China Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC)
J-15
China's first carrier-based fighter, developed by Shenyang Aircraft from a Su-33 prototype airframe with domestic avionics and weapons. Operates from the Liaoning and Shandong carriers, with a heavier weight penalty from ski-jump launch compared to catapult-assisted carrier fighters.
In service since 2013 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
2,400
km/h
3,500
km range
18,000
m ceiling
6,500
kg payload
0.98
T/W
Pricing: No reliable public unit-cost figure
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Chinese state channel
State export agencies (NORINCO/CATIC); limited availability to Western-aligned states.
Channel: State export agency
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2013. Status: active · ~60 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
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.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the J-15 can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 2,400 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 2.2 Mach |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 3,500 km |
| Combat radius Distance an aircraft can fly, complete its mission and return without refueling. Roughly a third of ferry range. | 1,200 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 18,000 m |
| Thrust-to-weight Engine thrust divided by loaded weight. Above 1.0 the aircraft can accelerate going straight up. On a standalone engine record, this is the engine's own thrust divided by its dry weight, the standard figure of merit for jet engines. | 0.98 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon |
|---|---|
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 12 |
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 6,500 kg |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers. | internal EW self-protection suite, chaff, flares |
|---|
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 21.9 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 14.7 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 5.92 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 17,500 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 33,000 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 1 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 2x Shenyang WS-10H afterburning turbofans |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 2 |
| Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable). | 132 kN |
| Fuel capacity Internal fuel volume. | 9,400 L |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Turbofan |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | domestic pulse-Doppler / AESA radar (variant dependent) |
|---|---|
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | infrared search and track |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 60 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
Specifications compiled from public Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
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What is the top speed of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15 has a maximum speed of 2,400 km/h.
What is the range of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15 has a maximum range of 3,500 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15 can carry up to 6,500 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15 weigh? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15 has a combat weight of 33,000 kg.
How many crew does the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15 require? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15 requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15's primary weapon is the 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon.
What engine does the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15 use? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15 is powered by the 2x Shenyang WS-10H afterburning turbofans.
What is the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15 used for? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15 is a fighter aircraft typically used for air superiority, multirole combat.
How many countries operate the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15 is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15 cost? +
Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-15: No reliable public unit-cost figure. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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