- Yes
- No
Brief History:
Chengdu J-7 is a Chinese license built variant of Soviet MiG-21. In 1964 the mass production of Chengdu J-7 began in China. Quickly the jet became PLAAF’s backbone. Over the years China has produced many modernised variants of the J-7. The JJ-7 was built as an operational conversion trainer of the J-7 fighter. To make the training easier the trainer variants retained all the avionics and armaments of their corresponding fighter variant. J-7 and JJ-7s were exported with F-7 and FT-7 designation. FT-7 trainers were made by Guizhou Aviation Industry Corporation.
Seeing the performance and cheap cost of Chengdu J-7 many nations including Bangladesh became interested in the Chengdu J-7. Since the 80s Bangladesh has operated three different J/F-7 variants and their operation conversion trainer variants. The last variant that Bangladesh bought in 2013 was the F-7BGI. Since its induction into Bangladesh Air Force the jet has played key role in training new pilots.
FT-7 BGI is an operational conversion trainer of F-7BGI. The F-7BGI was bought as a stop gap solution for BAF until a modern single engine fighter jet comes in service of BAF. It was modified to meet the needs of Bangladesh Airforce. F-7BGI and its operational conversion trainer FT-7BGI is operated by ThunderCat squadron of BAF. It’s primarily intended for conversion training but just like the fighter variant this jet is often used as a multirole interceptor. FT-7BGI is the most modern version of JJ-7/FT-7 trainer. FT-7 BGI is also the last production variant of JJ-7/FT-7. The last fighter was delivered on 2013. NATO code name: Fishcan.
Specifications:
Cockpit: The cockpit received many improvements over the previous JJ-7 variants. 2 MFDs were added and it also received a HOTAS. The back seat features a large screen for the instructor. The jet also received a new HUD. Helmet mounted sight and night vision equipment, Moving Map GPS were also added. This jet uses Martin Baker Mk.10 ejection seat.
Unlike the fighter variant the FT-7BGI doesn’t get full glass cockpit canopy, instead it features the usual canopy that’s found in previous FT-7 variants. Apart from this small difference the cockpit of FT-7BGI is completely identical to F-7BGI.
Cockpit of FT-7BGI:
Spoiler
Radar: SY-80 Pulse Doppler Radar.
Range: 30 Km+.
Modes: RWS, STT, ACM, AGR, BIT
Scanning area: ±30°
The radar can slave IR missiles such as PL-9C. The radar can also range and lock ground targets. It 's worth mentioning SY-80 is actually same as KLJ-6E radar(specification wise).
SY-80
Instruments: FT-7BGI features a fully digital HUD like the F-7BGI. The HUD displays critical flight data such as speed, altitude, AoA, selected weapon mode and weapon name, climb rate and more. The HUD also allows the pilot to see CCIP and CCRP points. In air to air mode the HUD can show the locked target’s position and missile lock status.
Defensive equipment: FT-7BGI mostly uses the same defensive equipment as F-7BGI. However FT-7BGI uses a different CM dispenser as it lacks the tail fin that’s stores the CMs in F-7BGI. FT-7BGI’s self defense equipment are based on F-7BGI’s self defense equipment.
FT-7BGI is equipped with KJ8602A RWR, unlike previous J-7/F-7 variants F/FT-7BGIs are not equipped with a dedicated RWR display in the cockpit. Two KJ8602A RWR sensors are located on the vertical stabilizer and two more are located on the leading edge of the wings.
CM Dispenser
Same CM dispenser is also found in FT-7P
RWR sensor on the wing
Airframe: The airframe is inherited from J-7II. The FT-7 conversion trainers were built on J-7II airframe. Because of this reason the FT-7BGI doesn’t have double delta wing like the F-7BGI.
Fuel Capacity: 2,800litres for modern FT-7 variants. It can equip 3 drop tanks for additional fuel.
Combat Radius: 850 Km.
G-Limit: +8/-3
Climb Rate: Less than 195 m/s, since FT-7BGI uses a weaker engine compared to F-7BGI.
Service Ceiling: 17500 m(Approximately)
HardPoints: The aircraft has 5 hardpoints to carry air to air missile, laser guided bombs, GPS/GNSS guided bombs and drop tanks for additional fuel. It can carry up to 3000lb (Based on the speech of narrator in 2016 Victory day parade) of suspended armaments. Most of the time only 3 of the hardpoints are used because other 2 hard points are usually occupied by drop tanks but during interception missions the plane usually carries 4 AAMs. (info comes from F-7BGI)
Gun: 1×Type 23-3 (200 rounds)
Source for Type 23-3 gun:
Spoiler
Suspended Armaments:
FT-7BGI shares the same armaments of its fighter variant F-7BGI
Suspended Armaments
| Armament | Type | Pylon 1 (Outer L) |
Pylon 2 (Inner L) |
Pylon 3 (Center) |
Pylon 4 (Inner R) |
Pylon 5 (Outer R) |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PL-5EII | AAM | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | 4 |
| PL-9C | AAM | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | 4 |
| Type 90-1 | Rocket Pod | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | 4 |
| 57-2 | Rocket Pod | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | 4 |
| Teber Mk.81 | Guided Bomb | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | 4 |
| Teber Mk.82 | Guided Bomb | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | 4 |
| LS-6 250 | Glide Bomb | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 5 |
| 500-3 | Unguided Bomb | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | 2 |
| 250-3 | Unguided Bomb | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | 4 |
N.B. LS-6 uses the plane’s internal GPS and INS system for guidance. Back in 2013 Bangladesh didn’t have any drones or anything similar that can designate the target for LS-6, so it definitely has a internal GPS, INS. Otherwise it would have been impossible to use LS-6 back then.[Check the 5th source]
Typical AAM loadout:
- 4×PL 5EII
- 4×PL 9C
(This loadout is mentioned by a Narrator during victory day parade 2017)
Recent Upgrades: Recently the FT-7BGI got a few upgrades alongside the F-7BGI. One of the upgrades include TEBER guidance kit which is made by Turkey’s Rocketsan. Which allows the plane to carry Mk 81 and Mk 82 guided bombs. Older guidance system might have been modified to work with TEBER guidance kit Mk. 81 and Mk. 82 bombs. According to some sources(citing a tender) plane is supposed to receive a reconnaissance pod alongside the new bombs
(https://www.roketsan.com.tr/en/products/teber-guidance-kit)
Engine: Unlike the F-7BGI, the FT-7BGI uses WP-7C engine. No public information available on this engine. Max speed: Mach 2+
Source
NOTE:BGI’s ‘I’ is actually 1. Some websites may claim that I stands for Improved but that’s totally false.
Wiki:List of Chengdu J-7 variants - Wikipedia
Sources:
Personal research.
Spoiler
Picture from Bangladesh Military Museum.
-
China’s Fighter for the World Volume 2: The F-7/FT-7 Family, Volume 2: World-Wide Service -Holger Müller
-
Source for 250-3 Anti tank Bomb:
Spoiler
Public tender. -
Source for SY-80 radar:
Spoiler
-
LS-6 Guidance:
Spoiler
CENTRAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D) ESTABLISHMENT FOR BANGLADESH AIR FORCE (BAF): A STEP AHEAD TO ENHANCE OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES
Volume 24, Issue 27
Wing Commander Mahfooz Ur Rahman, Engineering
the F-7BG1 is facilitated with LS-6 INS aided bomb but F7BG does not have. A local modification was done in the pylon and electrical system of F-7BG and the same bomb carrying provision was incorporated in F-7BG aircraft. Now the bomb which was purchased for 16 aircraft fleet but now can be planned for 32 (32 aircraft means the FT-7BG and FT-7BGI can also equip the LS-6 bomb) aircraft fleet. This has enhanced the operational flexibility for the BAF planners. This will definitely enhance the operational capability of BAF fighter aircraft as well as pilots. (Wing Commander Masud in an interview on 26 November 2017).
- China Aviation Industry Since 1951- Yefim Gordon
Spoiler
Since the book is quite old it doesn’t have any information on F-7BGI or FT-7BGI.
-
Fuel capacity:
China begins to produce stretched FT-7P - FlightGlobal -
LS-6 and Teber guidance kit LGB
Spoiler
- Type 90-1 rocket pod:
Spoiler
- New cockpit instruments:
Spoiler
Another source is Bangladesh Air Force’s magazine show called Anirban (2013)
- Martin Baker Mk.10 ejection seat:
https://martin-baker.com/news_events_post/martin-baker-constructs-new-bangladeshi-centre-of-excellence-for-aircrew-safety/
Pictures:
Spoiler
Hardpoints
Rocket Pods
PL-5EII
LS-6 on F-7BGI. Unfortunately there’s only handful of pictures of F-7BGI carrying this bomb available online. Which made it extremely difficult to find any picture of FT-7BGI carrying this.
PL-9C
FT-7BGI’s cockpit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMCuEyyJzlo
