Shaanxi Y-8 (Yunshuji-8) (2024)

Shaanxi Yun-8 (Yunshuji-8) History

Due to the former close ties between the Soviet Union and Communist China, the latter acquired various Soviet technologies from China during the waraircraft, armaments , warships and small arms. The Antonov An-12 (NATO codename "Cub") first flew in December 1957 and soon proved stable, with 1,248 eventually produced, some locally operated by the Soviet Union, with a large number sent overseas to Angola and Armenia to Ukraine and the former Yugoslavia.

Like other foreign military products, Chinese industry has rebuilt the An-12 as a local solution to the Shaanxi Aircraft Company's "Y-8".

The Y-8 is currently in service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and made its maiden flight on December 25, 1974 - retaining the functionality of the original, while more in line with local Chinese needs. At least 170 Chinese tables were produced.

Y-8 emerged from the Sino-Soviet split from 1956 to 1966, during which Sino-Soviet relations deteriorated. However, the Chinese have obtained An-12 and assembly licenses, which lays the foundation for a local solution. The Y-8 received an improved glass nose assembly and was fitted with a roller-based cargo system internally to facilitate the movement of pallets in and out of the aircraft's cargo bay.

The ramps remain under the raised rear for easy access, although earlier versions featured an inward opening arrangement rather than the more common rear opening arrangement (shown in later production forms).

Depending on the production mode, the operator can consist of 2 people or a maximum of 5 people. The cargo bay can also hold 90 combat-ready troops or up to 44,100 pounds of cargo.

Dimensions of the aircraft include a length of 111.6 feet, a wingspan of 124.7 feet and a height of 36.6 feet. The empty weight is 78,245 lbs and the maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is up to 134,500 lbs.

A reverse-engineered form of the Antonov An-12, the Y-8 replicates its general layout, including a rounded streamlined fuselage, shoulder-mounted main aircraft, and a single-tail fin. The flight deck is located above and aft of the nose section and usually provides good visibility. The main aircraft sits high to clear the rotating propeller blades of the four-engine layout.

The landing gear remains a tricycle arrangement with a two-wheeled front leg under the co*ckpit floor and a two-wheeled (four-wheeled) main leg under the center mass that is fully retractable.

Power comes from 4 Zhuzhou Wojiang 6 (WJ-6) turboprop engines, each producing 4,250 hp and driving a four-bladed constant velocity propeller. Lacking the expertise to design and develop its own engine, the WJ-6 was just a Chinese version of the Soviet Ivchenko AI-20 turboprop that was ubiquitous in the 1950s.

With these engines attached to the basic Y-8 airframe, the aircraft can reach speeds of 410 mph, cruise at close to 340 mph, and have a range of up to 3,500 miles. Service is capped at up to 34,100 feet, while the climb rate reaches 2,000 feet per minute.

From mid-1972 to its maiden flight in December 1974, a prototype of the Y-8 was evaluated and tested in 1975. However, despite the official certification of this model, quantitative series production did not occur until 1981.

In the mid-1980s, when Lockheed tried to get the Chinese military interested in its four-engine C-130 Hercules tactical transport aircraft, the company inadvertently demonstrated that, by various measures, the Y-8 was a capable in itself. mount. In the early 2000s, the Chinese Y-8 production line was modernized with the help of Ukraine-based Antonov, the original Soviet-era manufacturer of the An-12.

In Chinese Air Force and Navy service, the Y-8 has been deployed in a variety of roles covering military and peacekeeping operations. It is used to transport troops and supplies, as well as vehicles, and to support humanitarian efforts when needed.

It has evolved into a proven, versatile platform that can keep pace with developments in the East and West while taking on a more determined role on the battlefield.

The first production models were simply referred to as "Y-8", but featured a non-pressurized cargo compartment, which limited their usefulness. The Y-8A was developed as a transport helicopter, while the Y-8AF was used for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) testing.

The Y-8B was another non-pressurized model for carrying passengers and cargo, the Y-8C was improved with the addition of a pressurized cargo compartment, retaining the Model B's rear cargo ramp.

The Y-8C formed the basis for the Y-8CA to be converted into an Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) role. The Y-8D is an export variant with "western" avionics. The Y-8DZ is used in an electronic signals intelligence (SIGINT) role and is easily identified by the canister-like arrangement in front of the tail.

The Y-8E was modified for use on a UAV carrier.

In addition to these early markers and many other later markers in the series (described in the variants section below), the most notable lineages are the evolving variants, including the "KJ-200" And "KJ-500" belongs. The former is used in an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) role and carries an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) system on the airframe, while the latter is functionally similar in the battlefield but with up to three AESA radar systems. and extra antenna.

The line is currently (2020) deployed by the armed forces of Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania and Venezuela.

Shaanxi Yunba (Yunshuji-8) Specification

Basic Knowledge

Service Years

1981

Origins

China

Status

Active.

Crew

5

Production

170

Manufacturer

Shaanxi Aircraft Company - China

Carrier

China; Myanmar; Pakistan; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Tanzania; Venezuela

Roles

Ground attack (bombing, strafing)

The ability to conduct air strikes against ground targets using (but not limited to) artillery, bombs, rockets, rockets, etc.

Disable support (CAS)

Designed to operate near active ground elements with a wide range of air-to-surface weapon and ammunition options.

Special Mission: Airborne Early Warning (AEW)

A specially equipped platform that provides command and control (C2) capabilities to Allied air forces on the battlefield.

Special Mission: Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)

Can search, track and attack enemy underwater elements using special equipment and weapons on board.

Special Mission: Anti-ship

Equipped to find, track, and attack enemy surface elements through visual acquisition, radar support, and ship-based weapons.

Special Mission: Electronic Warfare (EW)

Ability to actively deny adversaries electromagnetic (EM) spectrum and protect that spectrum for allied forces.

Special mission: MEDEVAC

Extraction of wounded combat or civilian elements through specialized shipboard equipment and available internal volume or external carrying capacity.

Special Mission: Search and Rescue (SAR)

Ability to locate and evacuate personnel from potentially hazardous or dangerous areas, such as downed pilots at sea.

Transportation

General transport function for moving supplies/cargo or people (including casualties and VIPs) out of range.

Commercial Aviation

Used in roles serving the commercial aviation market, moving passengers and cargo over long distances.

VIP Service

Used in the VIP (Very Important Person) passenger role, usually with above-average amenities and luxury as standard.

Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR), reconnaissance

Monitor ground targets/target areas to assess surrounding threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.

X-Plane (development, prototype, tech demo)

Aircraft designed for prototyping, technology demonstration, or research/data collection.

Dimensions and Weight

Length

111.5 feet

(34.00m)

Width/span

124. 7 feet

(38.00m)

Height

36. 1 ft

(11.00m)

Cured weight

78,264 lbs

(35,500 kg)

MTOW

134,482 lbs

(61,000 kg)

Wgt Difference

+?56,218

(+25,500 kg)

Performance

Installed:

4 x Zhuzhou WpJiang-6 (WJ-6) (Ivchenko Ai-20 series) turboprops, 4,250 hp each, driving four-bladed propeller units.

Maximum speed

410 km/h

(660 km/h | 356 knots)

Maximum

34,121 feet

(10,400 m | 6 km)

Area

3,480 km

(5,600 km | 10,371 nautical miles)

rate of climb

2,000 ft/min

(610 m/min)

Range (MPH) Subsonic: <614mph | Transonic: 614-921 | Supersonic: 921-3836 | Hypersonic: 3836-7673 | Hypersonic: 7673-19180 | Reentry: > 19030

Armor

None.

VARIANTS

Y-8 - The name of the base series. Yunshuji-8 - Alternative name. Y-8A - Helicopter transport model. Y-8AF - Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) development variant. Y-8B - Cargo tug; no pressure. Y-8C - Transport variant; print. Y-8CA - Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) variant. Y-8CB Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) variant; sharper nose cone.

Y-8D - Military transport export model with western avionics. Y-8DZ - Variant Electronic Signals Intelligence (SIGINT). Y-8E - UAV carrier. Y-8F - Livestock transport variant. Y-8FQ Maritime patrol version with a boom mounted Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD).

Y-8F-100 - a modernized variant with upgraded engines and co*ckpit systems. Y-8F-200 - fuselage lengthened by 7.9 feet. Y-8F-300 - Civil market passenger transport using Western avionics; no pressure. Y-8F-400 - Based on the pressurized F-300. Y-8F-600 - Passenger transport for the civilian market; Pratt & Whitney turboprop; digital co*ckpit design; increased towing capacity to 25 tons.

Y-8GX1 Electronic Warfare (EW) variant. Y-8GX3 - Airborne Command Post (ACP) variant of the Y-8F-200 series. Y-8GX4 - Electronic Intelligence Variant (Electronic Intelligence). Y-8GX7 - PSYOPS (Psychological Operations) variant. Y-8G - Proposed aerial tanker. Y-8H - aerial survey aircraft.

Y-8J Airborne Early Warning and Control (AWACS) variant, UK search radar mounted in oversized nose radome. Y-8J - AEW variant. Y-8JB - ELINT model form. Y-8K - 121 passenger aircraft. Y-8Q - Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) variant. Y-8T - ACP/Battlefield Surveillance Platform variant. Y-8U - development of a model of an aerial tanker. Y-8W - AWACS platform. Y-8X - Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) variant. Y-8EW - Electronic Warfare (EW) variant. KJ-200 - Dedicated AWACS variant. KJ-500 - Improved AWACS variant. ZDK-03 - Pakistan Air Force early warning aircraft export model. ZDK-06 - Export AWACS variant with AESA and Pulse Doppler radar system.