China Adds Muscle to Military Aviation Capabilities

China’s military aviation industry has shocked Western analysts repeatedly over the last few years, with designs such as the Chengdu J-20 and Shenyang J-35 fifth-generation fighters and, more recently, the Chengdu J-36 and Shenyang J-XX sixth-generation fighter prototypes. The speed of technological advance has led to a major leap in China’s military capabilities, and with the latest revelations, the country's aerospace industry is showing no signs of slowing down.

Many of China’s latest types and developments have been unveiled—officially or unofficially—during the winter months. This winter has not disappointed, with two new crewed aircraft types taking to the skies and other important developments being revealed.

Leading the way in terms of size, the most noteworthy is the appearance of a new airlifter, which made its first flight on December 16. Initially shown in model form as the Y-30, the four-engine airlifter has also been reported as being designated Y-15. A product of Shaanxi Aircraft, the Y-15/30 resembles an Airbus A400M in terms of its fuselage and T-tail design, but the straight, tapered wing is more redolent of that of the C-130 Hercules, albeit fitted with winglets.

Intended to fill the gap between the Shaanxi Y-9 (itself an Antonov An-12 derivative) and the Xian Y-20, which is broadly equivalent and similar to the Boeing C-17, the Chinese airlifter is expected to have a load-carrying capacity close to that of the Airbus transport, with a payload of around 30 tonnes.

The A400M’s swept wing offers a higher cruise speed, but in the Chinese craft, this appears to have been sacrificed for range/load performance and better low-speed handling. Power for production aircraft is likely to be provided by a new high-power (4,000+ kW) turboprop, possibly designated WJ-10, that was tested aboard a Y-8 in mid-2024, driving an eight-blade propeller. However, the prototype is believed to feature WJ-6C engines, a Chinese derivative of the Ivchenko AI-20 that powers the Y-8/Y-9 airlifters, driving six-blade props.

The second new crewed type to fly is an advanced jet trainer from Hongdu. With its designation as yet unknown, the trainer resembles a stealthy fighter, with twin angular fins, chined nose, and large leading-edge root extensions under which are caret-shaped intakes. It is intended for advanced and fighter lead-in training and clearly has light combat potential. A robust undercarriage with twin nosewheels suggests that it could be adapted for carrier training duties.

In the rotary-wing world, the most important new type is the Changhe Z-21 heavy attack helicopter. Although the prototype first flew two years ago, recent images suggest that the type has entered low-rate initial production. The Z-21 draws heavily in terms of its WZ-10 powerplant, dynamics, and tail design on the Harbin Z-20 utility transport helicopter, which is similar in look and applications to the Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk.

Weighing 10-12 tonnes, the Z-21 is in the same class as the Boeing AH-64 and Mil Mi-28. It has a 23-mm undernose cannon and can mount a millimeter-wave radar on a mast above the main rotor hub. Stub wings provide six hardpoints for weapons/tank attachment.

In other programs, the J-36 is making strides, with the third prototype taking to the skies on December 25, while reports from China suggest that the fourth made its first flight on January 29, in the week prior to the Singapore Airshow. Illustrating that Chinese industry is coming to terms with producing suitable engines for its warplanes, the first serial production example of Chengdu’s J-20A heavy fighter took to the skies in late December with the latest WS-15 engines installed. Earlier J-20s flew with the WS-10 while the intended WS-15 was under development.

China has also been making considerable progress in the uncrewed arena, including collaborative combat aircraft. Another December debutant was the Jiutian, a large uncrewed aircraft intended to act as a mothership from which swarms of small attack drones can be launched.