Y-9 Chinese Medium Transport Aircraft
Y-9
Spotted an error? Sign in to suggest an edit.
Other
Basic Information
Name
Y-9 Chinese Medium Transport Aircraft
Designation
Y-9
Alternate Designation
—
Equipment Type
—
Manufacturer
Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation
Date of Introduction
2010
Description
The Y-9 Chinese Medium Transport Aircraft is a medium military transport aircraft produced by Shaanxi Aircraft Company in China. It is a stretched and upgraded development of the Shaanxi Y-8F. Development of the Y-9 may have begun as early as 2002 as the Y-8X program. The program was a collaborative effort with Antonov - the designers of the An-12 that it was ultimately derived from - and was aimed at competing with the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules. By September 2005, the Y-9 designation was being used. The Y-9 received design features originally intended for the Y-8F600; the Y-8F600 was cancelled in 2008.
Air & Air Defense Specifications
Crew
4
Engine
Turboprop
Cruise Speed
600.0 km/h
Endurance
12.00 hrs
Variants
Y-9
Base variant.
Y-9E
Export designation of Y-9.
Y-8Q / KQ-200 (GX-6)
Anti-submarine aircraft.
Y-9JZ (GX-8)
Electronic intelligence variant.
Y-9XZ (GX-9)
Psychological warfare aircraft.
Y-9W / KJ-500 (GX-10)
Airborne early warning and control variant. Five hour endurance, and fitted with lighter version of KJ-2000 AESA radar.
Y-9G (GX-11)
Electronic warfare (ECM) variant.
Y-9X (GX-12)
Electronic intelligence (ELINT) aircraft.
Y-9LG (GX-13)
New ECM variant.
Y-9T (GX-14)
Communications relay variant.
Y-9Q (GX-15)
New anti-submarine variant.
KJ-700 (GX-16)
New aerial early warning variant. Foreign media believe that the “KJ-700” aircraft is equipped with the world’s first multi-sensor integrated airborne early warning platform, which includes a conformal dual-band phased array radar, a large active phased array radar, and a large airborne infrared early warning system. This represents a revolutionary advancement in global airborne stealth detection technology. 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 to support test activities, including tracking missile launches.
Y-9DZ
The Y-9DZ electronic surveillance aircraft has distinctive antenna arrays and a long radar pod on the underbelly. The Y-9DZ is a new model and was first photographed in 2023 off the coast of Japan.
System
Alternate Designation(s)
Y-9
Primary Function / Type
Medium Transport Aircraft
Manufacturer
Shaanxi Aircraft Company
Crew
4 ea
Troops
132 ea
Number of Engines
4 ea
Number of Hard Points
INA
Dimensions
Length
36.065 m
Width (Wing Span)
38 m
Height
11.3 m
Wing Area
121.9 m2
Cabin Length
16.2 m
Cabin Width
3.2 m
Cabin Height
2.4 m
Empty Weight
39,000 kg
Maximum Takeoff Weight
77,000 kg
Overload Takeoff Weight
81,000 kg
Normal Payload
25,000 kg
Maximum Payload
30,000 kg
Automotive
Engine Name
4 x WJ-6C
Engine Type
Turboprop
Engine Power
INA
Maximum Speed
INA
Cruise Speed
600-650 km/h
Ceiling
9,000 m
Maximum Range with Maximum Payload
7,900 km
Operational Range
5,800 km
Endurance
12 hours
Fire Control / Avionics
FCS Name
INA
Computerized FCS
No
Navigation Radar
INA
Protection
Stealth Properties
No
Heat Signature Reduction
No
Add on Armor
No
NBC Protection
INA
EW Counter Measures
No
Chaffs/Flares
No
Details
Country of Origin
China
Category
Fixed Wing Aircraft
Air > Fixed Wing Aircraft
Filter Label
Y
Classification
Domain
Air & Air Defense
Equipment Status
Active
Dimensions
Length
36.07 m
Width
38 m
Height
11.3 m
Weight
77000 kg
Operators (2)
China
Myanmar
Something went wrong. Please reload the page.
Reload