JH-7/JH-7A/JH-7B Thread
- Thread starter MIGleader
- Start date
Has this photo been uploaded before? This JH7A is carrying what looks like a Chinese locally produced version of the Kh-29.
Dont see the logic of kh29 type weapon for today's battlefield. Far too short ranged. You could use guided bombs instead of it.
Far too big. Basically not worth using against small targets. Leaving fixed sites as your targets. Again, a bomb will do that job.
I guess there might be a niche use if used by non stealthy planes flying really low. Then its basically like the french Hammer so-called bomb.
But even then you gotta have near air superiority to risk such missions.
Far too big. Basically not worth using against small targets. Leaving fixed sites as your targets. Again, a bomb will do that job.
I guess there might be a niche use if used by non stealthy planes flying really low. Then its basically like the french Hammer so-called bomb.
But even then you gotta have near air superiority to risk such missions.
plawolf
Lieutenant General
Just because the 1980s soviet version is 10-30km ranged does not mean the 2020s PLA domestic version will also be 10-30km ranged.
But even if it’s a cheap direct copy, I actually still see a lot of utility in such a weapon in the future to support UAVs and UCAVs, who will be the tip of the spear with manned aircraft operating as fast responders. Which is where the value of a powered missile shines due to its speed.
UCAVs will mostly carry lighter short range missiles for direct attack on hunter-killer missions, so if they spot a target of opportunity too big for their onboard weapons, being able to call in a fast heavier weapon would be massively beneficial. Sure, you can use glide bombs, but those are slow so you risk the target rabbiting in the meantime. Similarly, if you have troops in contact in need of air support, seconds can mean lives.
The KH29 is short ranged, but that also makes them cheaper, and lighter, meaning a CAS jet can carry more of them and stay on station longer. Some of the bigger UCAVs can also carry them.
I take the new KH29 as a massive positive as it shows the PLA is not cheaping out on missile types and investing in giving itself as many tools as reasonable to give itself maximum operational choices and flexibility.
Yes. An old image
KH29 has not been produced in China, it's actually a proprietary weapon for SU30. This means that it is more economical to buy it outright than to produce domestic version, if they want to attack something in 20km range, the KD88's IIR mode will be a better choose.
Lets ignore for a while the image itself is old one. And there's a possibility PLAAF isn't using such kind of weapons anymore.
Just generally speaking, why is kh29 type of weapon unsuitable for today's needs:
It's too big. We're talking about a 690 kg weapon. It's a 4 meter missile with sizable wingspan. Basically, one missile is gonna take up a heavy pylon of pretty much all PLAAF's planes. J-10 will be able to carry 2 such missiles. JH7 and J16 would be able to carry more, of course, but in their place it'd be better if a different weapon was carried.
So what does one get for that 690 kg of weight? a 320 kg warhead. Which is really an overkill for any sort of time sensitive target. We're taking about a warhead close to a 500 kg guided bomb class. Literally, kab500kr weighs 520 kg and has a 380 kg warhead. kh29 is not far off.
kh29 was always envisioned to go after fixed targets, not time sensitive ones. Rosoboronexport catalogue lists pretty much just such targets, with addition of a 10 000 ton ship. Today, of course, attacking a ship with a missile of such range would be lunacy.
So what PLAAF would be better off using instead of kh29 would be either
A) longer range weapon to engage fixed targets, with a similar or even a bigger warhead. That weapon could be just as fast or it could be stealthy. Or it could be cheaper, relying on gps guidance only. Or a combination of the three.
or B) a much smaller weapon that is indeed optimized to use time critical targets, such as, for example, any relocatable command vehicle, radar vehicle, artillery piece, etc etc.
So basically, what's needed is either a glide bomb with 500+ kg warhead. (PLAAF already has it) or a stealthy cruise missile (PLAAF already has it) or a small form missile or stand off bomb like sdb/stormbreaker/spear 3 or, if something a bit larger is needed, then the SiAW misile.
Though there have been no indications that PLAAF has any of the 4 types of weapons mentioned.
KH29 is simply in this strange in-between space, its specifications and size stemming from the technical and doctrinal limitations of the soviets/russians in the 1970/80s and later.