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The PL-15 (Chinese: 霹雳-15; pinyin: Pī Lì-Yāo Wǔ; lit. 'Thunderbolt-15', NATO reporting name: CH-AA-10A[6]) is an active radar-guided long range air-to-air missile developed by the People's Republic of China.

PL-15
A J-20 with four PL-15 inside the weapons bay.
Type	Long range, air-to-air BVR missile
Place of origin	People's Republic of China.
Service history
In service	2016-present
Production history
Manufacturer	607 Air-to-Air Missile Research Institute[1][2]
Specifications
Mass	200 to 230kg (PL-15)[3] ≤210kg (PL-15E)
Length	399.6cm (PL-15E)
Diameter	20.3cm (PL-15E)
Engine	Dual pulsed solid-propellant rocket[2]
Operational range	200–300 kilometres (120–190 mi)(PL-15)[4][1][2][5] 145 kilometres (90 mi) (PL-15E)[1]
Maximum speed	Mach 4.5[2]
Guidance system	active radar homing
Launch platform	J-20, J-10C, J-15, J-16, J-11B, JF-17 Block-3

History

The PL-15 is developed by Luoyang-based CAMA. The missile was test fired in 2011 and referenced by Chinese state media in 2015.[4] It was spotted in 2013 mounted on a prototype of Chengdu J-20.[7]

The PL-15 entered People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military service around 2015[8] to 2017.[4] The carrying platforms include the Chengdu J-10C, the Shenyang J-16 and the Chengdu J-20. It has also been spotted on the Shenyang J-11B.[7] The PL-15 gradually replaces the PL-12 as the standard BVR missile for PLAAF fighters.[5][7]

Design

The missile is measured between 3.8 to 4 meters,[5] longer and wider than other contemporary radar missiles. It incorporates a dual-pulsed solid-fuel rocket motor,[3][4] capable of a speed of Mach 4+ and a range of more than 200 kilometres (120 mi) – comparable to that of the Anglo-French MBDA Meteor missile.[5] The cropped fins are designed for internal carriage by stealth aircraft.[7]

The missile is guided by a miniature active electronically scanned array radar seeker,[9] sporting both active and passive modes for different mission set. It also features improved resistance to countermeasures.[7] The composite guidance system supports a mid-course two-way datalink led by AEW&C aircraft and autonomous terminal radar homing.[4]

At the Zhuhai air show 2021, China unveiled an export variant of PL-15 named PL-15E with a maximum range of 145km. The export version has less range than the domestic version, possibly due to changes in propellant or rocket motor.[7] This is similar to the situation between SD-10 and its domestic counterpart PL-12.

Variants

PL-15

PLAAF domestic version with an estimated range of 200km to 300km.[4][5][2]

PL-15E

Export version of PL-15.[10]

See also

• Meteor (missile)
• AIM-260 JATM
• Astra (missile)
• PL-21

References

Bibliography

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