PL-9 Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile | Air Power

The PiLi-9 (PL-9) is the infrared-homing, short-range air-to-air missile developed by Luoyang-based 607 Institute (now China AAM Research Academy). The missile is reportedly developed from the indigenous PL-5 and PL-7, but fitted with a new infrared seeker based on the Israeli Python 3 AAM technology. So far the missile has only been promoted to the export market with no inventory in the PLA. A surface-to-air variant known as PL-9D may have entered service with the PLA ground forces in very limited numbers.

The PL-9 is China’s latest third-generation short-range air-to-air missile (SRAAM) first revealed in the late 1980s. The development programme began in the mid-1980s in parallel with another SRAAM programme PL-8, a Chinese licensed copy of the Israeli Python 3. It is somehow confusing for China to have two SRAAM development programmes with similar performance at the same time. One possible explanation is that the PL-8/Python 3 co-production agreement between China and Israel prohibits exporting the missile to a third-party. Therefore China integrated the Python 3 IR seeker with an indigenous missile airframe to produce the PL-9 for export market.

The PL-9 programme reportedly began in 1986, with small batch production commencing in 1989. The PL-9 was first revealed during the 1991 Paris Air Show in the model form, as a mobile ground-launched surface-to-air missile with the capability for air-to-air use as well. Apart from its control surfaces the PL-9 is almost identical to the Python 3. The one major difference is that it has only about one-third the range of the Python 3. The improved PL-9C was introduced in the 1990s.

The PL-9 features an all-aspects cryogenic liquid nitrogen gas-cooled seeker infrared-homing seeker head unit utilising proportional navigation guidance techniques. The missile seeker ’s off-boresight capability is said to be better than that of the AIM-9L/M Sidewinder missile, and comparable to the Russian R-73 (AA-11 Archer). 607 Institute has improved upon the PL-9 by marrying it to the Chinese indigenous helmet-mounted sight (HMS), which is similar to the Arsenel helmet sight from the Russian R-73. A Chinese brochure credits the helmet sight with a 60 degrees off-boresight capability, or a 120 degrees field of fire. At the November 1996 Zhuhai Air Show, a Chengdu (CAC) engineer confirmed that the PL-9 HMS will be fitted onto the F-7MG fighter.

The missile is fitted with a cryogenic liquid nitrogen gas-cooled IR seeker capable of +/-40 degree off boresight angles. Flight control is by long span pointed delta fins at the front of the missile with Sidewinder-type slipstream driven rollerons on the aft tail fin surfaces to prevent roll and so enhance the operation of the guidance system.

Missile length: 2.90m
Missile diameter: 0.157m
Wingspan: 0.65m
Launch weight: 115kg (PL-9); 123kg (PL-9C)
Warhead: 10kg HE (PL-9); 12kg (PL-9C)
Propulsion: One solid-propellant rocket motor
Off-boresight capability: 60 degree
Speed: Mach 2.1
G Limit: 35G (PL-9); 40G (PL-9C)
Range: 0.5~5km (PL-9); 0.5~22km (PL-9C)
Guidance: All-aspect infrared + helmet-mounted sight guidance