PLA designations ... what's the meaning of the letters denoting the different variants

Deino

Deino

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
I hope you don't mind this thread started by the numbers-nerd and designation-obsessed one, but since I think I'm not alone to repeatedly need to check, what the different letters mean; even more so since there seems to be a change in designation system. Maybe we get a collection over time hopefully even including the Chinese characters.

Just out of memory ...

H (?) = for "Hai" = naval (J-11B vs J-11BH)
D (电) = for "Dian" = electronic warfare (HD-5)
J (?) = for xxx = carrier/naval (JL-10 vs JL-10J)
S (?) = for "Shuang" (?) = twin-seater (J-20S)
T (?) = for xxx = catapult (J-15T)


More later ... need to work again ;)
 
Wrought

Wrought

Junior Member
Registered Member
Deino said:
I hope you don't mind this thread started by the numbers-nerd and designation-obsessed one, but since I think I'm not alone to repeatedly need to check, what the different letters mean; even more so since there seems to be a change in designation system. Maybe we get a collection over time hopefully even including the Chinese characters.

Just out of memory ...

H (?) = for "Hai" = naval (J-11B vs J-11BH)
D (电) = for "Dian" = electronic warfare (HD-5)
J (?) = for xxx = carrier/naval (JL-10 vs JL-10J)
S (?) = for "Shuang" (?) = twin-seater (J-20S)
T (?) = for xxx = catapult (J-15T)


More later ... need to work again ;)
Click to expand...

H (海) for "hai" = sea/naval
D is correct
J (舰) for "jian" = ship/shipboard
S (双人) for "shuangren" = tandem
T (彈射) for "tanshe" = catapault
 
Last edited:
Deino

Deino

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
Wrought said:
H (海) for "hai" = sea/naval
D is correct
J (舰) for "jian" = ship/shipboard
S (双人) for "shuangren" = tandem
T (彈射) for "tanshe" = catapault
Click to expand...


Thanks ... any idea for what the F stands in the Z-18F and Z-20F ASW types?
 
O

Onys

Just Hatched
Registered Member
Yeah, I’ve always found the designations a bit tricky too, especially with the newer changes. From what I’ve picked up, "J" probably ties to "Jian" (fighter), but I’m not totally sure about its link to carrier versions either. "T" for catapult makes sense, though, since it fits with carrier mods. The "S" for twin-seater seems logical—I’ve noticed similar patterns with trainers before. It’d be awesome to have a full list with the actual Chinese characters to clear up any doubts.
 
T

taxiya

Brigadier
Registered Member
Deino said:
H (?) = for "Hai" = naval (J-11B vs J-11BH)
Click to expand...
I haven't seen PLA's officially speaking or showing placard/document using J-11BH, so I would just acknowledge that H here is "Hai" which means sea therefor naval.

In occasions that are officially shown, H in aircraft means Hong (轰) / bomber.

Deino said:
J (?) = for xxx = carrier/naval (JL-10 vs JL-10J)
Click to expand...

JL-10, J = Jiaolian (教练)/trainer
J-10, J = Jian (歼)/Fighter

You may have realized that a Latin letter stands for different Chinese characters' initials, so the meaning is contextual.
 
Deino

Deino

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
taxiya said:
I haven't seen PLA's officially speaking or showing placard/document using J-11BH, so I would just acknowledge that H here is "Hai" which means sea therefor naval.

In occasions that are officially shown, H in aircraft means Hong (轰) / bomber.



JL-10, J = Jiaolian (教练)/trainer
J-10, J = Jian (歼)/Fighter

You may have realized that a Latin letter stands for different Chinese characters' initials, so the meaning is contextual.
Click to expand...


Yes, but we need to differ between the first letter - aka a certain type‘s designation or role like fighter, bomber, transport or helicopter - and the letter behind the number denoting the different variants or - just as for the JL-10 and JL-10J - where or who it operates in which way.

So yes, the Kirst J means Jiaolian (= trainer), but the second J stands for Jian (= ship/shipboard)
 
Deino

Deino

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
PS to this … as now officially the H in the J-15DH designation: H for 滑跃huayue
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top