PLA AEW&C, SIGINT, EW and MPA thread

[Onacona1213]

I wonder what's happening with KJ-700. A lot of time has passed now and there's still not a lot of news on that. It's as if it was an extremely limited adaption into service. Why even make a few prototypes if you're gonna put a single airframe into service? Or is this again a matter of very strict opsec, with us just not getting any further info or images, even though maybe even several airframes have so far been put into service?

The KJ700 is rumoured to be a PLAN exclusive project; the air force went with the KJ3000/KJ20. So there won't be many -700s produced, and those in service have mainly been active around the northern theatre of the PLAN, where the KJ-200Hs were stationed and presumably being swapped out/retired

 

[Tomboy]

The KJ700 is rumoured to be a PLAN exclusive project; the air force went with the KJ3000/KJ20. So there won't be many -700s produced, and those in service have mainly been active around the northern theatre of the PLAN, where the KJ-200Hs were stationed and presumably being swapped out/retired

Has there been any more KJ-500Hs built? I'd imagine KJ-700 will replace the old KJ-500Hs in production.

Interestingly there are also some talk on a possible engine swap for all Y-9 based special mission platforms as WJ-6 performance is quite unsatisfactory especially if these platforms are probably still going to be around far longer than their transport counterparts. It remains to be seen if newer KJ-700/500A builds will feature this soon.

 

[ismellcopium]

Interestingly there are also some talk on a possible engine swap for all Y-9 based special mission platforms

Very interesting, who has brought that up so far? Other than the obvious combat range benefit WJ-10 should also facilitate them operating from shorter runways/more locations. And is it truly all GX/KJ aircraft swappable?

 

[Tomboy]

Very interesting, who has brought that up so far? Other than the obvious combat range benefit WJ-10 should also facilitate them operating from shorter runways/more locations. And is it truly all GX/KJ aircraft swappable?

It's mostly SOYO, more details in the turboprop engine thread

 

[Totoro]

and those in service have mainly been active around the northern theatre of the PLAN, where the KJ-200Hs were stationed and presumably being swapped out/retired

The way you phrased it sounds like there are multiple kj700 in service. (Not counting prototypes) Could you provide a source for that info? Or photos showing different serials for multiple airframes?

 

[Onacona1213]

The way you phrased it sounds like there are multiple kj700 in service. (Not counting prototypes) Could you provide a source for that info? Or photos showing different serials for multiple airframes?

As I said, "rumoured", the -700 had 1 airframe in 2020 and 2 airframes on the tarmac in Hanzhong as early as 2023; it wouldn't be ridiculous to presume multiple airframes in service.

 

[Onacona1213]

On a side note, it looks like the KJ200s are facing another rotation. Huitong updated his blog with the new 30671 KJ500A, this is the second KJ500A that has used a serial belonging to a KJ200, i guess the PLA are either retiring the 200s or giving them to another birgade.

 

[Totoro]

Huitong has those two planes labelled as additional prototypes.

 

[Onacona1213]

Huitong has those two planes labelled as additional prototypes.

Honestly, I am not sure how one can be certain what is "additional prototypes" and what is planes in yellow primer waiting to enlist.

 

[banjex]

So if the KJ-3000 is destined for the PLAAF, we can assume a solid production run of at least 20-30