PLAAF Munitions

these days, the kanwa article are normally piece of junk, but this article on the PGMs displayed in zhuhai is quite informative if it actually is true.



Let's see if I can translate the gist of this article.
On LS-6,
says that it uses electronically controlled tail fin, glide wings use composite materials
bomb diameter is 377 mm
wingspan is 2740 mm
weight is 540 kg
warhead is 440 kg
release point at 8000 m, release velocity 250 m/s, range is 48 km.
release at 11000 m, range is 60 km.

It mentions of two tests, one test was carried out at 65 km range and was off target by 7.5 m and the second test was carried out at 75 km range and was off target by 5.3 m. So, falls well under the spec of 15 m CEP.

outside of LS-6, there is another classified bomb in the LS series under development using GPS/INS guidance with motor and has a range of over 200 km.

also, plaaf has already started to equip LS-6 with JH-7A, but it has yet to enter mass production. currently, it does not have a 2000 kg satellite guided bomb, because it simply doesn't have any 2000 kg dumb bomb. The current plan is to refit the existing dumb bombs.

also, can use a combination of 2 GLONASS satellites + 3 Beidou satellites to find positioning for LS-6.

another revealed PGM is LT-2, which has a CEP of 3 to 5 m, passive laser guidance of 20 s?, LT-2 laser seeker has a range of 4 km, the view is +/- 12.5 in one direction and +/-1 20 degree?

Also on FT series, shown FT-1 and FT-3 in Zhuhai as we know.
FT-2 is a glide bomb unlike the other two and has a range of 60 km.
FT-4 is a 100 kg SGB.
FT-5 is even smaller, probably for UAV.
can be fit on the bomb wracks of JH-7A and Q-5G

For FT-1/3, the test results achieved CEP of 20 m with JH-7A, but the specs are still 30 m, dropped from 5000 to 12000 m, drop speed mach 0.6-0.9, FT-1 is 500 kg, FT-3 is 250 kg, range is 18 km.
Carried out numerous tests, some failures, but mostly showing satisfactory performance.

additional article from Chinese magazine,ordance Knowledge and JDW.according to spokeman,plan underway developing rocket power LS-6 and new e/o guidance system for greater pin point accuracy.

I guess this would fit the best here. From huitong's latest addition

A KD-88 ASM was on display in front of a CFTE JH-7A prototype. KD-88 (K/AKD88) is a new generation of ASM family just entering PLAAF service. It was developed by Hongdu Aviation Industrial Group and is currently equipping JH-7A attack aircraft. The KD-88 family has been identified with at least two variants: one with an IIR seeker (dark blue/yellow color) and the other with an anti-radiation seeker (light blue color). The missile's configuration appears similar to that of YJ-83K AShM but smaller. Its propulsion system is also thought to be a turbojet just like YJ-83K, and its range could reach 100km. 4 small datalink antennas can been seen extending from the tips of mid-body stabilzing fins for mid-course and terminal corrections. A guidance pod can also be seen underneath JH-7A when the aircraft is carries the anti-radiation variant. Up to 4 missiles can be carried by JH-7A at a time. Additional seekers including semi-active laser and MMW may be developed in the future. KD-88 is a much-needed enhancement to PLAAF's tactical attack capability.

A couple of thoughts:
1. no way range is only 100 km since YJ-83K is already over 250 km and it's normally longer for air to surface missiles
2. surprised that it has both IIR and AR version, because it was previous believed that it's using TV seeker like kh-59
3. with possible other seeker version coming out, it looks like plaaf is quite happy with the aerodynamic performance of the missile.
4. it's developed by Hongdu, different from YJ-83's developer. Since it's appearance is still similar to YJ-83K, did HAIG get all of the technical details on YJ-83 or something?
5. With the AR version, where does that leave YJ-91?

Some thoughts.

1. Recent AVIC/CATIC video has JH-7 firing Kh-31P, but that is more likely to be its YJ-91 copy, since the missile has all sorts of prototype style painting and marking.

2. There maybe a chance that YJ-91 may have been canceled for a YJ-8X based ARM. This may be for reasons of range, although the YJ-91 is undoubtedly so much faster and much harder to intercept. A missile like the YJ-8X however, can pack a bigger radome which is more sensitive to emissions, as well as a much larger warhead.

3. If your range is longer, it's possible to make attacks not dependent on a line of sight to the emitting source. Like an AshM, you simply set an aimpoint where the missile will fly to. Once it reaches the point, it activates the seeker to find emitters. By principle, its no different from an AshM, except the guidance and seek methods.

4. You can program multiple way points. If there is no emitter in Point A, go to Point B, and so on and on until a target is found.

5. The pod on the JH-7A reminds me of TAS or some rangefinding radar receiving pod that is used to support operations like this.

Could it be that YJ-91 is just that complicated/expensive that it isn't suited for mass production?
Maybe it's just a low-rate high-performance missiles for the most challanging situations wereas KD-88 may become the standart PLAAF ASM with different seekers.
Because for an ARM it makes sense IMO to be really fast.

True it does puzzle me why you base an ARM on a converted AshM design. Speed is essential, but I am guessing that the PLAAF is also interested in stand off ranges. My guess its easier to integrate an ARM based on the YJ-8x design into the mission when the mission also calls for using the KD-88 or YJ-83.

Originally Posted by crobato

True it does puzzle me why you base an ARM on a converted AshM design. Speed is essential, but I am guessing that the PLAAF is also interested in stand off ranges. My guess its easier to integrate an ARM based on the YJ-8x design into the mission when the mission also calls for using the KD-88 or YJ-83.

I was extremely caught off guard too. Maybe it's one of those multi-axis attack kind of things. Where you have the high altitude and supersonic YJ-91 come in and then low altitude subsonic KD-88 come in at the same time. It could be harder for SAM to intercept. Also, how many YJ-91/KH-31 can a JH-7A carry? It would be an interesting configuration to carry 2 YJ-91s and 2 KD-88s at the same time.

A JH-7A can only carry four Kh-31 type missiles, and yes, it can carry two Kh-31 and KD-88 at the same time.

I do think that Kh-31 and KD-88 don't seem to have compatible mission approaches. You can launch KD-88 over 200km, but for Kh-31, you still have to approach less than 110km. This removes the standoff advantage. Flying low, an ARM missile is less likely to be detected than conventionally when flying high. Flying low, you may also get a better detection of the enemy radar's sidelobs, as opposed to a high approach.

I would think that KD-88 is a good option take out SAM sites previous to an attack. A CM that is expandable, can go in low to stay undetected, and then look for targets. Here the stand-off capability of a CM offers advantages, you can attack SAM targets of opportunity wich light up on the way, but that you couldn't pinpoint prior to launch to assign a CM to.

On the other hand, YJ-91 might be a better weapon for DEAD aircracft wich accompany a strike formation that has to go in closer.

this is kind of interesting, AWST already posted an article on the CFTE video. Kind of have a different assessment than Huitong on the seeker, although I think they do use some of Huitong's assessment. I do question though where Huitong concluded that the seekers are what he said they are.

I would go with Hui Tong's assertion. An active radar guided air to surface missile, generally an antiship missile, would not require a pod like the clip of the JH-7A does with the blue headed KD-88.

This pod already appeared in mockup form with the JH-7A officially mockup, displaying YJ-91s under its wing. It lacks windows on the bottom which means its not a FLIR/LT pod. The shape of the head clearly indicates a radome.

When I saw it, it immedietely reminds me of TAS and HTS pods that contain rangefinding radar receivers used for HARM targeting information.

http://www.ausairpower.net/API-AGM-88-HARM.html

long loiter time ARM (slower) and fast ARM may be complementary --
long loiter time ARM force enemy radar to remain done for the duration of air strike. However, once radar lit up, you need to destroy it as fast as possible.

Low speed of cruise missile style AshM design is an anomaly to traditional ARM belief that the missile must be as fast as possible, in order to catch the radar station before it shuts down. And even if it shuts down, missile speed will help guarantee hit of the target before the target leaves the site.

So we can logically speculate, that the ARM KD-88 may still have an active radar seeker to back up that passive ARM function. If the target radar shuts down, the missile will turn from passive to active, enabling it to continue the hunt even though its not fast enough. Not that this is hard to do since the missile itself is a converted AshM with an active radar seeker. Further development of the AGM-88 HARM also points to the direction of adding an active radar seeking functionality to continue to hunt down shut down radars. However that was something intended to be imiplemented in the future, and if indeed it is true tha the KD-88 has an active radar seeker. then the KD-88 just got ahead of everyone else.

Originally Posted by crobato

I would go with Hui Tong's assertion. An active radar guided air to surface missile, generally an antiship missile, would not require a pod like the clip of the JH-7A does with the blue headed KD-88.

This pod already appeared in mockup form with the JH-7A officially mockup, displaying YJ-91s under its wing. It lacks windows on the bottom which means its not a FLIR/LT pod. The shape of the head clearly indicates a radome.

When I saw it, it immedietely reminds me of TAS and HTS pods that contain rangefinding radar receivers used for HARM targeting information.

http://www.ausairpower.net/API-AGM-88-HARM.html

Let me add something to that.

The Kh-59ME, a TV optically guided missile, has an associative pod that acts like an extended datalink for communicating with the missile.

If the clip of the JH-7A happens to be holding the KD-88 with the optical window on the nose, and still carry that pod, then it's healthy to assume that the pod is an extended datalink similar to the system used by the Kh-59ME.

However, the KD-88 being carried is the one without the window.