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Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC)
JH-7A
A twin-seat, twin-engine fighter-bomber developed jointly by Xian and Hongdu for the PLA Air Force and Navy, optimized for maritime strike with anti-ship missiles. It has largely replaced older Chinese bomber types in the anti-shipping role.
In service since 1998 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
1,808
km/h
3,700
km range
16,000
m ceiling
9,000
kg payload
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
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 1998. Status: active · ~270 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 JH-7A 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. | 1,808 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 1.75 Mach |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 3,700 km |
| Combat radius Distance an aircraft can fly, complete its mission and return without refueling. Roughly a third of ferry range. | 1,650 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 16,000 m |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 1x 23 mm twin-barrel cannon |
|---|---|
| Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts. | 9 |
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 9,000 kg |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 22.32 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 12.8 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 6.22 m |
| Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew. | 14,500 kg |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 21,500 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 2 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 2x Xian WS-9 (Rolls-Royce Spey derivative) turbofans |
|---|---|
| Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost. | 2 |
| Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable). | 91 kN |
| 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. | JL-10A pulse-Doppler radar |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 270 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
Specifications compiled from public Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
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Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A? +
The Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A has a maximum speed of 1,808 km/h.
What is the range of the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A? +
The Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A has a maximum range of 3,700 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A? +
The Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A can carry up to 9,000 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A weigh? +
The Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A has a combat weight of 21,500 kg.
How many crew does the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A require? +
The Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A requires a crew of 2.
What is the main armament of the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A? +
The Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A's primary weapon is the 1x 23 mm twin-barrel cannon.
What engine does the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A use? +
The Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A is powered by the 2x Xian WS-9 (Rolls-Royce Spey derivative) turbofans.
What is the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A used for? +
The Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A is a fighter aircraft typically used for deep strike, multirole combat.
How many countries operate the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A? +
The Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A cost? +
Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation (XAC) JH-7A: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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