Avionics
The F-7BG has several modern avionics upgrades. These include a new head-up display (HUD) with a new Stores Management System, which is essentially a useful cockpit-pilot interface to help establish the status of stores including configuration, fusing and weapon codes etc. A voice warning system, colour video recorder, elaborate cockpit lighting (Night Vision Goggle Compatible) and a more precise and jitter free AOA probe, GPS and inertial navigation system (INS), and a New Pulse-Doppler fire-control radar based on Russian and Israeli technology.
Comms: GMAv AD 3400 UHF/VHF multifunction com, Type 602 (`Odd Rods` type) IFF.
Radar: I/J-band KLJ-6E Lieying (`Falcon`) pulse-Doppler fire-control radar. This Radar has a Search Range of 30km, with Target Tracking Range of 26km.
Flight: WL-7 radio compass, 0101 HR A2 altitude radio altimeter, LTC-2 horizon gyro, XS-6 marker beacon receiver, VOR, Distance Measure Equipment (DME), Instrument Landing System (ILS), tactical aircraft navigation (TACAN) system and an improved Type 8430 air data computer with HOTAS.
Instrumentation: A new HUD (made by the Xian Sicong Group) in the F-7BG provides pilot with displays for instrument flying, with air-to-air and air-to-ground weapon aiming symbols integrated with flight-instrument symbology. It can store 32 weapon parameter functions, allowing for both current and future weapon variants. In air-to-air combat its four modes (missiles, conventional gunnery, snapshoot gunnery, dogfight) and standby aiming reticule allow for all eventualities. VCR and infrared cockpit lighting on the F-7BG is to be used with a Chinese (Cigong Group) Helmet Mounted Sight (HMS) slaved to the PL-9 AAM. The new air data computer coupled with the new HUD in the air-to-ground mode is capable of projecting both Constantly Computed Impact Points (CCIP) and Constantly Computed Release Points (CCRP) - which will use internal GPS and INS.
An EFIS display can be found in the upper starboard corner of the Flight Instrumentation panel. It can display heading and navigation sub-systems like ADF, VOR, TACAN, ILS etc.
Self-defence: South-West China Research Institute of Electronic Equipment KG-8602 RWR interfaced with the South-West China Research Institute of Electronic Equipment KG-8605 internal radar noise jammer and China National Import and Export Corporation GT-1 chaff/flare dispenser, and Type 602 'Odd Rods' IFF.
The F-7BG also comes with SE-2 Airborne Missile Approach Warning (MAW) Sensors located at the rear and port and starboard sides.
HMS: The HMS helmets are supplied by the Cigong Group, further upgrading the F-7s mission capabilities.
Armament
Fixed weapons include One 30mm Type 30-1 belt-fed cannon, with 60 rounds, in a fairing on the starboard underside of the front fuselage just forward of wingroot leading-edges. Four under-wing stores stations can carry up to 2,000kg of disposable stores (each unit rated at 500kg). Two hardpoints under each wing, of which outer ones are wet for carriage of drop tanks. Centreline pylon used for drop tank only.
Each inboard pylon is capable of carrying a PL-2, -2A, -5B, -7 and -9 missile or, at customer's option, an R550 Magic.
One 18-tube pod of Type 57-2 (57 mm) air-to-air and air-to-ground rockets. One Type 90-1 (90 mm) seven-tube pod of air-to-ground rockets. Or a 50, 150, 250 or 500 kg Guided/Unguided or Custer Bombs. Each outboard pylon can carry one of above rocket pods, a 50 or 150 kg bomb, or a 500 litre drop tank.
All Bangladesh Air Force F-7BGs are also equipped with 250~500 kg LS-6 laser guided munitions. The PGMs provide capabilities that are roughly comparable to US JDAMs.
Both weapons will be capable of using three systems the US GPS, the Russian Glonass and China's own Beidou System. The architecture for this system eventually foresees using five satellites in geosynchronous orbit (GEO) and up to 30 non-GEO platforms. The LS-6 has a maximum launch range of around 60 km.
In addition by 2010 according to the Bangladesh Air Force plans the F-7BGs will be upgraded with KLJ-6F BVR-capable fire control radar and PL-12 medium range air to air missiles, which have a range of 70 km.
Status
F-7BGs were inducted in the Bangladesh Air Force in 2006. The new generation F-7BGs are likely to replace all existing F-7MBs in the future with the procurement of additional units.
