Harbin SH-5

SH-5
Role Maritime patrol amphibian /attack
Manufacturer Harbin Aircraft Factory
First flight 3 April 1976[1]
Introduction 1986
Primary user People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force
Produced 1984-1985
Number built 6 [2]

The Harbin SH-5 (Shuishang Hongzhaji - maritime bomber) is a Chinese maritime patrol amphibian intended for a wide range of duties, including aerial firefighting, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and air-sea rescue (SAR). They are used for maritime and search and rescue operations. One is outfitted as a firefighting plane.

Contents

Avionics

SH-5 is an important milestone in Chinese aviation history in that it is the first Chinese aircraft to be equipped with a passive phased array radar (PPAR), designated as Type 698 side-looking ranging radar. This domestically built side-looking PPAR is completely indigenously developed with contributions from numerous Chinese industrial and scientific establishments. Developmental research for an airborne side-looking PPAR feasibility study first begun in 1964, and in 1970, the work on radar itself finally begun. However, due to the political turmoil in China at the time, namely, the Cultural Revolution, the first flight test of the PPAR was not completed until 1978, and it would take almost an additional half a decade after that to perfect the system until its final state certification to accept the system into service. Due to the limitation of Chinese industrial and scientific capability at the time, this first domestic Chinese airborn PAR/PPAR is a ranging only radar. During its service, the PPAR installed on SH-5 has been continuously upgraded, with original magnetron replaced by a klystron, which in turn, was finally replaced by a traveling wave tube, which helped to improve reliability and reduced operational cost. Despite the upgrades, this airborne side-looking PPAR remained a ranging only radar capable of providing info on target as small as the periscope, but according to the Chinese, the experience gained from this project had helped China in developing other more advanced airborne PPAR later on. The range of Type 698 side-looking PPAR is greater than 20 km for submarine periscope, over 50 km for small boats, and further for larger ships.

Variants

SH-5
The only production series, 1 prototype and 4 production aircraft built.
SH-5A
Some SH-5's converted for ELINT duties.
SH-5B Firefighter
One SH-5 was rebuilt for firefighting duties.[3] It is designated as PS-5.

Operators

 People's Republic of China

Specifications (SH-5)

Data from Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide [5]

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

dorsal 23 mm gun turret; four hardpoints; 6,000 kg warload; C-101 ASMs, ASW torpedoes, depth charges; mines; bombs

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

  1. ^ The SH-5 Aircraft
  2. ^ a b The Harbin SH-5
  3. ^ The Harbin SH-5
  4. ^ SH-5 Amphibious Aircraft, Chinese Defense Today
  5. ^ Rendall, David (1995). Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide. Glasgow, UK: HarperCollinsPublishers. pp. 505. ISBN 0-00-4709802. 
PLAAF/PLANAF maritime patrol aircraft
SH-5
No other designations were assigned in this sequence
Active aircraft of the People's Liberation Army Air Force

Fighters: J-7 · J-8 · J-10 · J-11 · Su-27 · Su-30MKK - Bombers and Ground Attack: Q-5 · H-6 · JH-7 · Tankers: H-6 · Il-78

Reconnaissance: HZ-5 · JZ-5 · JZ-6 · JZ-7 · JZ-8 · Tu-154M - Transport: Y-5 · Y-7 · Y-8 · Y-11 · Y-12 · B737-300/700 · CL 601 · Il-76 · Tu-154
Lists relating to aviation
General
Military
Accidents/incidents
Records