the wreck of a Mirage 2000 from the sea following a crash in May this year.

Still on Taiwan, the first of 12 P-3C Orions should arrive in Taiwan in the next day or so.

Following a six-month deployment, the F-16s of the USAF's 55th Fighter Squadron has left Osan in South Korea and returned to their base at Shaw AFB.

A Chinese general has reiterated the right of Chinese military aircraft to transit through international airspace between two Japanese islands for training flights into the Western Pacific. He also said that such training flights will continue, irregardless of Japan scrambling interceptors to investigate.

Asia-Pacific Military Aviation News roundup: 20 Sept 2013

Chinese Air Force Chengdu J-10

Budget issues in the United States may adversely affect Taiwan's plans to upgrade its F-16 fleet, if the USAF's plans to do likewise are stymied.

There are reportedly plans by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group to build up to 1,200 J-10s fighters, eventually with Chinese-built engines. This will include expected sales to Pakistan.

Asia-Pacific Military Aviation News roundup: 16 Sept 2013

It has been a busy past couple of days for military aviation news in the Asia-Pacific:

The Philippines Air Force has conducted two airstrikes in the past few days again Moro National Liberation Front rebels which have attacked a town in the southern Philippines. The strikes were carried out by McDonnell Douglas MG-520 Defender helicopters.

A photo of the Chinese WZ-10 attack helicopter carrying the TY-90 AAM is making the rounds of the Internet.

In a speech to Parliament, Singapore's Defence Minister has announced that the island nation is acquiring the Aster 30 ground based Surface to Air Missile and upgrading its F-16s.

An interesting video (in Mandarin) of the Guizhou JL-9 trainer in Chinese Navy service.

The South Korean president has reportedly been briefed that the Boeing F-15SE Silent Eagle is the sole eligible bid for the RoKAF's F-X III program

Asia-Pacific Military Aviation News roundup: 09 Sept 2013

Royal Malaysian Air Force MiG-29N

And the drip-drip of escalation has just went up a notch. Japan's Ministry of Defence has said that JASDF has scrambled fighters to intercept two H-6 bombers belonging to the Chinese Navy transiting through the Miyako Straits on Sunday. This was followed by the interception of an unidentified unmanned aircraft near the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands on Monday.

Looks like Malaysia's plan for a new fighter to replace its MiG-29s have been put on hold. The replacement was due to come on board by 2015 so as to allow the MiGs to be retired.

The deal for China to purchase the Sukhoi Su-35 should be concluded sometime in 2014, according to Russian sources.

Asia-Pacific Military Aviation News roundup: 04 Sept 2013

Royal Thai Air Force Gripen (Gripen International/Saab Photo)

Despite recent crashes in South Korea, the Philippines is still keen on the KAI F/A-50 light combat jet to give it some badly needed combat capability.

The last three Thai Saab Gripen fighters should arrive in Thailand this afternoon after they were forced to extend their stay at Port Blair in the Andaman Islands after one was hit by lightning on its way to Surat Thani yesterday. This brings deliveries of the Gripen to the Royal Thai Air Force to 12, completing the Thai order.

Couple of very clear photos of Chinese aircraft participating in the Sino-Russian Exercise Peace Mission at Chelyabinsk, Russia in August. First up, a PLAAF Xi'an JH-7A fighter bomber followed by an armed Harbin Z-9WA light utility helicopter.

Asia-Pacific Military Aviation News roundup: 28 Aug 2013

Wreckage of this afternoon's tragic RoKAF T-50 crash

Republic of Singapore Air Force pilots are flying the Arizona ANG's F-16s training with the RSAF's F-15SG detachment at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. It's pretty well known that the RSAF has aircraft based in CONUS for pilot training, but much less well known is the agreement for RSAF pilots to train on ANG F-16s.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has announced that United States will sell 8 AH-64E Apaches to Indonesia. An interesting decision by the Indonesian military, to say the least.

Chinese State media has announced that Changhe WZ-10 attack helicopter has launched an air-to-air missile for the first time during exercises over the waters off China's Guangzhou Province last week.

Apparently, the South Korean Air Force is not happy with the F-15SE selection as carried out by the government procurement agency. Unsuprisingly, the RoKAF wants the F-35A. Some of the comments in the link are worth reading, too (which is the real surprise).

Still on South Korea, an RoKAF T-50 trainer has crashed this afternoon near the southwestern city of Gwangju while on a training flight, killing both pilots.

Asia-Pacific Military Aviation News roundup: 23 Aug 2013

A People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Nanchang Q-5 has crashed near Dalian, in China's Liaoning Province today. The pilot was unfortunately killed in the crash.

Japan has announced that about half of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force's 13 E-2C Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning aircraft will be transferred to Naha in Okinawa from their current base in Misawa, northern Japan. This is to improve the area's Early Warning coverage in the face of increased Chinese overflights in the area surrounding the disputed Senkaku Islands.

Meanwhile, I've done up a separate blog post with more details about JASDF F-2 fighters intercepting a pair of Russian Tupolev Tu-95MS Bears that were accused of violating Japanese airspace. Japan has lodged an official complaint, and Russia says it's investigating.

Asia-Pacific Military Aviation News roundup: 20 Aug 2013

The aerobatic team of the Chinese People's Liberation Air Force, August 1st, will make their overseas debut when they perform at Russia's MAKS 2013 International Air Show at Ramenskoye Airport from Aug 27 to Sept 1. The team flies the Chengdu J-10 fighter jet.

Meanwhile, Taiwan has sorted out with Lockheed-Martin the details of the Republic of China Air Force's F-16 fleet upgrade. The US$1.85 billion Foreign Military Sales contract will be centred around an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, expected to be Northrop Grumman's Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR).

A few days ago, the first Republic of Korea Air Force Lockheed-Martin C-130J-30 transport made its first flight. Its painted in a pretty nice camo too. Makes for a nice change for the usual grey. Anyway, here's a pic.

Anyone can ID this aircraft seen at a PLAN bomber base? [SOLVED]

© Google

The above is a Google Earth satellite image, taken in January 2010 of Changzhou-Benniu (常州奔牛) airport/airbase in Jiangsu Province, China. It is a civil/military aerodrome, and the military side is the home to a regiment of People's Liberation Army - Navy (PLAN) Xi'an H-6 bombers. So it's no surprise to see H-6s parked on the ramp (like the aircraft on the left in the above photo) on the satellite images of the base taken at various times.

But it's the aircraft on the right that left me scratching my head. Using Google Earth's measurement tool, it comes up to an approximate length of 20m and a wingspan of 18m, with air intakes on either side of the fuselage and twin exhausts just after the wing trailing edge. The wing chord of this unidentified aircraft also appears to be thick, reminding one of the British Buccaneer. It appears to be a military aircraft of some description and is painted in the same white scheme as the PLANAF H-6s, but the plan view and wing shape does no appear to look like any aircraft known (by me) to be in the PLA (either PLAAF or PLANAF) inventory.

So, if you know, or would like to hazard a guess at what the aircraft is, do leave a comment below. It might just turn out to be something really prosaic and nothing earth-shattering, but I'll be most appreciative if it could be identified. Sorry, no prizes for the right answer though! (Other than perhaps a smug sense of self-satisfaction for the person who gets it right)

And if you would like to see the image on Google Earth for yourself, go to 31°55′07″N 119°49′20″E. Remember the image was dated Jan 3 2010, so you have to access Google's historical imagery to see this.

[UPDATE]: Thanks to Blitzo over at Key Publishing Forums, the mystery is now solved. Below is a photo, first posted at China Defense Forum last year, showing that our mystery "plane" is a mockup (for training purposes maybe?) of some sort. As expected, there was a perfectly logical answer, and nothing sinister whatsoever.

PLAAF Su-30MKK Aggressor in "Vietnamese" Su-30 colours

Click on thumbnail for a slightly larger image

More PLAAF "Aggressor" Flankers on show. The Chinese Ministry of Defence has released a new photo of a PLAAF's Su-30MKK/MK2 Flanker in a different paint scheme from the standard schemes carried by the regular Su-30 units. This time, the scheme on show is a brown-and-green camo topside with (very) light grey undersides. As reported before, these unusually painted Su-30s may be playing the role of Aggressors in exercises. Sharp-eyed observers have also noted that the (barely visible) 3rd aircraft in the previously-published photo of the PLAAF Su-30s in desert camo appeared to be carrying this green-brown camouflage.

It has been suggested that the scheme replicates the new camouflage carried by Vietnam's Su-30MK2Vs. Yea or Nay? You be the judge, using the below photo of a Vietnamese People's Air Force Su-30 to compare.

Click on thumbnail for a slightly larger image

PHOTOS: PLAAF Su-30s in desert camouflage during live-fire exercise

Click for high-res photos

Chinese internet news portal Sina has published a couple of interesting photos (via Chinanews.com) of at least three of China's People's Liberation Army AF (PLAAF) Sukhoi Su-30MKK multi-role fighters sporting desert camouflage. According to the captions provided by Sina, the photographs were taken on the 6th of September during a live-fire exercise conducted by multiple PLAAF fighter divisions, attacking maritime targets at low level in a simulated combat environment. The second photo provides an excellent study of the Russian ZsH-7AP helmets with the KM-34D II/KM-35 hybrid Oxygen Mask worn by the PLAAF Su-30 crew.

Update: China Defense Blog reports that the exercise features Red-vs-blue air-to-air combat scenarios, and the desert camouflaged Su-30MKKs served as the Blue Force's "bad guys" during the exercise, which was reportedly held in the Guangzhou Military Region. It had previously reported that the 8th PLAAF Flight Academy operates the Su-30MKK in an Aggressor role.

Photos of Chinese carrierborne AEW emerges

After being caught on the ground by Google Earth, the first photos of China's future carrier-borne Airborne Early aircraft, based on the Y-7 transport, have recently emerged.

With four vertical stabilizers like the Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, which would allow it to fit inside an aircraft carrier's hangar deck without the complexities of a folding tail, this test bed seems lack the tail hook and it is unclear if it has folding wings, but with China's carrier ambitions still in it's infancy, there should be some time to allow China's aircraft manufacturers to sort those out.