PL-9
Air-to-air missile
The PL-9 (Chinese: 霹雳-9; pinyin: Pī Lì-9; lit. 'Thunderbolt-9') is a short-range, infrared-homing air-to-air missile (AAM) developed by the People's Republic of China. The missile was developed by integrating the PL-5 and PL-7 airframes with the PL-8's targeting seeker. It was later succeeded by the PL-10.
01History
The PL-9 program was initiated in 1986. The missile entered batch production in 1989. Two improved variants, PL-9B and PL-9C, was certified in 1992 and 2002. The latest version of the PL-9 is PL-9D.
The missile was originally designed by Dong Bingyin (董秉印) at the Luoyang Electro Optical Center, which is also known as Institute 612 and renamed in 2002 as the China Air-to-Air Guided Missile Research Institute (中国空空导弹研究院). After Dong Bingyin died, his position was succeeded by Mr. Jin Xianzhong (金先仲). The deputy general designer of PL-9 is the same deputy general designer of PL-12, Dr. Liang Xiaogeng (梁晓庚).
The PL-9C is one of the later versions of the PL-9, which also has a surface-to-air variant (DK-9). The PL-9C tactical low-altitude surface-to-air missile (SAM) was first revealed during the 1989 Paris Air Show. The launch unit is available in both towed and self-propelled arrangements. The self-propelled version has a launch complex consisting four-rail launcher and the associated target acquisition and radar and electro-optical director mounted on a 6X6 WZ551 armored personnel carrier (APC). The towed version has a four-rail launcher mounted on a four-wheel carriage. The launch unit is supported by a range of truck-mounted ground equipment for maintenance and missile testing.
02Design
The PL-9 utilizes the airframe modified from the PL-5 and PL-7 missile. The seeker head is fitted with sensors from PL-8 and Python-3 missile. The missile is fitted with a cryogenic liquid nitrogen gas-cooled IR seeker capable of +/-40 degree off boresight angles. Flight control is by long span pointed delta fins at the front of the missile with Sidewinder-type slipstream driven rollerons on the aft tail fin surfaces to prevent roll and so enhance the operation of the guidance system. The missile has a maximum effective range of 35 km , although a hit at such a range is unlikely, as maximum effective range calculations tend to assume a meeting engagement against a target flying at high altitude straight at the missile, minimizing the range the missile itself needs to cover. The single-shot hit probability for a single missile launch at an approaching target is 90%. The missile can be used at a stand-alone system, or as a part of the Type 390 (DK-9) brigade (regiment)-level combined AAA/SAM air defence system. The missile entered production in 1991 and saw limited service with the PLA ground forces.
03Variants
- PL-9
- PL-9B
- PL-9C
- PL-9D
- DK-9
- PL-9 modified surface-to-air missile.
04Operators
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “PL-9”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
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