PL-15 (Thunderbolt-15) Chinese Active Radar-Guided Very Long Range Air-to-Air Missile

The PL-15 (Chinese: 霹雳-15; pinyin: Pī Lì-15; lit.: 'Thunderbolt-15') is an active radar-guided very long range air-to-air missile developed by the People's Republic of China. The PL-15 entered military service in 2016 and is carried by the Chengdu J-10C, Shenyang J-16 and the Chengdu J-20, aircraft. The missile features an active electronically scanned array radar, and has a range exceeding 200 km – comparable to that of the Russian R-37 missile. It is 4 meters long and incorporates a dual-thrust rocket motor, capable of a speed of Mach 4. Photos show that it has also been fitted to the newest version of the J-11B fighter upgraded with AESA radar. A reported PL-15 missile with a range of over 400 km carried by a J-16 fighter may actually be the PL-21 missile. Compared to the previous generation PL-12, the new and larger PL-15 has a longer radar detection range, increased anti-jamming capability and around twice the range. During the 2018 Airshow China, two J-20 fighters of the PLAAF displayed their internal payload bays, with each carrying four PL-15 and two PL-10E short-range missiles. The PL-15 effectively increases Chinese anti-access/area denial capability by targeting key "enabler" targets, such as aerial refueling and AEW&C aircraft. Military expert Fu Qianshao suggested that China was developing an advanced long-range air-to-air missile capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 400 km.