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The Xi'an KJ-600 is a Chinese twin-propeller, quad-tail, high-wing military aircraft designed for cargo and airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) intended for carrier-based operations, to be deployed on Type 003 aircraft carriers of the People's Liberation Army Navy from around 2024.
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2020) |
| Xi'an KJ-600 | |
|---|---|
| Role | Carrier-capable transport / carrier onboard delivery / airborne early warning and control |
| National origin | China |
| Manufacturer | Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation |
| First flight | 29 August 2020 |
| Status | Flight test |
| Primary user | People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force |
| Number built | 4-6[1] |
| Developed from | Xian JZY-01 |
The KJ-600 is a high-straight wing aircraft reportedly powered by a pair of WJ-6 turboprop engine, and sports a quad-fin tailplane, tricycle gear and a large dorsal radome suspected to be fitted with an AESA-type system. A non-flying model was observed on a concrete mockup carrier at Wuhan electronic testing facility,[2] The mockup has a striking external resemblance to the aftward-folding Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye.[3]
The aircraft made its maiden flight on 29 August 2020.[4] Flight testing continued in 2021.[5][6] A prototype in flight was spotted by aircraft observers above the testing facility in October 2021.[7][8] In late 2023 "intensive trials" were underway with at least four, possibly even six, prototypes, according to Gu Min Chul.[1]
The Diplomat's Rick Joe, who writes extensively on Chinese aviation and naval developments, commented that "fixed wing carrierborne AEW&C are a vital and essential part to any navy that seeks to field a robust and capable carrier airwing, and their ability to enhance a carrier group's offensive and defensive capabilities and overall situational awareness and network-centric warfare is unmatched by any other platform type that will exist in the near future".[9]
Analyst H. I. Sutton believed the KJ-600 will be a massive boost to the PLA Navy, and "[o]nce it enters service on the carriers, it will greatly enhance the aerial and maritime situational awareness [...] [a]nd the offensive and defensive capabilities of the carrier group", and that "Chinese aerospace and military industry has certainly shown its ability to develop quite modern and capable AEW&C systems for other air, naval and ground applications".[3]
Data from GlobalSecurity.org[2]
General characteristics
- Crew: 5-6
- Length: 18.14 m (59 ft 6 in)
- Wingspan: 25 m (82 ft)
- Height: 5.72 m (18 ft 9 in)
- Empty weight: 25,401 kg (56,000 lb)
- Gross weight: 30,481 kg (67,200 lb)
- Powerplant: 2 × Zhuzhou WoJiang-6C turboprop engines, 3,805 kW (5,103 hp) each (FWJ-6C)
- Propellers: 6-bladed constant-speed feathering and reversible propellers
Performance
- Maximum speed: 693 km/h (431 mph, 374 kn)
- Range: 1,250 km (780 mi, 670 nmi)
- Ferry range: 2,800 km (1,700 mi, 1,500 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 15,000 m (50,000 ft)
Avionics
3-way AESA radars arranged in a triangular configuration[7]
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
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