- Yes
- No
Maple's Note
I personally believe this aircraft should be added as a tech tree counterpart of the J-7D.
Background
Spoiler
Following the deployment of the J-7 aircraft, the Air Force assessed that it lacked sufficient all-weather capabilities. In response, the Air Force explored various concepts and conducted an evaluation of the MiG-21PF in 1972. Subsequently, a proposal was made to enhance and develop a domestic all-weather aircraft inspired by the MiG-21PF, which evolved through several designations: initially termed the J-7 all-weather plan in 1972, it was later referred to as the J-7III in 1975 and subsequently the J-7A. By 1978, it was designated as the J-7 major modification, and the State Economic Commission along with the National Defense Industry Office officially named it the J-7III. Today, it is recognized as the J-7C aircraft. The J-7C was developed through a comprehensive analysis and redesign of the Soviet MiG-21MF. This aircraft is characterized as a single-seat, single-engine supersonic all-weather fighter, featuring commendable flight performance, a robust suite of all-weather flight equipment, advanced fire control systems, upgraded airborne weaponry, and enhanced firepower capabilities. It is designed for versatile all-weather operations, including air interception, aerial combat, and frontline battlefield support.
In 1972, in alignment with military requirements, Factory 132 proposed a development plan for an all-weather J-7 and submitted the overarching development concept to the Third Machine Ministry in May 1975. In November 1976, the Third Machine Ministry assigned this task to the 011th Base. By February 1977, the Ministry mandated that the 011 Base and Factory 132 collaborate on a technical demonstration. In September of the same year, Factory 132 presented the “J-7A Design and Development Plan.” In 1978, the Central Military Commission resolved to expedite the replacement of the J-6 with the J-7 and J-8, thereby accelerating the J-7’s development. In June, during a meeting of key factory and institute leaders, it was determined that the 611 Institute, Factory 132, Base 011, and Factory 112 would collaborate on the development of the J-7C to enhance the pace of progress.
In March 1979, following extensive discussions, the Third Machine Ministry revised the development timeline. By September 21, 1981, the collaborative framework was established: the 601 Institute was tasked with design, the 132 Factory with trial production and assembly, and the 011 Base with the responsibility for the wings and landing gear. This marked the commencement of the comprehensive design phase for the J-7C.
Between 1976 and 1978, China conducted two overseas missions for thorough evaluations, focusing on the MiG-21MF design. In February 1979, upon the arrival of the MiG-21M, MiG-21PF aircraft, and R-13-300 engines from Romania at Factory 132, the factory decided to abandon the imitation of the MiG-21PF in favor of the MiG-21MF model.
From October 1979 to May 1980, Factory 132 completed the necessary surveying and mapping tasks. On June 3, 1980, the State Council and the Central Military Commission officially sanctioned the J-7C development, designating it as a national priority project. By December 31, 1981, the 601 Institute finalized the detailed design and released all production drawings, comprising 15,768 components. Compared to the J-7I aircraft, the component modification rate was 80%, and the overall product modification rate was 43%, indicating a development akin to that of a new aircraft. Following production preparations, the fuselage and wings of the J-7C were successfully aligned in December 1983, and the assembly of the first prototype, designated No. 01, was completed on February 6, 1984. Notably, the assembly cycle for this aircraft was accomplished in just 30 days and nights, setting a new record for the first aircraft developed by Factory 132. On April 6, the No. 02 prototype successfully passed the static test for 100% design load. Subsequently, on April 26, 1984, the No. 01 prototype made its inaugural flight at Chengdu Wenjiang Airport, piloted by test pilot Yu Mingwen. The No. 01 prototype remained at the factory until the end of December 1984, during which it completed all necessary adjustment test flights. From May 2 to November 9, 1984, aircraft No. 03, No. 04, No. 05, and No. 06 were assembled and subsequently delivered to the 630th Institute for flight testing.
In April 1987, the JL-7 radar, intended for the J-7C, was completed. On November 27, the turbojet 13 engine, which was designed to equip the J-7C and was a replica of the P-13F-300 engine used in the MiG-21MF, was also finalized.
By August 27, 1987, the J-7 had successfully completed 1,129 flights, with 638 of those being finalized, thereby fulfilling the design finalization criteria outlined in the flight test plan. The design finalization report for the J-7 commenced its review in December 1987, and by February 1988, it received approval, leading to the commencement of small-scale production of the J-7 aircraft. In 1988, the first batch of eight J-7 aircraft was produced, which the Air Force later designated as J-7C. However, due to delays in the production of the turbojet 13 engine, these initial eight J-7C aircraft were not delivered to the Chinese Air Force until December 30, 1989. The production of the J-7C ceased in 1996, with a total of only 17 aircraft manufactured.
In light of the issues encountered with the J-7C, the factory initiated design improvements while concurrently developing the J-7C, resulting in the industrial model designated as J-7D.
Technical Data
Specifications
Crew - 1
Length - 15.59 m (Pitot Tube included)
Height - 4.25 m
Wingspan - 7.15 m
Empty Weight - 5,763 kg
Gross Weight - 8,150 kg
Max Take-off weight - 9,831 kg
Powerplant - 1 x WP-13F Turbojet (39.2 kN dry, 62.8 kN wet)
Max Speed - 2,230 km/h at 11,600 m
Service Ceiling - 18,160 m
Range - 987 km / 1,692 km with Drop Tanks
Armament
1 x Type 23-3A 23mm Dual Barreled Autocannon.
4 x PL-2A/B
4 x PL-5B/C/E/EII
4 x HF-7D Rocket Pods
4 x HF-16 Rocket Pods
10 x Type 100-2 Bombs
4 x Type 250-2 Bombs
2 x Type 500-2 Bombs
1 x 720 Litre Drop Tank
2 x 480 Litre Drop Tanks
Avionics
JL-7 Radar
Type 605A IFF
GT-4 ECM Jammer
LG-2 RWR
Countermeasures
Images
Sources
Spoiler
(Book) Encyclopedia of Chinese Aircraft (Vol. 3) (Pg64-Pg66)
(Book) China’s Navy Ships and Aircraft of the People’s Republic of China, 1955 - 2021 (Pg B-8)
