Shaanxi Y-9

Development of the Y-9 may have begun as early as 2002 as the Y-8X program. The program was a collaborative effort with Antonov – the designers of the An-12 that it was ultimately derived from – and was aimed at competing with the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules. By September 2005, the Y-9 designation was being used.^[4] The Y-9 received design features originally intended for the Y-8F600,^[4] which was cancelled in 2008.^[5]

Shaanxi had hoped to conduct the first flight as early as 2006, but it was delayed. Design changes were made in 2006,^[3] with the design being frozen by January 2010. After the design freeze, it was suggested that the first flight would depend on securing a launch customer; construction had also not yet commenced.^[5] The aircraft finally flew in November 2010.^[6]

The Y-9 entered People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) service in 2012,^[1] with full operating capability being announced in December 2017.^[2]

The Y-9 is powered by four WoJiang WJ-6C turboprop engines. The propellers are six-bladed and made with Chinese JL-4 composites. The WJ-6C is replaced by the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150B in the Y-9E export variant.^[4]

The cruise speed is 300 knots (560 km/h; 350 mph) with an endurance of around 10.5 hours.^[7]

Y-9

Base variant

Y-9E

Export designation of Y-9^[6]

Y-8Q / KQ-200 (GX-6)

Anti-submarine aircraft^[9]

Y-9JZ (GX-8)

Electronic intelligence variant^[10][11][1]

Y-9XZ (GX-9)

Psychological warfare aircraft^[12]

Y-9W / KJ-500 (GX-10)

Airborne early warning and control variant. Five hour endurance, and fitted with lighter version of KJ-2000 AESA radar.^[13]

Y-9G (GX-11)

Electronic warfare (ECM) variant^[7]

Y-9X (GX-12)

Electronic intelligence (ELINT) aircraft^[12]

Y-9LG (GX-13)

New ECM variant^[14]

Y-9Q / Y-9FQ (GX-15)

Anti-submarine aircraft

KJ-700 (GX-16)

Aerial early warning variant^[15]

Y-9DZ (GX-17)

Speculated to be a new EW variant^{[citation needed]}

 China

• People's Liberation Army Air Force:^[1] Over 30 unit Y-9,^[16] 4 unit Y-9XZ,^[12] 8 unit Y-9W (KJ-500),^[12] 4 unit Y-9G,^[12] 2 unit Y-9X.^[12]
• People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force: 8 unit Y-9Q (KQ-200),^[9] 8 unit Y-9JZ (GX-8),^[9] 8 unit Y-9W (KJ-500H).^[9]
• People's Liberation Army Ground Force Aviation: 2^[17][18]

Myanmar

• Myanmar Air Force: 1 Y-9E (ordered November 2017)^[6]

Namibia

• Namibian Air Force: 2 Y-9E (delivered in December 2024)^[19]

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2010-11 ^[20]

General characteristics

• Crew: 4
• Capacity: 20,000 kg (44,092 lb) cargo / 106 paratroopers / 72 medevac +3 attendants
• Length: 36.065 m (118 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 38 m (124 ft 8 in)
• Height: 11.3 m (37 ft 1 in)
• Wing area: 121.9 m² (1,312 sq ft)
• Airfoil: root: C-5-18; tip: C-3-14^[21]
• Max takeoff weight: 65,000 kg (143,300 lb) (and MLW)
• Fuel capacity: 23,000 kg (50,706 lb)
• Powerplant: 4 × WoJiang WJ-6C turboprop engines, 3,800 kW (5,100 shp) each ^[4]
• Propellers: 6-bladed JL-4 composite constant-speed fully-feathering reversible propellers

Performance

• Maximum speed: 660 km/h (410 mph, 360 kn)
• Cruise speed: 560 km/h (350 mph, 300 kn)
• Range: 2,200 km (1,400 mi, 1,200 nmi) with 15,000 kg (33,069 lb) payload
• Ferry range: 5,700 km (3,500 mi, 3,100 nmi) with maximum fuel
• Service ceiling: 10,400 m (34,100 ft)
  
• Maximum operating altitude: 8,000 m (26,000 ft)
• Power/mass: 0.234 kW/kg (0.142 hp/lb)

• Military transport aircraft

Related development

• Shaanxi Y-8
• Antonov An-12

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Kawasaki C-2
• Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules
• Embraer C-390 Millennium

Related lists

• List of military transport aircraft