People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force: PL-15.People's Liberation Army Air Force: PL-15.PL-15E Export version of PL-15 with a reduced maximum launch range of 145 km. Variants PL-15 PLAAF domestic version with an estimated range of 200–300 km (120–190 mi). This is similar to the situation between SD-10 and its domestic counterpart PL-12. The export version has less range than the domestic version, possibly due to changes in propellant or rocket motor. Īt the 2021 Zhuhai Airshow, China unveiled an export variant of PL-15 named PL-15E with a maximum range of 145 km (90 mi). The hybrid guidance system supports a mid-course two-way datalink led by AEW&C aircraft and autonomous terminal radar homing. It also features improved resistance to countermeasures.

The missile is guided by a miniature active electronically scanned array radar seeker, sporting both active and passive modes for the different mission set. Compared to ramjet-powered Meteor, which advantages in sustained flight profile with a fly-out speed between Mach 3 and 3.5, the dual-pulsed solid propellant rocket motor of PL-15 potentially offers higher burn-out speed excess of Mach 5, then gradually loses its velocity at the terminal phase. It incorporates a dual-pulsed solid-fuel rocket motor, capable of a speed of Mach 4+ and a range of more than 200 kilometres (120 mi) – comparable to that of the Anglo-French MBDA Meteor. The cropped control fins are designed for internal carriage by stealth aircraft. The missile is measured between 3.8 and 4 metres (12 and 13 ft), longer and wider than other contemporary radar missiles. The AIM-260 JATM is planned to enter service in late 2022, with advanced variants of the AIM-120 serving as a stop-gap until the AIM-260 can be fielded. In 2017, the United States began developing the AIM-260 JATM to replace the currently in-service AIM-120 AMRAAM in order to better counter the PL-15. The PL-15 has begun to replace the earlier PL-12 as the standard beyond-visual-range missile for both PLAAF and People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF) fighters. It has also been spotted on the Shenyang J-11B. The carrying platforms include the Chengdu J-10C, the Shenyang J-16 and the Chengdu J-20. The PL-15 entered People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military service around 2015 to 2017. It was spotted in 2013 mounted on a prototype of Chengdu J-20. The missile was test fired in 2011 and referenced by Chinese state media in 2015. The PL-15 is developed by Luoyang-based CAMA. 'Thunderbolt-15', NATO reporting name: CH-AA-10 Abaddon ) is an active radar-guided long-range air-to-air missile developed by the People's Republic of China.

Aim 260 vs meteor