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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
China's J-36 Very Heavy Stealth Tactical Jet Photographed Head-On For First Time
New imagery of China's 'J-36' very heavy tactical 6th generation jet has just emerged out of China. The photos shows a long-awaited perspective of the aircraft — taken from the front — that confirms our analysis that the aircraft features a very large and broad bubble canopy to go atop its equally broad nose section. Under that canopy would be two crew sitting side-by-side, similar to the F-111 and Su-34's arrangement, among others. The image also offers a view of the dorsal inlet on the three-engined aircraft, along with its diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI) 'hump,' which appears very large here. Overall, the photos serve as a reminder of just how big this aircraft is. Like many tailless designs, especially stealthy ones, they can look far smaller from the side than from the front, top or bottom. While we have become accustomed to the J-36's modified delta planform, the head-on perspective really underlines the proportions and mass of Chengdu's next-generation tactical jet design. In the imagery, we can also just make out the J-36's lower trapezoidal air inlets, similar to those found on the F-22, as well as one of the jet's unique large aperture electro-optical windows on the side of the nose. That fixture is seen glaring gold in the low-angle light. As is often the case, we must note that the imagery appears authentic, but we cannot be certain of that. Still, it was only a matter of time until we got a head-on angle of the J-36 and this screenshot of a DSLR camera screen (you can see the smart phone's lenses in the reflection) goes along with the progression of 'leaks' out of China we have come accustomed to over many years when it comes to new military aircraft designs. Very interesting but strange frontal view of the CAC J-36, which due to the 'merging' of the top air intake, DSI bump and the wide cockpit makes it look even wider … — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) May 31, 2025 Çin'in Kuyruksuz Savaş Uçağı J-36'nın son test uçuşuna ait görüntüler ortaya çıktı — Times of Defence (@timesofdefencee) May 31, 2025 This new imagery also comes just days after we got the clearest look at Shenyang's smaller, but still heavy-weight 6th generation fighter aircraft, referred to unofficially by a number of designations, including J-XDS and J-50. Not only do we get a more detailed underside view, but we also get a full side-on shot, which shows just how blended the canopy of the aircraft is with its upper fuselage, as well as a better look at the profile of its huge nose. The bottom view gives us a better look at the weapons bay arrangement, as well as its F-22-like nozzle configuration. We can also confirm an EO/IR blister (without its glass) under the nose. The aircraft looks to feature a single pilot/crew. The small side doors where a side weapons bay would likely go remain a bit of a mystery. The aircraft's unique swiveling wingtip control surfaces are also very clear here. Once again, the profile of the nose is striking, and it clearly can accommodate a very large and powerful AESA radar. You can read our very in-depth analysis on these two aircraft, including the knowns and the unknowns surrounding them, which still proves entirely accurate, at this link. Both aircraft were 'unofficially unveiled' via a series of videos and images spilling out of the country of presumably their first test flights back on December 26th, 2024. As we have stated since they first appeared, by summer we will likely have a look at all angles of both aircraft, and in increasing definition, based on how the flow of images of new high-profile military aircraft have historically appeared out of China. So stay tuned for more. Contact the author: Tyler@
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
China's New KJ-3000 Airborne Early Warning Radar Jet Seen In Detail In New Image
New imagery has emerged of China's new heavyweight airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platform, the KJ-3000, of which the first, low-quality photos began to appear last December, as we reported at the time. Based on the four-jet Y-20 cargo plane, the KJ-3000 is part of a fast-expanding and diversifying fleet of Chinese AEW&C aircraft, which also includes multiple iterations based on the four-turboprop Y-9 series of airlifters. While you can read the full story behind the development of China's AEW&C fleet in this previous in-depth article, the KJ-3000 is just one of the latest expressions of a massive investment in this area. As well as fielding an armada of AEW&C assets that is significantly larger than that of the U.S. Air Force, China is increasingly looking toward these assets as a key means of defending its interests as well as for pushing its combined aerial capabilities out further into the Indo-Pacific. The latest imagery shows the KJ-3000 on the ground at an undisclosed airfield in China. The aircraft still wears a coat of primer, and the serial number 7821 is clearly visible on the forward fuselage — as far as is known, this is the only example completed so far. So far best image of the KJ-3000 prototype, unfortunately heavily pixelated. — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) May 26, 2025 Although the aircraft is partially obscured, we can see the characteristic large circular radome on top of the rear fuselage. The KJ-3000 is also fitted with an aerial refueling probe mounted above the cockpit, and there is a prominent series of antennas arranged on top of the forward fuselage. Compared to the Y-20, the aircraft also features a very prominent intake at the base of the tailfin, likely a ram-air inlet to cool the extensive onboard electronics. The KJ-3000 has long been seen as the solution to meet China's requirement for a platform to supplement the KJ-2000 Mainring, which is, to date, its largest dedicated AEW&C aircraft. You can read about it and China's wider AEW&C developments in this previous in-depth article. The KJ-2000 is based on the Ilyushin Il-76MD Candid, another four-jet airlifter. Originally planned to be equipped with Israeli mission systems, this plan was derailed under pressure from the U.S. Clinton administration. Instead, the KJ-2000 was fitted with Chinese-developed systems, installed on four ex-China United Airlines Il-76MD aircraft. The KJ-2000's active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar comprises three antennas in a triangular configuration within a fixed radome. The four KJ-2000s were declared operational in 2007 and are based in Jiangsu province, facing key adversaries Japan and Taiwan. Regardless of the operational effectiveness of the KJ-2000, China was only able to produce more of these aircraft due to the strictly limited number of Russian-built Il-76MDs available for conversion. As a result, the Y-20 was quickly earmarked as a likely platform for a follow-on to the KJ-2000 and this program seems to have gained momentum once the definitive Y-20B transport became available in 2020. The Y-20B is powered by the domestically produced WS-20 high-bypass turbofan engine, which is a significant advance over the Russian D-30KP-2 engine found on the original Y-20A. Ok, it goes on and on and on: second surprise this morning, the new KJ-3000 (?) AEW performed its maiden flight at XAC and from what can be seen on the first few small & blurry images, it is as expected a Y-20B-based design featuring a large rotodome but also a bulge on the tail. — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) December 27, 2024 The KJ-3000 is not the first development of the Y-20 for the People's Liberation Air Force (PLAAF), another being the YY-20A aerial refueling tanker, which is also now in service. With such a small fleet of KJ-2000s available, and with these airframes tied to supply chains in Russia, maintenance and support cannot be straightforward, and these issues will only become more problematic as the aircraft gets older. With that in mind, the opportunity to introduce a potentially much larger fleet of KJ-3000s is a very big deal for the PLAAF, especially since it will also be more advanced than its predecessor. Once in service, the KJ-3000 will be easier to upgrade and, very importantly, it will be available for potential export. Pakistan, which already operates Chinese-supplied radar planes and which may well have used them to significant effect in its recent conflict with India, could be one country with an interest in buying them. Unclear is the degree to which the KJ-3000 may offer capabilities beyond those found in the KJ-2000, although this would appear to be a given, with the Mainring having made its maiden flight more than 20 years ago. As it is, the radar of the KJ-2000 is said to have a maximum range of almost 300 miles, and it's reportedly able to track hundreds of aerial targets simultaneously. Imagery available so far suggests that the KJ-3000 may use a radar array with two, rather than three antennas, although this cannot be confirmed at this point. And IMO even more important than all other so far posted news today, the so far blurry images of the KJ-3000 AEW are getting clearing,Interesting, it features an IRF-probe and – in contrast to the KJ-2000 – not a fixed radar with three arrays but a large rototome with two. — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) December 28, 2024 As we've discussed in the past, the KJ-3000, with its efficient engines and in-flight refueling capability, should offer plenty of advantages in terms of range, and on-station time. Chinese efforts to add aerial refueling capabilities to its AEW&C fleet are something that is referenced in the latest Pentagon report to Congress on China's military, released late last year. 'Production and deliveries of the KJ-500 — the PRC's most advanced airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft — continued at a rapid pace, joining earlier KJ-2000 Mainring and KJ-200 Moth variants,' the report states. 'These aircraft amplify the PLAAF's ability to detect, track, and target threats in varying conditions, in larger volumes, and at greater distances. It extends the range of the PLA's IADS [integrated air defense system] network. Furthermore, the PRC has produced at least one KJ-500 with an aerial refueling probe, which will improve the aircraft's ability to provide persistent AEW&C coverage.' The KJ-3000 would also be able to fly at higher altitudes to provide a better perch for its radar. This is very important, especially for providing 'look down' capability to spot and track low-flying aircraft and missiles that radars down below might not be able to 'see' due to terrain and other factors. The KJ-3000 almost certainly has other intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities beyond just its radar, as well. At least as important is its likely function as a networking node, reflecting a growing area of interest for the Chinese military in general, and something that is especially valuable over the long distances in the Indo-Pacific theater. The KJ-3000 was seen again — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) May 26, 2025 Uniquely, China is currently pursuing a multitrack approach to expanding its AEW&C fleet. As well as the heavyweight KJ-3000, there's a growing fleet of radar planes based on the smaller Y-9 transport. The latest of these is the KJ-700, which we discussed recently, and which is likely a 'multi-intelligence' aircraft, combining both airborne radar as well as an array of electro-optical and infrared sensors, likely intended to track targets across air, sea, and potentially land domains. The turboprop-powered KJ-700 joins the KJ-200 and KJ-500 series. As we have discussed before, these smaller types of turboprop-powered AEW&C platforms are especially well-suited to operations from more dispersed and even austere bases. As such, these mid-size radar planes regularly appear at some of China's island outposts, as well as operating routinely in the highly strategic Taiwan Strait. While we don't know for sure what kind of radar and other mission systems the KJ-3000 might be fitted with, its continued development is very significant as part of China's developing AEW&C capabilities. At the very least, a larger jet-powered airframe should be an important complement to the country's smaller but increasingly capable turboprop AEW&C platforms. Contact the author: thomas@
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
Canopy Seen Clearly On China's Next Gen Tailless Stealth Fighter For First Time
China's next-generation tailless heavy fighter from the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation seemed to have taken a months-long hiatus between its first known flight and its second. Since then, it has been seen in the skies at an increasing rate. New images and video coming out of China show the jet – referred to unofficially by a number of designations, including J-XDS and J-50 – on another recent test sortie, with clearer shots of the enigmatic stealth fighter than ever before. This includes what appears to be our first real view of its cockpit canopy. The aircraft's canopy has been of particular interest since the plane first appeared to the public on December 26th, 2024. Up until now, no images have clearly shown it. The plane's broad nose, paired with the ground-based perspective of the photos, and their low quality, previously made only what may have been a part of a canopy visible in imagery. This led to the question of whether the heavy fighter-sized aircraft was crewed at all. J-XX/Shengad may have flown again today — 東風 (@eastwind6699) April 16, 2025 Our very in-depth analysis on this aircraft, and its larger tri-engined Chengdu Aircraft Corporation counterpart, came to the conclusion that the aircraft was almost certainly crewed. With this latest imagery, we can finally put that question to rest conclusively. One image shows a side-on view of the aircraft, providing a new perspective to analyze. Above all else, it depicts a very streamlined bubble canopy that blends closely with the upper fuselage. Canopies and cockpits can be a major hot spot for radar reflections. Minimizing their return is critical to the survivability of a low-observable crewed aircraft. In this case, for the same reasons that the canopy was so hard for us to see until now — it is difficult to view from lower aspects — also helps with keeping it out of line-of-sight of radar systems positioned below it. These can be on the surface or lower-flying aircraft. The service ceiling of the fighter is unknown, but it should be quite high in order to maximize its performance, as well as its sensor and weapons reach. It remains unknown if the jet has one or two crew. The canopy does look quite long, which could possibly accommodate a tandem crew layout. As it seems, we finally have a quite decent side shot of SAC's J-XDS from its flight today and also for the first time a clearer proof it has indeed a canopy. — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) April 16, 2025 This side view also provides a bit better sense of scale and form of the new jet. Its diamond-shaped forward fuselage with a prominent chine line high up near the cockpit is also readily visible. The blister under the nose that could represent a faceted aperture for an electro-optical targeting and/or infrared search and track (IRST) system, similar to what's found on the J-20 and the U.S. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, is also visible. Another angle from the lower rear gives us a clearer view of the aircraft's exhausts. As expected, they are 2-D and likely thrust vectoring types, very similar to the U.S. F-22 Raptor's arrangement. This configuration would balance low observability, performance, agility, and especially stability, considering just how unstable a tailless tactical jet like this would be. China has been displaying its thrust vectoring engine concepts since at least 2022, with the one subscale model on the show floor at Zhuhai looking very similar to what we see in the latest imagery. We also see the unique swiveling wingtip control surfaces in action here, with the right side one highly deflected. Airshow China 2022: #China displays thrust vectoring engineshttps:// #airshowchina2022 #airshow #airdefence — Janes (@JanesINTEL) November 14, 2022 With each passing week, we are getting more and more detailed imagery of Shenyang's tailless stealth fighter, just as expected. If the flights continue, we should have a much better understanding of the aircraft's observable features by summer. Contact the author: Tyler@
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
China's Giant Land-Based Carrier Mockup Grows In Size, Now Resembles Ford Class
China's full-size, land-based aircraft carrier test facility, a key part of the country's path toward establishing a carrier fleet and associated air wings, is being modified once again, and this time in a massive way. The extensive reworking and expansion of the unique facility suggests that the aircraft carrier mockup is now intended to represent a layout similar to the U.S. Navy's Ford class. This likely coincides with the configuration of China's next, more advanced, homegrown carrier design. A satellite photo of the land-based aircraft carrier mockup in Wuhan, taken on April 6, shows the changes that have taken place, including a much greater overall flight-deck width, and the island superstructure redesigned and much moved further aft, as on the Ford class. So significant is the extra width, meanwhile, that the edges of the deck now extend out to or even over the adjacent road. The primary role of the aircraft carrier mockup is to evaluate different aircraft designs for potential use at sea, including how they will fit and be moved around on the carrier's deck. It should also be noted that the structure sits atop a building, something not immediately obvious from satellite imagery. On the deck in the latest image are mockups of various aircraft, although these are covered with tarpaulins or some other material, making it hard to identify them definitively. At least one of the mockups is a J-15 Flanker series carrier-based fighter, while another looks to be a J-35 carrier-based stealth fighter, and another a KJ-600 carrier-based airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. Mockups of this kind are frequently used in carrier development work in China, both on land and at sea. So far the best and clearest images of the KJ-600 carrierborne AEW mock up ontop the carrier test facility in Wuhan.(Via LKJ86 / PDF) — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) April 12, 2019 In the past, an apparent mockup of China's stealthy GJ-11 Sharp Sword unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) has also appeared aboard the land-based carrier mockup, as you can read about here. Via ACuriousPLAFan/SDF: Supposedly not a recent image, but still the carrier mock-up and test facility at Wuhan has gained some new aircraft: Visible now are clearly mock-ups of J-15, J-35, KJ-600 and a GJ-11H on the flight deck.(Image via @伏尔戈星图 from Weibo) — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) December 19, 2023 Work with radio emissions and other testing is also done at the facility. When it first appeared, the full-size aircraft carrier mockup broadly replicated the design of the Type 001 and Type 002 carriers. The Type 001 Liaoning (CV-16), the first vessel of this type to be operated by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), was acquired from Ukraine as an incomplete Soviet Kuznetsov class ship, the Varyag. The next PLAN carrier to enter service, the Type 002 Shandong (CV-17), was built in China but was still modeled closely on the Type 001. Subsequently, Wuhan's aircraft carrier mock-up was modified to better resemble China's next carrier, the Type 003 Fujian (CV-18). This introduced a different configuration, with no bow takeoff ramp. Instead, the Type 003 marks the PLAN's switch to catapult-assisted takeoff but arrested recovery, or CATOBAR, operations. Now, it seems, the facility is being prepared for tests of China's next-generation aircraft carrier, generally referred to as the Type 004. At the same time, the remodeling should also provide a better representation of the Fujian, a vessel that is still undergoing pre-service trials. In fact, the new Type 004 carrier may well already be under construction. In February of this year, TWZ reported on how construction work at a shipyard in Dalian, seen in satellite imagery dating back to May 2024, revealed a module consistent with an aircraft carrier — or otherwise related to the testing of such a vessel. Based on this module, it appears likely that the Type 004 will be loosely modeled after the Ford class, at least in terms of having two waist catapults, in addition to the two bow catapults. This will provide an extra catapult compared with the Fujian, which has a single catapult in the waist position. In the past, a Ford-style design also appeared in concept art from the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai. The carrier shown in that artwork had some broad external similarities with the Ford, as well as with France's future New Generation Aircraft Carrier. However, not too much should be read into this, especially since it appears that the Type 004 might now be under construction in Dalian, rather than in Shanghai. Still, the appearance of a superstructure far to the rear on the Wuhan mockup is indicative that this design element could appear on the Type 004. Whatever the final configuration of the Type 004 — and, at this early stage, we really don't know for sure — previous suggestions hinted that the new carrier could enter service sometime in the late 2020s. The Type 004 is expected to be a more advanced design than its predecessors, including the Fujian, the country's first truly domestically designed and produced carrier, which is still preparing for operational service. Like the Fujian, the Type 004 will be equipped to launch aircraft via catapults. This is in contrast to the PLAN's two previous carriers — the Shandong and the Liaoning, which are both short takeoff but arrested recovery, or STOBAR, types with prominent 'ski jump' takeoff ramps. As we have discussed in the past, catapults offer many advantages over STOBAR, especially when it comes to launching aircraft at higher gross weights, which translates to larger fuel and ordnance loads. They can also generally accommodate a wider array of aircraft types, too. This includes larger and slower designs, like the KJ-600 AEW&C aircraft, as well as smaller ones, such as drones. It's assumed that the Type 004 will use an advanced electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS), provided it proves to be successful on the Fujian. Otherwise, this type of equipment is currently only in use with the U.S. Navy. Other new developments for the Type 004 will address its air wing, which is expected to host various drones, such as navalized versions of the GJ-11 Sharp Sword UCAV. These will be in addition to the aforementioned KJ-600, various different advanced versions of the J-15, and the J-35, plus helicopters. Less clear is what type of propulsion the Type 004 will use, although there have been repeated reports that it will be a nuclear-powered vessel. This would be a first for a PLAN carrier and would guarantee an effectively unlimited range, as well as help meet the power-generation demands of ever-improving sensors and other mission systems. In its most recent assessment of Chinese military power, the Pentagon doesn't explicitly mention the Type 004, but does state that the PLAN is 'in the beginning stages of operating its multi-carrier force.' It also notes that the Fujian is just the first warship within a 'next generation of carriers' that will be characterized by 'greater endurance and an electromagnetic catapult launch system, making them capable of launching various types of specialized fixed-wing aircraft for missions, such as airborne early warning and electronic warfare. This will increase the striking power of a potential PLAN carrier battle group when deployed to areas beyond the PRC's immediate periphery.' At this point, we cannot be certain that the module seen under construction at Dalian is indeed made to resemble the Type 004, although it seems likely. However, this development, as well as the changes to the land-based aircraft carrier mockup in Wuhan, certainly point to activities related to China's next domestically produced carrier design are accelerating. Contact the author: thomas@
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Yahoo
China's New KJ-700 Multi-Intelligence Radar Plane's Interesting Features
We have gotten a new look at China's enigmatic KJ-700 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft in service with the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). This latest addition to China's rapidly proliferating family of AEW&C platforms remains somewhat mysterious, although it appears to be something of a 'multi-intelligence' aircraft, combining both airborne radar as well as an array of electro-optical and infrared sensors, likely intended to track targets across air, sea, and potentially land domains. You can read our previous in-depth analysis of China's multi-layered and fast-growing AEW&C fleet here, with the KJ-700 being a new addition to the force, apparently now in both PLAN and People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) service. The photo in question depicts the PLAN's KJ-700H version of the aircraft, apparently shown in flight for the first time. It shows the aircraft's extensive sensor suite, with the familiar rotodome on the top of the fuselage complemented by multiple other antennas and fairings. On the sides of the rear fuselage are prominent rectangular-shaped fairings, thought to contain additional side-looking airborne radar (SLAR) in the form of active electronically scanned array (AESA) antennas. There is also evidence of an array of electro-optical windows in the 'thimble' nose cone. Further sensors are fitted on the wingtips and in the tail cone. Not visible in this view is the satellite communications (SATCOM) antenna mounted on top of the rotodome. Reports of the KJ-700's existence emerged in mid-2023, with the aircraft at that time rumored to have the alternative designation GX-16, making it the 16th member of China's Gao Xin (meaning High New) series of special-mission intelligence-gathering and surveillance aircraft. The apparent first prototype of the KJ-700 was identified in satellite imagery of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) airfield in December 2020. By June 2023, another two KJ-700s had been spotted in satellite imagery. The KJ-700H version for the PLAN was first sighted in June of last year, when it was reported that the aircraft had entered service at a base in northeastern China, facing South Korea and Japan. Well … according to some rumours, the PLAAF's next-gen AEW platform – successor to the KJ-500 and complement to the larger KJ-3000 – will be named KJ-700. Interesting are the changes at this site: in the middle is supposed to be the KJ-3000's radar right the KJ-700's one. — @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) December 17, 2023 When first revealed, it was anticipated that the KJ-700 would be China's next-generation 'medium' AEW&C aircraft, perhaps as a successor to the KJ-500 series. In the past, we have discussed how these smaller types of AEW&C platforms, in particular the turboprop-powered KJ-200 and KJ-500 series, are especially well suited to operations from more dispersed and even austere bases. It's no surprise that they regularly appear at some of China's island outposts, as well as operating routinely in the highly strategic Taiwan Strait. Like the KJ-500, the KJ-700 is based on the airframe of the Y-9 transport, a much-modernized version of the Y-8, itself a Chinese copy of the Soviet-era An-12. Characteristics of the Y-9 include uprated WJ-6C turboprops driving six-blade high-efficiency propellers. The rotodome of the KJ-700 is thought to contain a pair of distributed aperture radar (DAR) antennas, operating in different bands, in a similar arrangement to that found on the carrier-based KJ-600 AEW&C aircraft. This radar, as in earlier AEW&C platforms, is chiefly used to scan for enemy aircraft and missiles, over large swathes of airspace, allowing friendly interceptors to be vectored against them. An elevated 'look down' capability like this means that it can spot low-flying aircraft and missiles that would otherwise be shadowed by the horizon or terrain for surface and land-based radars. Meanwhile, the combination of the fuselage-mounted SLAR arrays and long-range electro-optical/infrared sensors suggests a multi-intelligence function. These sensors could be used for sea or ground surveillance, even if in a secondary role after airspace surveillance. Putting AEW&C as well as broader, multi-domain intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities into a single platform would make for a highly flexible asset. The KJ-700's electro-optical/infrared suite reportedly includes large-aperture CCD cameras, imaging infrared cameras, and a powerful laser rangefinder. Putting an infrared sensor on an AEW&C platform isn't an entirely new concept. Such a sensor should be especially useful for identifying targets visually at long range, but the electro-optical/infrared suite could also be well adapted to detecting aircraft with low-observable characteristics. In terms of surveillance, a powerful electro-optical sensor system would also be able to investigate objects on the surface, especially in the maritime domain, after being cued by the radar. It could also be used used to support test activities, including tracking missile launches. Other missions for the KJ-700 could include command and control (C2) as well as communications networking, especially valuable over the long distances in the Indo-Pacific theater. Overall, the fact that China has introduced yet another AEW&C platform fits within its established doctrine of developing a range of different solutions to meet different aspects of this mission, as well as to keep pace with the expected types of threat. Chinese AEW&C aircraft now do much more than keep watch over airspace and vectoring interceptors to respond to incoming fighters and bombers. As well as using their radar sensors for what was traditionally their primary task, these platforms are now much more than radar planes, with ESM suites that can passively detect and triangulate radio frequency emissions over long distances. In the case of the KJ-700 specifically, if this is indeed a multi-intelligence aircraft, it is likely tailored to the kinds of missions that might be expected during a future conflict between China and the United States. The KJ-700 would appear to be well suited to supporting operations in which China projects power over considerable distances, including into the highly strategic South China Sea. In this context, KJ-700s operating from smaller island and reef airstrips could play a vital role in detecting hostile aerial activity, not only by crewed fighters — including low-observable ones — but also drones and missiles that could otherwise pose a challenge for existing aerial surveillance systems. Meanwhile, the startling pace of development in China's AEW&C sector is one highlight of the unclassified version of the latest annual Pentagon report to Congress on the country's military, released last December. 'Production and deliveries of the KJ-500 — the PRC's most advanced AEW&C aircraft — continued at a rapid pace, joining earlier KJ-2000 Mainring and KJ-200 Moth variants,' the report notes. 'These aircraft amplify the PLAAF's ability to detect, track, and target threats in varying conditions, in larger volumes, and at greater distances. It extends the range of the PLA's IADS [integrated air defense system] network. Furthermore, the PRC has produced at least one KJ-500 with an aerial refueling probe, which will improve the aircraft's ability to provide persistent AEW&C coverage.' Whatever the precise role of the KJ-700, the aircraft now appears to be in service with both the PLAAF and the PLAN as one of a growing number of AEW&C platforms now in Chinese service. With at least 60 fixed-wing types now in AEW&C service, Beijing not only operates a notably large — and growing — force of radar planes but also continues to develop these aircraft with various different characteristics and specializations. Contact the author: thomas@
