| PL-8 | |
|---|---|
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| Type | air-to-air missile and Surface-to-air missile |
| Place of origin | China |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1988 to present |
| Used by | China |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Xi'an Eastern Machinery Factory and CATIC |
| Produced | 1988 to 1990’s |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 115 kg (254 lb) |
| Length | 2.95 m (9 ft 8 in) |
| Diameter | 160 mm (6 in) |
| Wingspan | 800 mm (31 in) |
| Warhead | 11 kg (24 lb) high explosive |
Detonation mechanism | Impact / Proximity |
| Engine | solid rocket |
| Propellant | solid fuel |
Operational range | 20 km (12 mi) |
| Flight ceiling | 21 km (13 mi) |
| Flight altitude | .5 km (0.31 mi) minimum |
| Maximum speed | ≈ Mach 3.5 |
Guidance system | passive infrared homing |
Launch platform | aerial and ground |
The PL-8 (Chinese: 霹雳-8; pinyin: Pī Lì-8; lit. 'Thunderbolt-8') is a Chinese air-to-air missile (AAM) originated from the Israeli Python-3 AAM. Experience gained from PL-8/Python-3 had helped China greatly in developing its next missile, the PL-9.