PL-12

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For the Australian aircraft, see Transavia PL-12 Airtruk.
PL-12
SD-10

Type Medium-range air-to-air missile
Service history
In service 2007
Production history
Manufacturer CATIC
Unit cost $84,000 USD
Produced 2002
Specifications
Weight 397 lb (180 kg)
Length 12.63 ft (3.85 m)
Diameter 8 in (203 mm)
Warhead high explosive fragmentation
Detonation
mechanism		 Proximity fuse
Engine Solid fuel dual-thrust rocket motor
Wingspan 674 mm
Operational
range		 43.5+ mi (80+ km)
Speed Mach 4
Guidance
system		 Mid-course: Inertial / Datalink
Terminal: Active radar homing
Launch
platform		 Chengdu J-10/F-10 Vanguard
J-11
JF-17 Thunder

The PL-12 (PiLi-12) or SD-10 (ShanDian-10) is a BVRAAM (Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile) developed for the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and Pakistan Air Force (PAF).

Contents

[edit] Development history

The PL-12 active-radar BVR air-to-air missile became the highest priority air-to-air weapons programme for China's military industry during 2002, and supplanted several previous developmental projects (such as the PL-10 and PL-11) in terms of effort and importance. It provides the People's Liberation Army Air Force and the Pakistan Air Force with a sophisticated, indigenous airborne weapon that will complement, to some degree the Russian-supplied R-27/R-77 missiles that equip the PLAAF's Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30 force and the PAF's American supplied AIM-120 AMRAAMs which are carried by the F-16s.

The PL-12 is listed as part of CATIC's current 'Thunder-Lightning' family of air-to-air missiles, that includes the PL-5E, PL- 9C and TY-90 systems (all developed by the Luoyang Electro-Optical Technology Development Center).

Prior to the emergence of the PL-12, China's active radar seeker AAM development programme was sometimes identified as the 'AMR-1'. During Air Show China 1996, held during November in Zhuhai, the China Leihua Electronic Technology Research Institute/No 607 Research Institute exhibited a newly-developed active radar seeker, the AMR-1. This seeker was, in turn, believed to have been applied to a new air- to-air missile design, derived from the LY-60 surface-to-air missile, and dubbed the 'PL-12'. This active radar missile, and the earlier semi-active radar homing PL-11, seemed to have a common design heritage with the Italian Aspide missile, supplied to China during the late 1980s. The status of the PL-11 and 'LY-60/PL-12' development programmes is unclear, but sources within CATIC say these earlier programmes have all been abandoned in favor of the PL-12.

The existence of the PL-12 programme was acknowledged by Chinese officials for the first time in early 2002 (the first pictures of the new missile appeared from Chinese sources during 2001). According to CATIC sources the missile has a range of 80 km[1]. Earlier speculation around the AMR-1/LY-60 programme suggested that a ramjet engine was being developed for it, and such a powerplant would allow a missile to be effective at such long ranges.

[edit] Description

The new PL-12 active guided air-launched anti-aircraft missile uses the radar and data link from Russia's very capable Vympel R-77[2], combined with a Chinese missile motor. Some sources claim the resulting combination has a greater range than the Russian missile,and a fire-and-forget active guidance (from R-77) capability comparable to the modern U.S. AIM-120 AMRAAM.[3] [4] [5]

The PL-12 is outwardly very similar to the US-designed AIM-120 AMRAAM. The two share a comparable aerodynamic configuration, although with a length of 3.85m, a diameter of 20.3 cm and a weight of 180 kg the PL-12 is a little longer, wider and heavier than the AMRAAM. The PL-12 has four rear-mounted control fins that each have a very distinctive notch cut into their base. These fins are longer and more prominent than those of the AMRAAM and are cropped at an angle (rather than in line with the missile body). Four larger triangular fins are fixed to the mid-section of the missile. Internally, the leading edge of the centrebody fins is in line with the start of the missile's rocket motor. That motor is a variable-thrust solid rocket booster, that offers two levels of motive power for different sections of the flight envelope.

CATIC is known to be developing X-band and Ku-band active radar seekers, which may be intended for the PL-12. However the latest reports confirm that China has been co-operating closely with Russia's AGAT Research Institute, based in Moscow, and that AGAT is the source of the PL-12's essential active seeker. This joint development effort (perhaps with the name 'Project 129') has reportedly seen the supply of AGAT's 9B-1348 active-radar seeker (developed for the Vympel R-77, AA-12 'Adder') to China for integration with the Chinese-developed missile. Alternatively, technology from AGAT's 9B-1103M seeker family may be offered to China. Russia is also the source for the missile's inertial navigation system and datalink.

The PL-12 has four engagement modes. To take the greatest advantage of its maximum range it will use a mix of command guidance (via a datalink) plus its own inertial guidance before entering the active radar terminal guidance phase. The missile can also be launched to a pre-selected point, using its strap-down inertial system, before switching on its own seeker for a terminal search. Over short ranges the missile can be launched in a 'fire-and-forget' mode using its own active seeker from the outset. Finally, the PL-12 has a 'home-on-jam' mode that allows it to passively track and engage an emitting target, without ever using its own active radar or a radar from the launch aircraft. This capability is the foundation on which the capability of anti-radiation missile is developed. The seeker is connected to a digital flight control system that uses signal processing techniques to track a target. The missile's warhead is linked to a laser proximity fuse.

The PL-12 is claimed to have an operational ceiling of 25 km, with a maximum effective range of 80 km and a minimum engagement range of 1,000 m. The missile has a 38+ g manoeuvering limit and, according to CATIC, it has been tested for a 100-hour captive 'live flight' life. According to the Chinese claim, PL-12 is more capable than the American AIM-120 A/B, but slightly inferior than the AIM-120C. Like the AIM-120 AMRAAM, PL-12 is also used as SAM, and tests have already successfully completed as the possible replacement of LY-60, but such system has not entered service because China has already been developing the vertical launched version. The vertical launching system is developed by the Luoyang Optronic Technological Development Center in Henan, and the system is called CCL, short for Concentric Cylindrical Launcher, which is similar to American Mk 48 VLS in appearance, but due to the very limited information publicized, it is difficult to tell if the Chinese VLS is a "cold launch" system or a "hot launch" system like that of American Mk 48 VLS.

[edit] Miscellaneous

[edit] Platforms

The PL-12 is carried on Chengdu J-10 and Shenyang J-11 fighters, as well as on the JF-17[6].

[edit] Specifications

  • Length: 3.85 m (12.63 ft)
  • Body diameter: 203 mm (8 in)
  • Wing span: 674 mm
  • Launch weight: 180 kg (397 lb)
  • Warhead: HE fragmentation
  • Fuze: Active proximity fuse
  • Guidance: Inertial mid-course and/or datalink updates, with active radar terminal homing
  • Propulsion: Solid dual-thrust rocket motor
  • Maximum Range: At least 70 km (43.5 mi, early versions)
  • Minimum Range: 1 km
  • Maximum g-force: > 38 g
  • Maximum Altitude: 25 km
  • Maximum Speed: > Mach 4
  • Inescapable Zone (look-up): 45 km (against target w/ RCS of 3 sq. meter)
  • Inescapable Zone (look-down): 35 km (against target w/ RCS of 3 sq. meter)

[edit] References

  1. ^ "China SD-10 Missile Technology" Janes Defense Weekly February 8 2004
  2. ^ PL-12 Globalsecurity.org
  3. ^ Military Sales to China: Going to Pieces Jamestown Foundation China Brief (Volume 2, Issue 23)
  4. ^ Missiles in the Asia Pacific AusAirPower.net
  5. ^ China unveils weapon developments Janes.com 14 May 2007
  6. ^ SinoDefence.com [1]

[edit] External links

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