Shenyang J-8

J-8 / J-8B
General information
TypeInterceptor
National originChina
ManufacturerShenyang Aircraft Corporation
DesignerShenyang Aircraft Design Institute
StatusIn service
Primary usersPeople's Liberation Army Air Force
Number builtAt least 408[1]
History
Introduction date1980
First flightJ-8: 5 July 1969
J-8B: 12 June 1984

The Shenyang J-8 (Chinese: 歼-8; NATO reporting name: Finback) is a family of interceptor aircraft developed by the 601 Institute (Shenyang) in the People's Republic of China (PRC). It was conceived in the early 1960s as a low-risk program based on enlarging the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21F, a version of which the PRC was producing as the Chengdu J-7. The original J-8 experienced protracted development due to disruption from the Cultural Revolution; the prototypes first flew in 1969[2] but the design was not finalized until 1979 with the aircraft entering service in 1980.[3]

The J-8II/J-8B (NATO reporting name: Finback-B) was a major development of the J-8 and was essentially a new aircraft. The J-8II replaced the distinctive nose air intake[2] with a conventional radome and side air intakes to create room for a modern fire-control radar,[4] and used more powerful engines.[2][4] The aircraft started development in 1982,[4] and was cleared for production and service in 1988.[5] The J-8II was the basis for all later major additions to the J-8 family.[6]

  1. ^ Hacket, James, ed. (2010), "The Military Balance 2010", The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies, pp. 402, 404, archived from the original on 12 October 2012, retrieved 28 June 2011
  2. ^ a b c Gordon & Komissarov 2008, p. 75.
  3. ^ Gordon & Komissarov 2008, p. 77.
  4. ^ a b c Gordon & Komissarov 2008, p. 80.
  5. ^ Gordon & Komissarov 2008, p. 81.
  6. ^ Gordon & Komissarov 2008, pp. 81–86.