Wednesday, December 28, 2016

3 new Yuan class Type039B SSK under construction at Wuhan's WuChang shipyard

After a three-year pause since the last Yuan class launched in Dec 2013,  it seems that the PLAN's Type039B SSK program is now resumed with 3 new boats under various stages of construction at WuChang shipyard.  When complete, they will be Yuan Class number 14th, 15th, and 16th overall or 10th, 11th, and 12th, if only the B variant is counted.






An update on the Type054A FFG Project (Dec 28th, 2016)

- The 23rd (FFG 515) Type054A commissioned today
- The 25th Type 054A finished the first time sea trials
- The 26th Type 054A spotted under construction in Guangzhou





- The 25th Type 054A finished the first time sea trials


Friday, December 23, 2016

Photos of the day: The PLA Army Aviation (LH) inducted it's first Y-9 into service

The PLAAF is not the only military service with fix-wing aircraft.  Together with the Naval Aviation, the PLA LH also operates a small batch of light utility aircraft (Y5 and Y-7).  Now they are getting a nice Y-9 upgrade to enhance their long-range delivery capacity.



Friday, August 05, 2016

Photos of the day: 15th Airborne corps airdrops in Tibet with Y-9













Monday, August 01, 2016

Now checking in with the Y-9 transport aircraft program

The PLA Daily just released a series of photos confirming that Y-9's "3-ZBD-03 airborne armored infantry fighting vehicle" capacity.  Outside of dropping ZBD-03s, it can also carry 25 tons of cargo or 132 paratroops.  While the Y-20 program is getting all the attention, the Y-9 is another tool in China's war chest that can call upon to rapidly reinforce China's remote regions


A Y-9 large transport aircraft airdrops three ZBD-03 airborne armored infantry fighting vehicles during airborne combat training. An airborne regiment with the PLA Air Force conducted airborne combat training at the Gobi Desert in the northwest China in late July, 2016, including such subjects as heavy equipment airdrop, logistical support, parachute skills, fire strike and so forth. (81.cn/ Chen Lichun)











Sunday, October 07, 2012

Photos of the day: Clear images of Y-9 Transporter in "China Airforce" color

 Judging from the recently photos, there is no doubt that the Y-9 project has entered serial production.


Thursday, September 16, 2010


Y-9 project, rebooted. 

http://china-defense.blogspot.com/2010/09/y-9-project-rebooted.html

According to China Aviation News (here) the long delayed first Y-9 prototype is under construction. It is scheduled to perform its maiden flight by 2011.






Tuesday, July 14, 2009


Y-9 Tactical Transport Aircraft program back on track?

          http://china-defense.blogspot.com/2009/07/y-9-tactical-transport-aircraft-program.html
According to Shanfei’s press release posted on its website (http://www.shanfei.com/xwzx/new/20090713,1.html) the Y-9 dual-purpose Tactical Transport Aircraft project has been restarted. Shanfei upper management acknowledged elements that caused the delay of this important project. They included: unbalanced department workload, lack of research capability, project planning, funding, in addition to a shortage of parts, limited parts assembly lines and final assembly, and limited test flight capabilities. There were also technology limitations, frequent accidents due to low safety standards, poor quality control, undefined procedures and poor production work flows that led to a serious delay of the project.
Here are the words in Shanfei’s press release and judging from the language used AVIC, Shanfei’s parent company, must be getting hard on them.

大 运研制按计划要求正常推进。但 由于任务繁重、研发能力和资源不足,对现场生产组织提出挑战,多项工作进度不同程度滞后;零件生产、部装、总装、试飞等能力未填平补齐,受现场技术质量问 题处理影响,生产不畅,任务不均衡,严重影响产品交付效率;因违反程序、操作规程等原因,多次发生质量、安全事故,安全生产形势严峻


The Y-9 Tactical Transport Aircraft, or YunShuji-9 project, was reported back in 2001 as an enlarged version of the PLA’s workhorse Y-8 transport: a Chinese version of the C-130 Hercules with an airdrop payload capability of 20,000kg or 100 paratroopers. The older Y-8 had a max airdrop payload of 13,200kg. The Y-9 has a built-in RoRo ramp for quick offloads/airdrops. It will also have a max range of 3000km, allowing it to reach most of China from Wuhan—the central city in China and also home to the 15th airborne army. Strategically, this allows the Chinese military a quick reaction to any trouble spot and is one of the reasons why the Y-9 project is so important. Also, it lessens the reliance on Russia for transport aircraft, even though it is not in the same class as the Russian Il-76’s payload of 50,000 to 88,000kg. But the Y-9 is a homegrown and inexpensive solution that is capable of dropping armor such as ZBD03/ZLC2000 Airborne Infantry Fighting Vehicle. The PLA’s order for 36 Il-76s placed in 2005 is still under negotiation.
Now that the project is seriously behind schedule, it will not be surprising to see management changes take place at Shanfei.

Official photo from Shanfei



Y-9 display model and artist impression:


Thursday, December 22, 2016

Photo of the day: 2 ex-PLAN Ming class submarines in Bangladesh

I found the semi-submersible "Taikang Kou" in this picture is much more interesting than the 2 Mings on its back -- such an amphibious warfare capable asset will be STUFT-ed (Ships Taken Up From Trade)into military service in time of war, I guarantee it.





Bangladesh took delivery on Monday of its first submarines, bought from China, as it seeks to boost its naval power in the Bay of Bengal.

http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2016/11/14/two-submarines-added-bangladesh-armada/

Bangladesh navy chief Admiral Nizamuddin Ahmed received the submarines during a ceremony at Liao Nan Shipyard in Liaoning province’s Dalian city, according to a Inter Services Public Relation Directorate release.
The release, signed by ISPR spokeswoman Syed Taposhi Rabeya, reads the type 035G class submarines will become part of the country’s naval fleet at the beginning of next year. The submarines will be named BNS Nabajatra and BNS Joyjatra respectively.