Q-5 Ground Attack Aircraft

Q-5III (A-5C)

	A-5C carrying air-to-surface and air-to-air weapons on its external hardpoints (Source: Chinese Internet)

The Q-5III was developed from the Q-5IA for the export market and has been given a westernised designation A-5C. The aircraft received its first order from the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) in April 1981. Three prototypes rolled out in 1982 and the first flight took place on 7 September 1982. The aircraft passed its trial review in January 1983 and the delivery of the first batch of the aircraft began in March 1983.

The A-5C in the PAF service featured 32 modifications to meet the requirements of the PAF, including Martin-Baker ejection seat, updated avionics (RWR, IFF, UHF radio), and hardpoints modified for Western weapons such as R550 Magic or AIM-9 Sidewinder. Over 100 examples were delivered to the PAF in the 1980s. The aircraft was also export to Bangladesh, Burma and Sudan.

Q-5M

In July 1986, Nanchang signed a contract with the Italian company Aeritalia (now Alenia) to co-develop an improved variant known as Q-5M. The aircraft was developed on the Q-5IA airframe, but upgraded with 17 items of avionics provided by Aeritalia. The upgrade package was based on the avionic suite of the Aermacchi/Alenia/EMBRAER AMX ground attack aircraft, featuring inertial navigation system (INS), head-up display, ranging radar, air data computer, and two central mission computers, all of which are connected by a MIL-STD-1553B data bus.

For surface attack missions, the Q-5M could carry eleven types of free-fall bombs and/or four types of unguided rockets. The avionics upgrade package enables the aircraft deliver these weapons accurately over long distance flight in all weather conditions. For self-defence, the Q-5M could also carry two PL-5, PL-7 or French R550 IR-guidance short-range air-to-air missiles.

To improve the aircraft’s survivability in the battlefield against enemy air defence weaponry, the Q-5M was equipped with an electronic countermeasures (ECM) suite, including the all-aspect radar warning receiver and chaff/flare dispenser. The warning receiver and the dispenser are correlated so that the aircraft could automatically launch the chaff and flares immediately when a threat is detected. If necessary, the launch of the chaffs and flares could also be manually controlled by the pilot.

	The Q-5K jointly developed by PRC and France featuring a laser rangefinder in the nose (Source: Chinese Internet)

Modification of a Q-5IA began in August 1986. The first prototype flew successfully on 30 August 1987 and the aircraft was displayed in the 1987 Paris Air Show and 1988 Farnborough Air Show. Although the project was later cancelled during the aftermath of the 1989 incident, its technologies are believed to have been used on the development of the Q-5D.

Q-5K

The Q-5K is the version produced under the joint Sino-French agreement signed in 1987 to provide an alternative to the Q-5M, with prototype trials beginning in September 1991. The Q-5K features a Thomson-CSF VE-110 HUD and TMV-630 laser rangefinder, as well as other improvements. The project was cancelled in the 1990s due to political and economic reasons.

	Q-5D attacker '30393' of the PLAAF 28th Air Division (Source: Chinese Internet)

Q-5D

As the PLAAF failed to find a suitable successor to the ageing Q-5, Nanchang (Hongdu) began to develop a further improved variant Q-5D in the 1990s, possibly based on the technologies of the cancelled Q-5M programme. The aircraft was reported to first fly in the late 1990s, with a small number delivered to the PLAAF to replace the ageing Q-5I and Q-5IA. The Q-5D in service with the PLAAF can be identified by its deep green colour scheme in contrast to the light grey and alloy silver on early variants.

Inside the fuselage the aircraft is fitted with an instrument compartment located in front of the nose landing gear. The compartment may accommodate a new Doppler navigation radar or a TV camera. The aircraft is also fitted with improved avionics including HUD, GPS/INS navigation, RWR, TACAN, and chaff/flare launcher. The aircraft is also said to have a longer range and can carry more types of bombs, though the precision strike capability is still not fitted on this plane as standard.

	Q-5 precision strike variant with laser guided bombs and a conformal fuel tank (Source: Chinese Internet)
	The sole two-seat Q-5J trainer prototype converted from a Q-5 attacker (Source: Chinese Internet)

Q-5 Precision Strike Variant

The PLAAF has been seeking to add the Q-5 with precision strike capability for many years. This effort has led to the introduction of a new precision strike variant Q-5 in 2007. The variant features an under-chin laser target designator and carries two indigenous 500kg laser-guided bombs (comparable to the U.S. Paveway-I) under the wings. A conformal fuel tank is mounted under the fuselage to give the aircraft extended range. However, such modification may further increase the weight of the airframe and thus reduce the aircraft’s aerodynamic performance. The latest Internet-source photo confirmed that this variant is already operational with the PLAAF 5th Air Division.

Q-5J (Two-Seat Trainer)

Hongdu developed the twin-seat trainer variant Q-5J to replace the obsolete JJ-6 fighter-trainer for Q-5 pilot training. The aircraft has a redesigned forward fuselage and enlarged tail fin to improve stability. The first flight took place on 28 February 2005. The project was funded by Hongdu with no support from the PLAAF. It is not known whether the PLAAF would eventually accept this design.

Weapons

Fixed weapons include two 23mm Type 23-2K cannon with 100 rounds per gun in the wing roots. The aircraft has 10 external stores stations to carry up to 2,000kg dispensable payload. There are two tandem pairs under the fuselage each rated at 250kg, and six under the wings each rated at 500kg.

• Fuselage stations can each carry a 250kg bomb (Chinese 250-2 or 250-3, US Mk 82 or Snakeye, French Durandal, or similar). On Q-5E the station is used to carry a FLIR/LT (infrared and laser targeting) pod.
• Inboard wing stations can carry 6kg or 25 lb practice bombs, or a pod containing eleven Chinese 57-2 (57mm), seven 68mm, or seven Type 90-1 (90mm), or four 130-1 (130mm) rockets.
• Centre wing stations can carry a Chinese indigenous 500kg laser guided bomb, a BL755 600lb cluster bomb, a Chinese 250-2 or -3 bomb, US Mk 82 or Snakeye, French Durandal, Chinese indigenous 500kg LGBs, or similar. Normal bomb carrying capacity is 1,000kg (2,205 lb), maximum capacity 2,000kg (4,410 lb). Instead of bombs, centre wing stations can each carry a 760 litre drop tank or ECM.
• Outboard wing stations can each be occupied by a 400 litre drop tank (when the larger tank is not carried on the centre wing station) or by air-to-air missiles such as PL-2, PL-2B, PL-7, AIM-9 Sidewinder and R550 Magic.