Among the fighter jets in the People's Liberation Army Air Force, the J-7 is one of the oldest and most renowned. The J-7 was built in China almost 48 years ago, having its roots in the Soviet Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-21 of the 1950s. During the development period, the J-7 has been modified in more than a dozen different variations. The J-7 is a single-engine light fighter aircraft that can fly at a top speed of Mach 2.
The Chengdu J-7 is an interceptor aircraft that was developed for the Chinese Air Force. It was initially designed to target the People's Liberation Army Air Force. The J-7 and J-9 are part of the PLAAF's defense system. In addition, Chengdu also produced a number of trainer derivatives of the J-7 for use by the Naval Air Force.
Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC), was responsible for the development of the J-7 fighter aircraft. The aircraft was originally a copy of the Soviet MiG-21. It is equipped with a WP-7b Jet engine that can produce 3320 kgf power. The airframe was evaluated in November 1965, and the Chinese military approved the J-7 as an operational aircraft in June 1967. Chengdu produced over 2,400 J-7s during the production period.
The J-7 is fitted with a variety of air-to-air missiles, including two-way Type 30-1 cannons, 55mm rocket pods (12 rounds), and 50kg to 500kg of unguided bombs. The J-7 has a maximum speed of Mach 2.
Chengdu has also developed a number of other aircraft derivatives, including the J-10A. The aircraft's delta wing allows it to fly higher altitudes. The J-10A also features fly-by-wire flight controls and all-weather operation. The J-10A's avionics were modeled after the J-8 interceptor. This was based on lessons from the J-7 program.
The J-7 was primarily developed to target the People's Republic of China's (PRC) People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). The J-7 can also be used for regional air defense by other air forces. The Pakistan Air Force, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Sri Lanka are just a few of the countries that have used J-7s. The Chinese government announced a 6.8 Percent increase in its defense expenditures for 2021. This will allow the modernization and expansion of its military. PLA Air Force, however, has decided that the J-7 fighter-jets will be decommissioned and replaced with the next generation aircraft.
The J-7 is considered the PLA Air force's most capable fighter jet. Its maximum speed exceeds Mach 2. It is capable of carrying infrared-homing short-range air-to, missiles up to Mach 2. It also comes with a radar for fire control. This radar can reach a maximum distance of 28km. The Type 481 data link allows the aircraft to send directions directly to the autopilot from a ground controlled interception center.
The J-7 has a 20,000-meter ceiling. Its maximum takeoff weight, 9,100 kg, is The aircraft can also land at a distance of 750 meters.