JH-7A
Contents
Description
Due to the advent of the latest US and Russian strike aircraft projects of the time, such as the F-15E and the Su-34, China quickly realized their Q-5 fleet was technologically behind. Building a new supersonic heavy strike aircraft was no easy task, especially for China which had started the program lacking the required technological advancements to complete it. The development program began in the late 1980s as China aimed to bolster its naval aviation capabilities. This twin-engine, two-seat fighter-bomber was designed by the Nanchang Aircraft Corporation and later upgraded by the Xi'an Aircraft Corporation. The initial variant, the JH-7, first flew in 1988. It was equipped with a variety of systems, including the JL-10A radar and various electronic countermeasures, making it a versatile platform for ground attack and maritime strike missions. The JH-7 program faced many challenges, but by 1992, the first serial production variant of the JH-7, the JH-7A, officially entered service, where it played a significant role in modernizing China's naval air forces and showcasing their ambitions in the world of military aviation. While not as famous as other strike aircraft of its era, the JH-7 series is a noteworthy example of China's incredible strides in defense technology.
The JH-7A Flying Leopard II (歼轰-7A型歼击轰炸机; unified NATO reporting name: Flounder) was introduced in Update "Kings of Battle". Being a dedicated strike-fighter, the JH-7A specializes in the ground-strike role, and suffers in dedicated air-to-air combat at its battle rating, despite having access to the formidable PL-8 and PL-5C all aspect missiles. As such, this aircraft can struggle in dedicated air modes, and instead shines the brightest in mixed battles thanks to its selection of precision ground ordnance and powerful targeting pod. The strong radar and all-aspect missiles can prove to be a strong form of self-defence in mixed battles if the need arises. All in all, the JH-7A serves as a major upgrade in technology and capability over its predecessors in the tech tree, namely the Q-5 family.
General info
Flight performance
At first glance, players will see some similarities between the JH-7A and Jaguar, the latter being one of the targets the JH-7 aimed for during design (the other is Tornado IDS for its great payload). Due to the need to carry heavy ordnance such as AShMs and future provisions for AGMs, the JH-7A's size is still one of the largest among domestically designed PLANAF/PLAAF jets (even the largest J-20 is shorter than JH-7A by 2 metres). To mitigate the possible problems from its sheer size, the JH-7 series are powered by two FWS-9 Qinling turbofan engines (licensed Rolls-Royce Spey RB.168 Mk.202), with the JH-7A eventually using the completely domestic version. As such, it not only provides very high acceleration at any altitude, it can also maintain manoeuvrability when it has the need for occasional dogfights; thanks to the high wing design, it does have higher instantaneous AoA when facing manoeuvring targets. The very high acceleration also helps to push the jet to up to Mach 1.6 with only AAMs. It can still fly at supersonic speeds even at full-load; this also enables JH-7A to get to enemy bases as fast as it possible with sufficient payload for 2 bases.
However, the high wing design also brings a potentially fatal trait: poor low-speed and low-altitude manoeuvrability. This is a trait that also costed lives of PLAAF/PLANAF pilots as high wing jets will lose lift in the aforementioned scenarios, mostly during recovery from ground attacks or landing, thus players have to be more careful during such cases; if the terrain doesn't allow for a safe attack run, it's better to recover earlier and do not pull too much when doing so.
| Characteristics | Max speed (km/h at _,___ m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | ___ | ___ | 15000 | __._ | __._ | __._ | __._ | ___ |
| Upgraded | ___ | ___ | __._ | __._ | __._ | __._ | ||
Details
| Features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 1,331 | 450 | 717 | 673 | 450 | ~__ | ~__ |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < ___ | < ___ | < ___ | - |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Basic mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | |||
| _____ | _ | _,___ kg | ___ kg/m2 | |||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Gross Weight | ||||
| Weight (each) | Type | _m fuel | __m fuel | __m fuel | ||
| ___ kg | ___ | _,___ kg | _,___ kg | _,___ kg | _,___ kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP) | |||||
| Condition | 100% | ___%/WEP | _m fuel | __m fuel | __m fuel | MGW |
| Stationary | ___ kgf | ___ kgf | _.__ | _.__ | _.__ | _.__ |
| Optimal | ___ kgf (_ km/h) |
___ kgf (_ km/h) |
_.__ | _.__ | _.__ | _.__ |
Survivability and armour
Aside from self-sealing fuel tanks which are common for jets after the 1950s, due to the need for ground attack and potential AA threats, the cockpit is surrounded by armour plates at 10-16 mm (albeit not up front); while the front fuselage tank is also protected by an armour plate at 10 mm by the belly.
Meanwhile, the JH-7A has 84 countermeasures installed; for most cases, these large calibre countermeasures can allow it to easily evade incoming missiles, but players will still have to plan ahead and manoeuvre to maximize the efficiency of CMs.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armaments
Offensive armament
The JH-7A is armed with:
- 1 x 23 mm Type 23-3 cannon, belly-mounted (200 rpg)
- 84 x large calibre countermeasures
Suspended armament
The JH-7A can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
| Default weapon presets | |
|---|---|
| |
As a fighter-bomber modernized into a precision strike fighter, the JH-7A has a wide variety of ordnance available to it.
Three types of air-to-air missiles are available. The familiar PL-5B returns as a highly manoeuvrable short-range IR missile with fantastic acceleration, but since it is only rear-aspect, the pilot may need to put in some manoeuvring work to get in a firing position. The PL-5C is an all-aspect variant that fixes this flaw, although it has a very sensitive seeker that is easy to spoof with flares. The PL-8 as seen on the J-8F is a heavier IR missile with a superior seeker, a higher top speed, and better manoeuvrability. However, the PL-8 is not available on the wingtip pylons. The optimal air-to-air loadout thus consists of 2 x PL-8 and 2 x PL-5C. The latter are best used in situations that can take advantage of the PL-5's acceleration and short burn time (sneak attacks or brief snapshots) and the former are general purpose.
The two types of unguided rockets are the standard Type 90-1 HEAT and the Type 130-2 HE. The former are available on all six underwing pylons while the latter are limited to the middle and inboard pylons. At the JH-7A's battle rating, the HEAT rockets do not have enough penetration or capacity to be serious options for ground attack, but the HE rockets can still be used to blast lightly armoured ground targets when precision weapons are unavailable.
Unguided bombs are available in 250 kg and 500 kg sizes and the JH-7A can carry them in large numbers. The 500-4 high drag bombs have the highest explosive yield (325 kg of TNT) for their weight and are the best options for ground attack from a damage potential.
The JH-7A's signature ground attack weapons are its laser-guided bombs, available in three sizes. The 250 kg GB250 bombs return from the Q-5L, and although they are not very powerful, they can be carried on all underwing pylons for a total of six. They also have an inertial guidance (IOG) capability that helps maintain their trajectory even when the laser designation is temporarily interrupted by clouds or terrain. The 500 kg GB500 bombs also return from the Q-5L and pack a bigger punch, but lack IOG and have a somewhat shorter guidance time. The real star of the show is the 1,000 kg GB1000, which boasts 537.6 kg of TNT equivalent, a very long 105 second guidance time, and IOG capability. Note that the 500 kg and 1,000 kg LGBs can only be mounted on the middle and inboard wing pylons for a maximum capacity of 4.
The JH-7A also has access to the Soviet/Russian Kh-29T TV-guided air-to-ground missile. It is a bulky, heavy missile mounted on the inboard pylons for a maximum capacity of two. With a long flight range, a huge HE warhead, and fire-and-forget capabilities, it's a good choice for attacking SPAAs. Since it is a self-powered munition, it is not as reliant on the kinetics of the launch aircraft and is easier to use at low speeds and altitudes than LGBs. Compared to Soviet aircraft like the MiG-27K and MiG-29SMT, the JH-7A enjoys having a dedicated targeting pod with thermal optics to make acquiring targets for the Kh-29T much easier.
Usage in battles
The JH-7A vastly upgrades the arsenal of the PLAAF/PLANAF with its great selection of bombs and self-defense IR AAMs, as well as its great manoeuvrability thanks to its aerodynamic design and powerful turbofan engines. While pilots will need to be careful of the aircraft's sheer size and poor low-altitude manoeuvrability, most of the time both ground and aerial targets will have quite a bad day facing a well-piloted JH-7A.
Supersonic bomb truck
The JH-7A can be said to be the one and only dedicated attacker of the PLANAF/PLAAF that fits the description of a "bomb truck". While primarily designed to target surface warships, ground attack missions are also within its scope, boasting the highest payload of all Chinese jets (up to 22 x 250 kg unguided bombs). This high payload, combined with its speed, makes base bombing a breeze.
However, the JH-7 is also able to operate well in its dual role as a fighter, thanks to new composite materials, FBW, and its mostly well-designed aerodynamic features. While it will often encounter more advanced fighters like the MiG-29 series and F-16 series, which pose significant threats from longer ranges, the JH-7A excels against adversaries at its tier. Despite its considerable size, it has the ability to stick on the tail of enemy jets, pulling AoA for increased firing opportunities, while having the acceleration recover or disengage when necessary. The PL-5C and PL-8 IR AAMs are both strong missiles. However, only being able to carry two PL-8, it can be recommended to reserve them for engaging longer-range targets, and using the PL-5Cs for most other scenarios. The PL-5B, a rear-aspect missile, can also be effective against careless targets thanks to its impressive thrust and range.
To maximize the JH-7A's capabilities, it is crucial to bear in mind the manoeuvrability limitations inherent in high-wing aircraft. Pilots should exercise caution regarding altitude when engaging both ground and aerial targets, particularly during dogfights, where the JH-7A requires additional altitude for recovery.
The taste of one's own medicine
In combined battles, the JH-7A presents some advantages over alternative options such as the F-16A MLU and Q-5L. It has a vast arsenal of weaponry, including up to six player-selected LGBs, scaling from 250 kg, 500 kg, and one ton-class bombs, along with up to 22 unguided bombs for numerous devastating strikes. It can also carry up to two Kh-29T AGM, which further boosts its engagement range and stand-off strike capability; lastly, 90 mm or 130 mm rocket pods remain an option as well.
For Chinese tech-tree players, the JH-7A presents the opportunity to give enemies with more advanced multirole jets a taste of their own medicine. Equipped with the advanced K/ADC03A targeting pod with high-definition and zoom and a 2nd gen TVD for target acquisition, the JH-7A's life is made considerably easier when locating ground targets. Diving for the target and tossing bombs is effective, but for increased safety, pulling up after dropping bombs and flying sideways while maintaining a lock on the target is recommended. Depending on the quantity of enemy vehicles and their location, players can either pick six GB 250 for maximum efficiency, and precise hits within a 3 m radius of the enemy can terminate their service immediately; while bringing heavier GB 500/1000 will make sure enemies in a certain radius can face their ultimate demise, especially with GB 1000, which can be said as the ultimate solution against the toughest MBTs of its BR. Alternatively, thanks to FCS upgrades, JH-7A can also equip Russian Kh-29T; instead of HEAT warhead, Kh-29T is filled with explosives for maximum efficiency against ground targets, it is more akin to an universal missile against stationary targets and slow-moving vehicles. Make sure to check the weather of the map as TV cameras can be interfered by clouds and smog, as long as enemy targets did not take cover, a precise hit from the high ballistics of this missile can make sure it can neutralize designated targets.
Utilizing unguided bombs from low altitudes also remains a viable strategy; be sure to know where the locations of the enemy's major forces and avoid SPAAs, anti-air capable attack helicopters, and other jets at all costs. CCRP can aid in destroying stationary targets, provided the area is locked before bombs are released. Despite lacking long-range AGMs for the safest approach, the JH-7A can also employ unguided rockets as a little extra firepower against unaware SPAAs or light vehicles when bombs are depleted, supporting friendly jets and helicopters by eliminating potential threats.
The JH-7A can equip its full complement of air-to-air missiles with minimal overlap with bomb and rocket pylons, allowing it to defend against menacing enemy jets. The tactics will be very similar to air battles, while also having to be wary of enemy SPAAs: sneak up on enemies to deliver the fatal blow.
A crucial operational note for the JH-7A is to never even have the potential for close calls when evading terrain. The high-wing design necessitates additional altitude for recovery during ground assaults; it's better to abort the assault sooner rather than later, as a surviving jet can do way more damage than a jet that has slapped itself into the terrain.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Excellent payload with varieties of bombs, AGM and rockets
- Great self-defense IR AAM options
- Great acceleration thanks to the FWS-9 turbofan engines
- Manoeuvrable for such a huge jet
- Advanced avionics
- KJ8602 RWR and MAWS for maximum situational awareness
- Digitalized cockpit with high integration for simulation battles
- Aerial-combat-capable multifunction Pulse-Doppler radar
Cons:
- Rather huge target
- Needs more altitude to recover due to high wing design
- Long learning curve for the placement of 23 mm autocannon
History
What the Aviation Forces Lack
As Mainland China has already developed domestic attacker, namely the Q-5 series from Nanchang, there were already needs for a land-based naval aircraft for ship attacking operations i.e. Q-5Yi (强-5乙), probably the very last torpedo bomber ever designed. Soon after the Sino-Vietnamese (with RVN) conflicts of 1974, PLAN found a major piece of puzzle lacking for their South China Sea composition: an attacker capable of launching AShM for standoff operations while able to fly supersonic; while PLAAF also called for a new supersonic attacker to replace the H-5 fleet against the menacing Soviet forces. Thus Chinese military commands listed their requirements for the new attacker by 1976 where the CMC called for a new jet for both aviation forces under the same airframe and capable to defend itself from enemy interceptors while maintaining sufficiently high payload; with Chen Yijian 陈一坚 in lead, XAC was approved for the new bomber on October 1977, while the requirements were also given to SAC and NAMC respectively (note from editor: CAC was working on the J-9 program led by Song Wencong 宋文骢, future chief engineer of J-10), leading to a "civil-war" and probably the very first competition of aircrafts between Chinese manufacturers.
The Winner of the trio : JH-7
As the program for new supersonic attacker went on, there were 3 schemes for PLAAF and PLAN command: the first one was the H-7 (轰-7) led by Chen Yijian with the design of JH-7 for the time being (the LRIP series of JH-7 of 1990s); JH-8 (歼轰-8) by SAC led by Gu Songfeng (顾诵芬, chief designer of J-8 series) with the iconic side intake of what-would-become J-8II in 1984 and the ambitious Q-6 (强-6) by Lu Xiaopeng (陆孝鹏, designer of Q-5 and J-12) with side intakes and variable swept wings inspired from the MiG-23MS acquired from Egypt. As for JH-8, the design would decrease its ceiling, radius wasn't considered a good idea for an attacker; while Q-6 was way too ambitious with its powerplant and structure, which were deemed not possible for Mainland China for the era especially during economic reforms where many new technologies have to give the way for the economy. Thus, the design from XAC, H-7, eventually won the competition with lower subsonic drag than the JH-8 design.
Due to the design philosophy differences between PLAAF and PLANAF (Side-by-side vs tandem cockpit), PLAAF eventually quit the H-7 program and PLANAF's scheme won the overall design for the new jet. The new jet would utilize the 50 imported, used RR Spey RB.168 MK.202 from Great Britain as the new powerplant (which was intended for the J-13 program); while a H-5 named "Eagle" (鹰式武器试验机) would test the Type 232H PD radar and the AShM for future aircrafts. By a certain exhibition in 1988, Ministry of Aviation Industry (soon AVIC) exhibited the B-7 prototype to the public at its 1/100th prototype; while its prototypes made it to the skies in 1990s with fatalities during test flight (085 prototype with the pilot duo), the new JH-7 joined PLANAF service by late 1990s during a certain Zhuhai Airshow as the FBC-1 fighter-bomber with only provisions of 18 production aircrafts due to the engine supplies.
The Ultimate Form - JH-7A
As the introduction of Su-30MKK Flanker-H to PLANAF by late 1990s, PLANAF sought for utilizing the JH-7 platform for their latest AShM as well as provisions for BVR capabilities to fulfill the abbreviation "J" (歼, interceptors); as well as the testbed of JL-10A radar as the alternative to CAC's J-10 program (which the Type 1473 was certified). This was also one of the new jets to utilize the PLAAF equivalent of NATO MIL-STD-1553B main data bus, MFDs and HUD; as well as a new FBW control as the backup for J-10, these features eventually become the foundations of the new JH-7A fighter-bomber utilizing CAD design via Dassault CATID V3, new pair of tail fins, as well as removed wing fences. First flown by early 2000s, JH-7A earned both the orders from PLANAF and PLAAF, distinguished by the red numberings (PLANAF) and yellow numbering (PLAAF) thanks to its multirole missions; although incidents have caused lives of PLA pilots through its service up to this date, it has still been a humble yet effective fighter-bomber for the aviation forces of PLA and a delivery platform (under the JH-7AII upgrade) of some latest airborne AShM, AGM or ALCM (air-launched cruise missile) platforms.
Devblog
After several years of development, China finalized the development of its own fighter-bomber, the JH-7, which ticked all of the boxes that were set out by PLA command for an aircraft to replace the outdated Q-5. In 1999, following orders from the Central Military Committee, work began on creating an improved version of the JH-7. This extensive modernization program included 303 changes, which included improving the fire control system with the introduction of a digital electronic sighting system, as well as increasing the range of its suspended weapons. This updated fighter-bomber, now designated JH-7A made its first flight in 2002, and began entering service in October 2004. JH-7A aircraft are still currently serving in the Chinese Air Force.
Media
- Skins
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the aircraft;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
| Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (西安飞机工业集团) | |
|---|---|
| Strike Aircraft | JH-7A |
| China jet aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | J-2 · J-4 · J-6A · J-7II · J-7D · J-7E · J-8B · J-8F · J-10A · J-11 · J-11A |
| Strike aircraft | Q-5 early · Q-5A · Q-5L · JH-7A |
| Bombers | H-5 |
| France | ␗Mirage 2000-5Ei |
| USA | ␗F-84G-21-RE · ␗F-84G-31-RE · ␗F-86F-30 · ␗F-86F-40 · ␗F-100A · ␗F-100F · ␗F-104A · ␗F-104G · ␗F-5A · ␗F-5E · ␗F-16A MLU |
| USSR | ␗MiG-9 · ␗MiG-9 (l) |
| North Korea | Shenyang F-5 |
| Pakistan | A-5C · JF-17 |
