PLA AEW&C, SIGINT, EW and MPA thread
- Thread starter Sczepan
- Start date
Yes...and other than this fleeting image of the one in the foreground:
Do you have more? Perhaps of one flying...even with the watermark?
To date, yes. but I expect they are going to build a lot more if they are happy with the design and its performance.
To be totally honest I am thoroughly confused by the different models of PLA AEW&C, SIGINT, and what have you any additional EW type aircraft.
Does anyone mind posting a somewhat exhaustive list of all the different models? Preferably indicating which ones are actually confirmed to be in service rather than just prototypes?
Thanks in advance!
Does anyone mind posting a somewhat exhaustive list of all the different models? Preferably indicating which ones are actually confirmed to be in service rather than just prototypes?
Thanks in advance!
This is what I know of:
PLANAF:
4 Y-8J "AEW" aircraft with skymaster radar
6 KJ-200/GX5 AEW&C
2 KJ-500/GX10 AEW&C (very recent)
3-4 Y-8X MPA
4 Y-8JB/GX2 ELINT
3 (at least) Y-9JB/GX8 ELINT (fairly recent additions)
1-3 Y-8Q/GX6 ASW MPA (very recent)
PLAAF:
4 KJ-2000 AEW&C
5 (at least) KJ-200/GX5 AEW&C
1 KJ-500/GX9 AEW&C (recent)
6 Y-8CB/GX1 standoff ECM aircraft
8 Y-8G/GX3 standoff ECM aircraft
3 Y-8T/GX4 command/control aircraft
2 Y-8XZ/GX7 psychological warfare/EW communications aircraft
4 Tu-154 derived aircraft with speculated ELINT and SAR functions
We also have evidence of a Y-9XZ/GX10 psych warfare/EW aircraft in development to supplement the two GX7s in service as well as a Y-9G/GX11 to supplement the Y-8G/GX3. There are also rumours of a GX11 to supplement the Y-8T/GX4 command aircraft as well.
So overall, that is 18 large-medium AEW&C between PLAAF and PLANAF -- a number surely to rise -- 16 ECM/EW/communications aircraft, 7 dedicated ELINT/SIGINT aircraft (but remember that many AEW&C and EW aircraft also have ELINT capabilities), and smaller numbers of various other types; command/control, MPA, ASW MPA, AEW. In time I expect the number of GX6s to be the most proliferate of all these variants.
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