China Completes Air-to-Air Missile Development For Fifth-Gen Fighter Jet

The Chinese Luoyang Electro-Optical Research Institute (LEOC) has almost completed development of its fifth-generation PL-10 short-range air-to-air missile (AAM).

The missile's chief designer Liang Xiaogeng said that the PL-10 weighs 89 kg, has a length of 3 m, and a range of 20 km. It has been in development for seven years, a prototype was completed in 2013, and since then has been test-fired 30 times, the Sputnik International reported today.

The PL-10 has "world class" capabilities that include a "multi-element imaging infrared seeker with anti-jamming capabilities" and indicated that it is capable of high off-boresight attacks and has super manoeuvrability, the chief designer added.

Images from 2013 and more recently confirm that the PL-10 uses thrust vectoring vanes in its motor exhaust. Further, large aft fins with a slight forward sweep, likely confer super manoeuvrability. The PL-10 uses a new helmet-mounted display (HMD) sighting system.

The PL-10 AAM was first seen on Chinese websites in 2013 being carried on a retractable or covered pylon on the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation's (CAC) J-20 fifth-generation fighter.

More recently it has been seen on the wingtip pylon of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation J-11 fighter.