No. Chinese nomenclature was confusing back then. 甲 was different to -I and also different to -A.
甲 was the nuclear strike variant, 乙 was the AShM variant, and Roman numerals were used to denote regular upgrades/variants until English alphabet took over decades later. Some variants were re-designated from Roman to English, others didn’t. You can read more about variants in the two Chinese books linked above.
In other news, the Q-5L will finally receive countermeasures. No AAM though.
They should have at least given PL-2s
In short, no. But it almost happened.
强-5乙 was developed for the PLANAF specifically to carry torpedoes, hence the nose with a better visibility and houses a surface search radar. Five prototypes were made and at least one was photographed flying with a 5-digit serial, which only became a thing in the 1970s. The plane was first pitched in 1966 and test flown since 1971 but it only received the Type Designation in 1980 due to the slow progress of its Type 317 radar, a copy of the R-14A recovered from a crashed F-105D in Vietnam.
There were plans in 1978 to retrofit 强-5乙 with YJ-8 (鹰击-8) AShM but the heavier missile meant the plane needs to shave weight elsewhere. A minaturized Type 317 radar, known as 317甲, was then developed to reduce weight. Due to the slow progress on the radar, the AShM variant was cancelled in the late 70s and the missile went on to serve with the Type 024III missile boat.
The PLAN restarted the Q-5 AShM variant in the mid-80s after the success of YJ-8 AShM’s trials on missile boats, so they decided to have another go at it. This time it’ll carry the revised YJ-81 AShM and be directed with the JL-7 radar from J-7III. Development only went as far as flying a regular Q-5 with a mockup missile to test its handling characteristics, and the project was shelved for good because JH-7 can carry four YJ-81s, is faster, and has a longer range.
So basically there were three 强-5乙 models:
Source: 东风乍起-中国强-5强击机传纪 Page 51-52
Q-5L at least deserves a PL-5 given how new it is. Ideally PL-7. Giving it PL-2 is like giving the A-10 AIM-9B.
We all know gaijin. They will say giving it PL-5B/C will make it 11.0
Q5L should get the TL-10 at least, it was tested earlier before, which is similar to the AGM65, but smaller.
Iirc the Q-5Bing with AShms did get tested, but not with very good results
Could be wrong, been a while since i read the book containing information on it.
Q-5 with the ugly nose cone?
Both the Q-5Bing with Torpedoes and Q-5Bing with AShMs have the weird noses
Q5 is better to obtain two PL5B or PL7 rounds, BR maintains a balance of 10.7
something like a TT A-5C but with CAS ability would be good, TT Q-5s are almost same in air battle and it’s boring
That would be A-5M
A-5M seems no good cas ability, only unguided weapons
But at least we can consider it as A-5C’s TT counterpart
Add Q-5L some missiles can also do.
I think, its the really funky head nose cone.
yes that one. Coloring the nose green made it 100x uglier
What is it for, I failed to find any official documents on what the modification was for?
This was meant to be a torpedo carrier and Anti ship missile carrier Q-5L and its weaponary - #71 by Sonoda_Kotori