nomi007
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2010
- Messages
- 8,538
- Reaction score
- 8
This newest member of the "High New" series was first spotted in April 2011 at CFTE (S/N 720?). Similar to Y-8W, Y-8ELINT is based on "Y-8 Catalog III Platform" powered by four WJ-6C turboprop engines with 6-blade high efficiency propellers. As an EW aircraft it features four large rectangular shaped dark color fairings on both sides of the forward and rear fuselage. Additional antennas are installed inside fairings at the wingtips, beneath and on top of the mid-fuselage, on top of the vertical tailfin, underneath the nose as well as inside the nose/tail cone.
An EO turret (containing FLIR/TV) is also mounted underneath the fuselage for surveillance purpose. The exact function of Y-8ELINT is still unknown. However it was speculated as an advanced ELINT platform similar to American EP-3. At least two High New 8 were constructed by spring 2012. The newly constructed aircraft now features two additional small vertical stabilizing fins on its tail. The first Y-8ELINT entered the service with PLAN in early 2013 (S/N 9241).