PL-10
| PL-10 | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) A J-20 with one visible PL-10 on the side of the weapons bay. | |
| Type | Short-range air-to-air missile |
| Place of origin | People's Republic of China |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2015−present |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Luoyang Electro-Optics Technology Development Centre (EOTDC) |
| Produced | 2013−present |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 3.0 m (9 ft 10 in)[1] |
| Diameter | 160 mm (6.3 in)[2] |
| Warhead | Blast-frag, or expanding rod (RF-fuse) |
Detonation mechanism | Laser proximity fuze and impact |
| Engine | Thrust-vectoring solid-propellant rocket |
Guidance system | Multi-element imaging infrared (IIR)[3] Active radar seeker |
Launch platform | Aircraft |
The PL-10 (Chinese: 霹雳-10; pinyin: Pī Lì-10; lit. 'Thunderbolt-10', NATO reporting name: CH-AA-9[4]), formerly known as PL-ASR (stands for PiLi-Advanced Short Range),[5][6] is a short-range, infrared-homing / active radar homing air-to-air missile (AAM) developed by the People's Republic of China.[7]
History
[edit]Development of the PL-10 began in 2004. The design was approved in 2010 and it entered production in 2013.[7] The chief designer was Liang Xiaogeng (梁晓庚) of the Shanghai Academy of Science and Technology.[7] Pictures of the PL-10, then known as the PL-ASR, appeared on the Chinese internet in 2008.[5]
Design
[edit]The PL-10 may be partially based on the South African A-Darter AAM.[7] It uses an imaging infrared (IIR) sensor; these generally improve detection range and resistance to countermeasures.[8] The PL-10E has all-aspect targeting capability using an IIR sensor that images the entire target.[7] The seeker is reportedly very resistant to jamming and electronic countermeasures.[9]
The IIR seeker may track targets +/-90 degree off boresight angles.[8] It may be slaved to a helmet-mounted display (HMD);[10] the missile may be fired at a target that is visually sighted by the pilot ("look and shoot") and outside the aircraft's radar scan envelope.[11] The missile may lock-on after launch (LOAL)[12] and receive targeting data through a datalink while in flight.[8]
Flight is controlled by a thrust-vector controlled solid rocket motor and free-moving control wings on the missile's tail,[13] which facilitate the missile to achieve turn capability of over 60Gs and high angles of attack.[7]
According to the assessment by Royal United Services Institute, the PL-10 provides comparable performance to European ASRAAM and IRIS-T missiles, while offering superior kinematic performances against AIM-9X.[12] According to aviation researcher Justin Bronk, the overall capability of the PL-10 reaches an approximate parity with Western systems and surpasses Russian technologies.[12]
Variants
[edit]- PL-10
- Original version
- PL-10E
- Export version. The first potential buyer was Pakistan and its JF-17 Block III program.[14]
- PL-10 Active Radar
- A PL-10 variant replacing the IIR seeker with miniature active radar. It features a new radome, improving aerodynamic efficiency and range. The variant was first observed in 2022.[15]
See also
[edit]- AAM-5 (Japanese missile) – (Japan)
- Bozdoğan – (Turkey)
- PL-8 – (China)
- PL-9 – (China)
- AIM-9X – (United States)
- ASRAAM – (United Kingdom)
- IRIS-T – (Germany, Italy, Sweden, Greece)
- MICA – (France)
References
[edit]- ^ "Chinese Super Maneuverable Air-To-Air Missile Closer To Deployment". DefenseWorld.net. 26 September 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
- ^ "China shows new generation of short-range air-to-air missiles at Airshow China in Zhuhai". 1 November 2016.
- ^ Barrie, Douglas (8 October 2021). "China fires longer-range AAM at export market". International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- ^ Warnes, Alan (19 September 2025). "XCLUSIVE: Full article - Understanding the Rafale kills". AirForce Monthly. No. November 2025. p. 43-58.
- ^ a b "Luoyang PL-ASR/PL-10 High Agility Close Combat Missile". Air Power Australia.
- ^ "PL-10". Military Periscope.
- ^ a b c d e f Wood, Yang & Cliff 2020, p. 36-37.
- ^ a b c Newdick, Thomas (1 September 2022). "A Guide To China's Increasingly Impressive Air-To-Air Missile Inventory". The Drive.
- ^ Chen, Chuanren (20 July 2017). "New Chinese Weapons Seen On J-10C Fighter". AIN Online.
- ^ "China Completes Air-to-Air Missile Development For Fifth-Gen Fighter Jet". DefenseWorld.net. 18 September 2015. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
- ^ Melzer, James E. (31 December 1998). "Chapter 5: Head-Mounted Displays" (PDF). In Spitzer, Cary (ed.). The Avionics Handbook. Boca Raton, USA: CRC Press (published 2011). ISBN 0-8493-8348-X.
- ^ a b c Bronk 2020, p. 36.
- ^ Fisher, Richard D Jr (18 September 2015). "Chief designer reveals data on China's new Luoyang PL-10 AAM". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 18 September 2015.
- ^ Barrie, Douglas (8 October 2021). "China fires longer-range AAM at export market". International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- ^ Barrie, Douglas (25 November 2022). "Chinas air show but dont tell weapons development". International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- Bibliography
- Wood, Peter; Yang, David; Cliff, Roger (November 2020). Air-to-Air Missiles: Capabilities And Development In China (PDF). Montgomery: China Aerospace Studies Institute. ISBN 9798574996270.
- Bronk, Justin (October 2020). Russian and Chinese Combat Air Trends (PDF) (Report). United Kingdom: Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies.