China AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China)
PL-15
A Chinese beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile with an AESA active radar seeker and dual-pulse rocket motor, fielded on the J-20, J-16 and J-10C. Its publicly estimated range rivals or exceeds Western BVR missiles, driving Western programs to develop longer-range counters.
In service since 2018
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
200
km range
4
Mach
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Chinese state channel
State export agencies (NORINCO/CATIC); limited availability to Western-aligned states.
Channel: State export agency
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
In service since 2018. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed (Mach)
Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.
- 4 Mach Stronger than 71% of missiles
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 200 km Stronger than 50% of missiles
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Warhead type
Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable.
- Blast-fragmentation, radar proximity fuze
- Guidance
How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire.
- Active radar homing (AESA), Inertial navigation with data-link mid-course update
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 4 m
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 210 kg
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Solid-fuel dual-pulse rocket
Specifications compiled from public AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) PL-15? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) PL-15 has a maximum range of 200 km.
How much does the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) PL-15 weigh? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) PL-15 has a combat weight of 210 kg.
What is the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) PL-15 used for? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) PL-15 is a missile typically used for air superiority.
How much does the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) PL-15 cost? +
AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) PL-15: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
