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The Xian JH-7 (NATO codename:"Flounder") is a twin engine Chinese fighter-bomber that was developed by Xi´an Aircraft. It was the first Chinese combat aircraft, that is not based on a Russian aircraft. The JH-7 is also called FBC-1 Flying Leopard.

Jh-7a naval yt

History[]

In the middle of the 1980s, China searched for a replacement for the Harbin H-5 and Nanchang Q-5. So that the JH-7 was developed, which had its first flight on 14th December 1988. The aircraft was designed to be a Multirole aircraft and should fullfill the needs of the Navy and the Air Force. But because the JH-7 did not fullfill the criteria of the Air Force, only 40 units of the first variant were built and only used by the Navy in 1992 with basic munitions and a PD radar. After the success of the Dassault Super Etendard in the Falklands-War, the Navy variant got priority and development of an Air Force derivative was stopped prematurely. Development of the Air Force JH-7 was later restarted and a modified JH-7A was built, which was slightlier and more modern than the Navy JH-7. The WS-9 engine was chosen in 1983, which is a under license built Rolls-Royce RB.168 Spey Mk202. The first flight of the JH-7A for the Air Force was on 1st July 2002. The cockpit is equipped with Multifunction-displays (MFD) and a Pulse-Doppler radar, which allows it to use laser-,radar- and TV guided missiles. Since 2004 100 aircraft are in use by the Navy and Air Force.


JH-7 Armaments:

Bombs: 250kg, 500kg, 1000kg

Rockets: Type-130-1/2, Type90-1

Anti-Ship: Yangji Missiles

AGM: Kh-29

Air to air: PL-5, PL-8


JH-7A added armaments

PGM: LS1000, LS500, LS250, FT Bomb series, GB-1/5/6/10

AGM: KD-88, CM-802, C-705, C-704, CM-102, LD-10

Air to air: PL-12, PL-9

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