A new dog in the fight, PL-10

[Baloch Pakistani]

A new dog in the fight
China's recent unveiling to potential export customers of its PL-10 imaging-infrared guided air-to-air missile was a testament to the country's growing weapons-design capabilities. As Douglas Barrie explains, just a handful of nations have so far mastered this technology and this model is likely emerge as the standard imaging-infrared missile in the PLAAF inventory.

Date: 29 November 2016

By Douglas Barrie, Senior Fellow for Military Aerospace

China has joined a so far exclusive club of nations capable of designing and developing high agility imaging-infrared guided air-to-air missiles (AAMs). As well as being introduced into the air force, the PL-10 missile has already been put on show for possible export customers. The missile was displayed for the first time at Air Show China, held in Zhuhai in early November.

Given the close ties between China and Pakistan on the JF-17 light fighter programme, Islamabad is an obvious candidate as the first export customer for China’s latest ‘dogfight’ missile. Beijing has previously supplied its PL-5 and PL-7 infrared-guided missiles as part of weapons packages to other air forces including those of: Bangladesh, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan and Venezuela.

The PL-10 represents a considerably more capable design than Beijing has previously been able to offer. Only a handful of countries have the capability to design and develop high-agility imaging infrared AAMs. Only six such missiles are in service: the US AIM-9X, the British ASRAAM, the French Mica-IR, the European multi-national IRIS-T, the Israeli Python 5 and the Japanese AAM-5. The South African A-Darter is nearing service entry, while Russia has yet to field – or offer for export – an imaging infrared AAM.

The Luoyang PL-10 will provide the PLAAF with a successor to the PL-8 – effectively the Israeli Python 3 AAM – and the Russian R-73 (AA-11 Archer), which are the two most capable short-range missiles in its inventory.

The missile uses a similar aerodynamic configuration to the IRIS-T, the once proposed Ukrainian Gran, and indeed the Japanese AAM-5, with small fixed destabilisers to the rear of the seeker dome, narrow span mid-body wings and all moving cruciform tail surfaces.

The rear fins also have a distinctive notch on the trailing surfaces. Design insight may have been gained from Russia, South Africa and Ukraine. The PL-10 also appears to use an umbilical fitting similar to that of the R-73, potentially allowing the weapon to be fitted to the same launch pylon.

Launch weights varying between 89kg and 105kg have been claimed for the missile. Given that it uses a combination of thrust vector and aerodynamic control, and the drag penalty that this incurs, it is likely to be at the upper end of this weight range. As of late 2015, some 30 test-firings had been carried out. Development of the missile has been probably been under way for around 15 years.

The missile is believed to have been provided to the PLAAF in a small initial batch. It has been seen fitted for testing on the J-10, the J-11 and the J-20. If the service trials are successful, the weapon will likely emerge as the standard imaging-infrared missile in the PLAAF inventory and as the replacement for the PL-5, PL-7 and PL-9 infrared missiles that Chinese industry has previously supplied to export customers.

@Windjammer @Bilal Khan (Quwa) @Bilal Khan 777 @Naif al Hilali

 

[I FLY HIGH]

PAF needs it desperately but it has to come up with HMS to make it more effective.

 

[C130]

what are the dimensions of this missile? it's look a lot bigger than the Aim-9X and ASRAAM. more like the size of MICA

 

[Inception-06]

So now PAF has its "MICA" !

 

[S10]

It's still designed to be a short range AAM, but with much longer burning rocket motor giving it an effective range of 20km. In addition, it's capable of high off-bore shots with HMS, and ability to lock on after launch.

 

[monitor]

Internet source imagery from January 4 has offered the first glimpses of what may be China’s emerging 5th generation air-to-air missiles (AAM). One missile, called the PL-ASR or PL-10, shows a very close resemblance to the South African Denel A-Darter AAM. A second image, discovered on a China’s Northwestern University web site in mid-December, shows another missile similar to the radar-guided South African Denel R-Darter, designed in cooperation with Israel. Both of these missiles are likely designed for use with modern Helmet-Mounted Displays (HMD), which enable pilots to “look to kill” their targets. But there is more: additional imagery suggests that a previously reported ramjet powered development of the Chinese Luoyang PL-12 active-radar guided AAM, called the PL-13, could give the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) an AAM that could out-range existing U.S. AAMs.[1]

Luoyang PL-ASR/PL-10: This image obtained from Chinese web pages on January 4 was the first revelation of the existence of the advanced PL-10 5th generation AAM. The text indicates development began in 2004 and production is expected by 2010. The missile also has a 90 degree off-bore-sight view and a “Lock On After Launch” capability, meaning it can better exploit high off bore-sight firing. Source: CJDBY web page.
Data along with one image suggests the PL-10 could enter production in 2010 but it is not known when the other two new AAMs would enter production. When they do enter service, these AAMs could give both old and new PLA Air Force fighters a decisive advantage over Taiwan Air Force fighters armed with shorter range U.S. AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles. The PL-ASR/PL-10 could have up to double the range of the new U.S. AIM-9X, the first U.S. HMD sighted AAM, which is just now entering service with U.S. Air Force and Navy squadrons. The ramjet powered “PL-13” may out-range current variants of the AIM-120.

Absolute determination of AAM capabilities is greatly hampered by the efforts of governments and manufacturers to deny information, such as that regarding missile range and countermeasures, which would allow potential adversaries to gain an advantage.[2] Furthermore, the utility of an AAM is also determined by many attributes of the carrying aircraft: its radar and electronic support systems, the availability of off-board sensor data, and the degree of training and experience of the launching pilot. But there is little margin for error when considering a major factor such as weapons, especially when considering that China’s increasing numbers of competitive 4th generation combat aircraft may be followed by 5th generation combat aircraft early to mid-next decade. Absent a U.S. response, such as the purchase of more 5th generation fighters, the development of a new generation of AAMs, or even the purchase of more capable European AAMs, the air power balance in Asia could shift dangerously toward China.



Possible “South African” AAMs

At the 2002 Zhuhai Airshow South African firms set up a small booth and spoke of their desire to do business with the PLA but did not go into specifics. At subsequent shows the South African presence grew larger and it is now clear that there have been several cooperative programs, including unmanned aircraft, air defense systems and air to air missiles. While South African firms have said little about the latter, in 2004 Yihong Chang reported on PLA interest in purchasing the 5th generation Denel A-Darter AAM.[7] The data revealed on January 4 indicated that development of the PL-10 started in 2004, which might track very well with the reported deepening of South African-PLA cooperation. The few clear images of the PL-ASR/PL-10 show a near 95 percent similarity with the Denel A-Darter AAM. The main differences are in the rear fin shape and configuration, but it is a relatively minor difference. So it is possible to speculate that the PL-10 may very well have a performance similar to or better than the A-Darter, which would include use of advanced imaging infrared guidance and a maximum range of 20km or better. The January 4 revelation indicates the seeker has a 90-degree off-bore-sight capability (180 degree field of view). It also has a lock-on-after-launch capability, meaning it can be launched from a high off-bore-sight position and acquires the target, usually accomplished with the aid of a helmet sight or IRST.

PL-10 and A-Darter: This comparison shows the basic similarity between the Denel A-Darter (top) and the Luoyang PL-10. Source: CJDBY and Internet
This missile could arm most PLA fighters equipped with an IRST, even a short range radar but also with computers capable of processing for the helmet mounted display. This would likely initially include J-10 and J-11B fighters, but then older J-11As, and then late model J-8II and J-7 fighters.

New Type AAM

The revelation of PL-10 imagery with the clear implication of South African technical participation also provides possible insights into another AAM found on a Chinese university website in mid-December 2007. This AAM has not yet been identified by any official or unofficial PLA source, but this single picture shows some similarity to the Denel radar-guided R-Darter, which is virtually the same missile as the Israeli Aircraft Industries Derby. The product of Israeli and South African cooperation during the 1980s and 1990s, the R-Darter has a light weight of 120kg and reported range of 63km.[8] It appears that the R-Darter/Derby program intended to produce a very maneuverable but light-weight radar-guided AAM that could be back-fitted to advanced 3rd and 4th generation fighters. R-Darter entered service with the South African Air Force but Derby has not yet entered service with the Israeli Air Force, though it is reportedly being used by the Singapore Air Force.

New Radar Guided AAM: Two new-type AAMs straddle a single PL-12 on a three-missile pylon on a JH-7A fighter bomber (top). This vague image was obtained from a Chinese university web site, and appears to show some similarity to the somewhat larger South African/Israeli R-Darter (bottom) radar-guided AAM. Source: Internet
The key similarity between the new PLA AAM and the R-Darter appears to be their shape and the possible inclusion of a small roll stabilization fins behind the front fins. However, it also appears that this new missile is appreciably smaller than the R-Darter, perhaps weighing only about 100 to 110kgs.[9] This would mean a shorter range, perhaps 20 to 30km. It is not known whether this new AAM has a semi-active, active, or even a passive seeker. One possibility may be a version of the new small 150mm seeker being marketed by Russia’s AGAT.[10] It is clear that the PLA intends to exploit this missile’s light weight, as its first public illustration shows two of the new missiles paired with a PL-12 on a single three-missile launch pylon. This pylon configuration allows newer fighters such as the FC-1, J-10, J-11B and JH-7A to increase their beyond-visual-range AAM carriage capability. This missile could also be intended to quickly upgrade the latest models of 3rd generation fighters like the Shenyang J-8IIF/H and the Chengdu J-7E/G with a lightweight radar guided AAM to complement the PL-10 infrared/imaging AAM.

If these two new PLA AAMs were aided substantially by South Africa, then it would stand to reason that South Africa may have also provided key enabling technologies such as Helmet Mounted Display systems and data links. Denel’s Archer HMD was developed to support the A-Darter and R-Darter and would likely have been sold to China along with the AAM technology. China’s Luoyang group has also long commented, albeit cryptically, on its interest in developing HMD technology, with images of experimental HMDs appearing from time to time. A new Luoyang HMD may benefit from indigenous and foreign technology. A helmet mounted sight displayed by the Cigong Group at the 2004 Zhuhai show uses prominent light-emitting diodes to allow cockpit computers to track the position of the pilot’s head, in order to target weapons, the same system used by the Denel Archer HMD.

Advanced Helmet Systems: The South African “Archer” helmet mounted display (top) uses light emitting diodes to track pilot head position in order to target weapons. The Cigong Group helmet sight seen a the 2004 Zhuhai show used a similar head tracking system. Any potential South African help with new PLA AAMs likely included the sale of advanced helmet display technology. Source: Denel and RD Fisher