Shaanxi Y-9

The Shaanxi Y-9 (Chinese: 运-9; pinyin: Yùn-9) is a medium military transport aircraft produced by Shaanxi Aircraft Company in China.^[1][2] It is a stretched and upgraded development of the Shaanxi Y-8F.^[3]

Y-9
Shaanxi Y-9 landing
Role	Transport aircraft
National origin	China
Manufacturer	Shaanxi Aircraft Company
First flight	November 2010
Introduction	2012
Status	In service
Primary users	People's Liberation Army Air Force Myanmar Air Force
Produced	2010–present
Developed from	Shaanxi Y-8
Variants	Shaanxi KJ-500 Shaanxi Y-9JZ Shaanxi KQ-200

Development

Development of the Y-9 may have begun as early as 2002 as the Y-8X program. The program was a collaborative effort with Antonov – the designers of the An-12 that it was ultimately derived from – and was aimed at competing with the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules. By September 2005, the Y-9 designation was being used.^[4] The Y-9 received design features originally intended for the Y-8F600,^[4] which was cancelled in 2008.^[5]

Shaanxi had hoped to conduct the first flight as early as 2006, but it was delayed. Design changes were made in 2006,^[3] with the design being frozen by January 2010. After the design freeze, it was suggested that the first flight would depend on securing a launch customer; construction had also not yet commenced.^[5] The aircraft finally flew in November 2010.^[6]

The Y-9 entered People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) service in 2012,^[1] with full operating capability being announced in December 2017.^[2]

Design

The Y-9 is powered by four WoJiang WJ-6C turboprop engines. The propellers are six-bladed and made with Chinese JL-4 composites, and closely resemble the Dowty R406. The WJ-6C is replaced by the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150B in the Y-9E export variant.^[4]

The cruise speed is 300 knots (560 km/h; 350 mph) with an endurance of around 10.5 hours.^[7]

Cargo capacity

The Y-9 is designed for 25 tons of cargo but can carry up to 30 tons in overload configuration. The cargo area has a length of 16.2 (53), a width of 3.2 (10), and a height of 2.35 (7.7). The aircraft can fit up to 106 passengers, 132 paratroopers, or 72 stretchers. For vehicles, it can carry two para-droppable ZBD-03 airborne combat vehicles as well as various other military equipment such as light trucks, cargo containers, or pallets.^[8]

The cargo bay has an internal volume of 155 m3 and is fitted with cargo handling rollers and tie-down rings. The rear entrance to the cargo bay also functions as a ramp.^[1][9]

Some special purpose variants such as the Y-9G (GX-11) have the rear ramp door removed.^[10]

Variants

Y-9Q anti-submarine warfare aircraft

Y-9

Base variant

Y-9E

Export designation of Y-9^[6]

Y-8Q / KQ-200 (GX-6)

Anti-submarine aircraft^[11]

Y-9JZ (GX-8)

Electronic intelligence variant^[12][13][1]

Y-9XZ (GX-9)

Psychological warfare aircraft^[14]

Y-9W / KJ-500 (GX-10)

Airborne early warning and control variant. Five hour endurance, and fitted with lighter version of KJ-2000 AESA radar.^[15]

Y-9W (KJ-500) airborne early warning aircraft

Y-9G (GX-11)

Electronic warfare (ECM) variant^[7]

Y-9X (GX-12)

Electronic intelligence (ELINT) aircraft^[14]

Y-9LG (GX-13)

New ECM variant^[16]

Y-9T (GX-14)

Communications relay variant^[16]

Y-9Q (GX-15)

New anti-submarine variant^[16]

KJ-700 (GX-16)

New aerial early warning variant^[17][16]

Y-9 (GX-17)

Speculated to be a new EW variant^[16]

Operators

Y-9JB electronic intelligence aircraft

 People's Republic of China

• People's Liberation Army Air Force:^[1] Over 30 unit Y-9,^[18] 4 unit Y-9XZ,^[14] 8 unit Y-9W (KJ-500),^[14] 4 unit Y-9G,^[14] 2 unit Y-9X.^[14]
• People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force: 8 unit Y-9Q (KQ-200),^[11] 8 unit Y-9JZ (GX-8),^[11] 8 unit Y-9W (KJ-500H).^[11]
• People's Liberation Army Ground Force: 2^[19][20]

 Myanmar

• Myanmar Air Force: 1 Y-9E (ordered November 2017)^[6]

Specifications (Y-9)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2010-11 ^[21]

General characteristics

• Crew: 4
• Capacity: 25,000 kg (55,116 lb) cargo / 106 paratroopers / 72 medevac +3 attendants
• Length: 36.065 m (118 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 38 m (124 ft 8 in)
• Height: 11.3 m (37 ft 1 in)
• Wing area: 121.9 m² (1,312 sq ft)
• Airfoil: root: C-5-18; tip: C-3-14^[22]
• Max takeoff weight: 65,000 kg (143,300 lb) (and MLW)
• Fuel capacity: 23,000 kg (50,706 lb)
• Powerplant: 4 × WoJiang WJ-6C turboprop engines ^[4]
• Propellers: 6-bladed JL-4 composite constant-speed fully-feathering reversible propellers

Performance

• Maximum speed: 660 km/h (410 mph, 360 kn)
• Cruise speed: 560 km/h (350 mph, 300 kn)
• Range: 2,200 km (1,400 mi, 1,200 nmi) with 15,000 kg (33,069 lb) payload
• Ferry range: 5,700 km (3,500 mi, 3,100 nmi) with maximum fuel
• Service ceiling: 10,400 m (34,100 ft)
  
• Maximum operating altitude: 8,000 m (26,000 ft)
• Power/mass: 0.234 kW/kg (0.142 hp/lb)

See also

• Military transport aircraft

Related development

• Shaanxi Y-8
• Antonov An-12

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Kawasaki C-2
• Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules
• Embraer C-390 Millennium

Related lists

• List of military transport aircraft

References

1. Tate, Andrew (9 December 2019). "China mass producing Y-9 surveillance aircraft". Jane's. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
2. Panda, Ankit (6 December 2017). "China's Air Force Declares Shaanxi Y-9 Transport Aircraft Operational". The Diplomat. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
3. Francis, Leithen (27 September 2007). "China to receive first Y-9 military transport in 2009". FlightGlobal. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
4. Fisher, Richard D. Jr. (2008). China's Military Modernization: Building for Regional and Global Reach. Greenwood. pp. 180–81. ISBN 978-0-275-99486-0.
5. Francis, Leithen (29 January 2010). "Shaanxi's Y9 still waiting on Chinese military to commit". FlightGlobal. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
6. "New look for an old veteran [AAD18D2]". Jane's. 20 September 2018. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
7. Tate, Andrew (12 March 2019). "PLAAF operating ECM variant of Y-9 aircraft". Jane's. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
8. "Shaanxi Y-9". Military Today.
9. "China Promotes Export of Y-9E". 23 May 2018.
10. "GaoXin GX variant Shaanxi Y-9 (Yun-9)".
11. Rupprecht, Andreas (2018). Modern Chinese Warplanes: Chinese Naval Aviation - Aircraft and Units. Harpia Publishing. p. 29. ISBN 978-09973092-5-6.
12. Yeo, Mike (6 October 2014). "Japan intercepts new Chinese GX-8 ELINT aircraft". Archived from the original on 10 October 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
13. "Online feature: China's unique special missions aircraft". 31 March 2020.
14. Rupprecht, Andreas (29 October 2018). Modern Chinese Warplanes: Chinese Air Force - Aircraft and Units. Harpia Publishing. p. 92. ISBN 978-09973092-6-3.
15. Fisher, Richard D. Jr (4 September 2015). "China showcases new weapon systems at 3 September parade". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
16. "Chinese Military Aviation: Surveillance Aircraft II".
17. "Images Surface of What Could be China's New Rumored KJ-700 AEW&C Aircraft". 22 June 2024.
18. "中国空军也在下饺子 新生产运9一个批次就超过20架|中国|预警机|反潜机_新浪军事_新浪网". mil.news.sina.com.cn.
19. Dominguez, Gabriel (20 December 2017). "Second Y-9 transport aircraft enters service with PLAGF, says report". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 26 December 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
20. Yunpeng, Li; Lina, Chen (20 December 2017). "陆军部队第二架运-9型运输机列装". Ministry of National Defence of the People's Republic of China. Archived from the original on 26 December 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
21. Jackson, Paul, ed. (2010). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2010-11 (101st ed.). London: Jane's Information Group. pp. 134–135. ISBN 978-0710629166.
22. Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.