J-8II Fighter Aircraft
Last updated: 3 March 2008
The J-8II (Jianji-8II, or Jian-8II; export name F-8II; NATO codename: Finback-B) is a single-set, twin-engine, supersonic fighter aircraft developed by Shenyang-based 601 Aircraft Design Institute and Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC). The aircraft was developed from the J-8 (Finback-A) fighter, with a redesigned forward fuselage and upgraded avionics. It was originally developed from an interceptor fighter to counter Soviet bombers that fly at high altitudes, and has involved into an all-weather multirole fighter with both air-to-air combat and surface attack capabilities. A range of variants have been introduced since the maiden flight of the aircraft, with gradually improved performance and capabilities.
 |
| A flightline packed with J-8II fighters at a PLAAF airbase near Beijing shortly before the 1999 national day flypast (Source: Chinese Internet) |
J-8II
As the J-8 fighter could not meet the requirements of the PLA, the SAC was asked in the early 1980s to develop a new fighter with radical improvements. Rather than simply pursuing high-speed, high-altitude performance, the new fighter was required have decent aerodynamic performance at transonic speeds and in medium-low altitudes. The PLA also demanded the ‘beyond-visual-range’ (BVR) air combat capability using the radar-homing medium-range air-to-air missile (MRAAM), and the secondary capability for ground attack.
The SAC soon began to develop an improved variant of the J-8. In order to achieve the design targets, the aircraft received extensive structural and system modifications. The delta wing remained substantially unchanged, but the forward fuselage was completely redesigned, with the original nose air inlet moved to the sides of the fore fuselage to provide space for a lager-size radar. The original two underpowered WP-7 turbojet engines were replaced by the new WP-13AII. The fighter was given a new fire-control radar with extended range coupled with an interception fire-control computer, and could carry semi-active radar-homing MRAAM and air-to-ground rockets. An autopilot was also added for all-weather interception and ground attack abilities.
The J-8II entered full-scale development in September 1980. The first J-8II prototype was completed in March 1984, and was test flown for the first time on 12 June. The aircraft was certified for design finalisation in October 1988 after completing its test flights. However, the initial operational capability was delayed due to the aircraft’s trouble-prone avionics and the slow progress in the development of the semi-active radar-homing MRAAM.
Compared to the previous J-8 models, the J-8II has modestly improved its manoeuvrability. Test results showed that the J-8II’s intake efficiency was the same as the J-8 at high speeds and 6% higher at lower speeds. An electrically controlled differential horizontal tailplane resulted in the J-8II being 45% more efficient in roll control compared to the J-8 at subsonic speeds. The initial J-8II variant had the indigenous Type 208 mono-pulse fire-control radar with a detection range of only 40km. Due to the incapability of the Chinese weapon industry to produce a suitable MRAAM, the basic variant J-8II could only carry the infrared-homing short-range AAM for visual range combat.
 |
| The J-8II prototype (Source: Chinese Internet) |
| |
 |
| The early variant J-8II fighter '11221' formerly belonging to the PLAAF 1st Air Division based at Anshan AB, Liaoning Province. The fighter has since then been transferred to another unit as the 1st Air Division received the J-11 and J-8F (Source: Chinese Internet) |
‘Peace Pearl’ J-8II Modernisation Project
In 1986 the Regan administration approved to help the PLAAF modernise its J-8II fighter under the ‘Peace Pearl’ Sino-U.S. cooperation programme, which aimed to jointly counter the threat of the Soviet Union. Under the agreement, American company Grumman would help the SAC to upgrade 55 J-8II fighters with a US$502 million modernisation package including the Westinghouse AN/APG-66(V) radar, 1553B MIL-STD data bus, fire-control computer, head-up display (HUD), cockpit multifunctional displays (MFD), navigation system, and ejection seat.
In early 1989, the SAC handed over two examples of the J-8II to the U.S. for modernisation refit and tests in early 1989. The aircraft were flown by the USAF Air Force Test Centre at the Edwards Air Force Base. However, the project was cancelled as a result of the arms embargo imposed on the PRC by the US in the aftermath of the June 1989 Tiananmen Square incident.
 |
| One of the two J-8II fighters handed over to the U.S. for modernisation refit. The aircraft differs to other J-8IIs in its slightly enlarged dorsal spine. The aircraft was later returned to the PRC after the cancellation of the Peace Pearl Project and is now permanently on display at the China Aviation Museum in Beijing (Source: Chinese Internet) |
J-8II Batch-02 (J-8B)
The J-8II Batch-02, also known as J-8B, was the first variant that have entered operational service. Making first flight in November 1989, the J-8II Batch-02 featured a number of improvements in the avionics, including the Type 208A mono-pulse fire-control radar, HK-13E head-up display, Type 563B integrated INS/GPS, and JD-3II TACAN. Later production variant of the J-8B was also fitted with the KLJ-1 pulse-Doppler fire-control radar and KJ-8602A all-aspect radar warning receiver (RWR). Despite these improvements, the J-8B still lacked the BVR combat capability because of its incapable fire-control radar. The aircraft was certified for design finalisation in December 1995.
 |
| The J-8B features improved avionics including a new Type 208A fire-control radar and integrated INS/GPS navigation (Source: Chinese Internet) |
J-8C (J-8III)
Following the cancellation of the “Peace Pearl” modernisation upgrade project, the SAC continued to upgrade the J-8II, possibly under the assistance of Israel or Russia. In the early 1990s, Shenyang proposed a radically upgraded variant known as J-8C (also known as J-8III) featuring new avionics and powerplant, which would eventually bring the fighter into the same league as modern Russian and Western fighters such as MiG-29 and Mirage 2000-5. The J-8C programme entered full scale development around 1991 and the aircraft first flew successfully in 1993.
Compared to the J-8II, the J-8C had a number of improvements including a new multi-mode pulse Doppler radar which was reportedly based on the Israeli Elta EL/M 2035 radar technology. The aircraft was also equipped with a digital fire-control system and a new ‘glass’ cockpit with multifunctional displays (MFD). The aircraft’s original WP-13AII turbojet engine was replaced by the more powerful WP-14 turbojet then being developed by Shenyang Liming Aero-Engine Company.
A total of two J-8C prototypes were identified, carrying bort number ‘8301’ and ‘551’. Prototype ‘551’ was also fitted with an in-flight refuelling probe. The J-8C development programme was cancelled in the late 1990s by the PLAAF in favour of the more capable Su-27/J-11 fighter. The J-8C technologies were late used to develop the J-8F variant first introduced in 2000.
 |
| One of the J-8C prototype '511' in flight test (Source: Chinese Internet) |
J-8D
The SAC began to study the possibility of adding the aerial refuelling ability to the J-8II fighter in the late 1980s. An experimentally modified J-8II fitted with a fixed refuelling probe made its first flight on 21 November 1990. The first successful in-flight refuelling from a H-6 tanker possibly took place in 1992/93. The aircraft entered the PLAAF and PLA Naval Aviation service in 1996 as the J-8D, and made its first public debut on 1 October 1999, during the flypast in Beijing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the PRC.
The J-8D has a fixed, non-retractable refuelling probe installed on the starboard side of the cockpit. Chinese newspaper reported that the early J-8D design suffered from high volume of noise caused by the air passing around the fixed refuelling probe in high-speed flight. Such noise would cause serious disruption to the pilot inside the cockpit. The problem was solved later by modifying the probe design. Furthermore, only a small number of PLA pilots are capable of performing the dangerous rendezvous with H-6 tanker.
Apart from its refuelling probe, the J-8D appeared to be identical to the J-8B in avionics and weapon configuration. The aircraft is deployed in limited numbers by the PLAAF and PLA Navy in central and southern China regions. With one refuelling, the aircraft’s combat radius can be extended from 800km to 1,200km, enabling it to reach the remote islands in the South China Sea.
 |
| The J-8D variant with a fixed aerial refuelling probe fitted on the starboard side of the cockpit. The example seen here is one of the few serving with the PLAAF 9th Air Division (Source: Chinese Internet) |
|
