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The PL-4 (Chinese: 霹雳-4; pinyin: Pī Lì-4; lit. 'Thunderbolt-4') was an air-to-air missile (AAM) developed by the People's Republic of China. It was designed by the 612 Research Institute and the Zhuzhou Aeroengine factory. The first version, the PL-4A, was China's first semi-active radar homing (SARH) AAM. It was developed into the infrared homing PL-4B.[2]

PL-4
Type	air-to-air missile
Place of origin	China
Service history
Used by	China
Specifications
Length	3.2 m[1]
Engine	Rocket
Operational range	18 km[1]
Maximum speed	2695 km/h[1]
Guidance system	Semi-active radar homing (PL-4A) Infrared homing (PL-4B)
Launch platform	aerial

The development program started in March 1966. The design may have been influenced by American AIM-7D Sparrow wreckage from the Vietnam War.[2] Prototype ground-testing to the original 1960s requirements was completed in November 1980,[2] with the second phase of development starting in July 1981.[3] The program was cancelled in 1984 due to obsolescence and, with the normalization of relations with the United States - the availability of modern Western weapons.[2]

The PL-4 was intended to arm the Chengdu J-9 - which was cancelled in 1980 - and then the Shenyang J-8II. Issues with the J-8II's Type 208 radar limited SARH performance,[2] and the missile's cancellation severely affected the aircraft's development.[4]

Variants

PL-4A

SARH version

PL-4B

IRH version

References

Citations

Bibliography

На других языках

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[de] PL-4

Die PL-4 (chinesisch .mw-parser-output .Hani{font-size:110%}霹雳-4, Pinyin Pīlì – „Donnerschlag“) ist ein nie über das Prototypenstadium hinaus gekommener Entwurf einer Luftkampflenkwaffe der Volksrepublik China.

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- [en] PL-4 (missile)

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