China challenges US control of seas and skies with first combined flight of three Y-9 aircraft variants
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China’s September 3, 2025, parade in Beijing marked the first time three Y-9 special-mission aircraft flew together in a coordinated formation. The echelon included the Y-9Q maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft, the Y-9 electronic reconnaissance aircraft, and the Y-9 radar jamming aircraft. They were joined by six J-16 fighters carrying different loads depending on the tactical purpose, which officials explained as evidence of a realistic operational orientation. This combined formation was highlighted during the parade, giving public visibility to aircraft that normally operate in sensitive reconnaissance and electronic warfare roles.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Y-9 electronic reconnaissance aircraft that took part in the formation is said to correspond to the GX-12, also known as the Y-9DZ, which carries conformal antenna fairings along the rear fuselage, a prominent synthetic aperture radar array under the nose, and a series of additional aerials on the fuselage and tail for expanded signals collection. (Picture source: Weibo/@齐天的孙猴子)
The Y-9Q, designated KQ-200 in People’s Liberation Army Navy service, is the long-range anti-submarine warfare and maritime patrol version of the Y-9 family. It carries a surface search radar under the nose, an electro-optical turret beneath the fuselage, and a magnetic anomaly detector boom on the tail for submarine detection. The aircraft also uses rotary sonobuoy launchers in the rear fuselage to disperse acoustic sensors across a search area and has an internal bay capable of deploying lightweight torpedoes or depth charges. It has been in service since around 2015 and by 2023 had been deployed across all three major naval fleets. Public reports have identified near-daily Y-9Q patrols south of Taiwan and over other contested waters, including low-altitude transits of the Taiwan Strait and forward deployments to South China Sea outposts, showing its role in strengthening naval aviation’s anti-submarine reach.
The Y-9 electronic reconnaissance aircraft, referred to in open sources as Y-9JB or Y-9JZ and associated with the “High New 8” designation, functions as a second-generation signals intelligence and electronic intelligence platform. It incorporates a bulbous nose radome, four rectangular side-mounted antenna fairings, a dorsal SATCOM dome, and a ventral electro-optical turret to support long-duration collection missions. These aircraft are flown mainly by PLAN reconnaissance regiments and regularly conduct operations near Japan and Taiwan, mapping radar emissions and communications for integration into China’s intelligence databases. In August 2024, a Y-9 reconnaissance aircraft was reported to have briefly crossed into Japanese airspace near the Danjo Islands, marking the first known Chinese military aircraft intrusion into Japanese sovereign airspace. The Y-9JZ, therefore, provides a more capable and reliable replacement for earlier Y-8-based electronic intelligence types while extending the PLA’s data-gathering footprint into the Western Pacific.
However, the Y-9 electronic reconnaissance aircraft that took part in the formation is said to correspond to the GX-12 variant, also known as the Y-9DZ, which is assessed as a newer generation electronic intelligence platform. This aircraft differs from the earlier Y-9JB/JZ by carrying conformal antenna fairings along the rear fuselage, a prominent synthetic aperture radar array under the nose, and a series of additional aerials on the fuselage and tail for expanded signals collection. Its mission profile involves intercepting and geolocating radar and communications emissions, conducting ground surveillance through radar imaging, and, in some cases, supporting psychological operations by transmitting broadcast signals. Reports indicate that prototypes began flight testing around 2017, with operational aircraft appearing in low-visibility paint schemes from 2022 onward, and by late 2023, Japanese officials identified a new Y-9 “intelligence gathering” aircraft in regional airspace that is believed to be the GX-12. The aircraft provides the PLA with a more versatile intelligence and electronic warfare tool than its predecessors, capable of combining reconnaissance, jamming, and communications roles within a single platform.
The Y-9 radar jamming aircraft is associated with the High New 11 program and is also identified as the Y-9G, with some reports citing the Y-9LG as a later development emphasizing long-range standoff jamming. This variant features multiple large fuselage antenna fairings, a prominent chin radome, tail-mounted pods, and additional antennas on the fin and fuselage for 360-degree electronic coverage. Its role is to provide theater-level radar and communications jamming support, operating from outside the range of adversary surface-to-air missile systems while emitting interference to degrade enemy sensors and networks. The aircraft’s appearance at national parades since 2019, along with documented activity near Taiwan and forward use in the South China Sea, indicates its integration into routine operational patterns. With solid-state active arrays and multiple antenna baselines, it can also conduct electronic support measures and emitter geolocation, combining electronic attack and reconnaissance functions within a single airframe.
The joint flypast of the Y-9Q, Y-9 electronic reconnaissance aircraft, and Y-9 radar jamming aircraft with J-16 fighters was officially described as the first collective public showing of these special-mission variants under both naval and air force aviation. The J-16s carried different weapons according to tactical intent, reflecting an emphasis on practical combat loadouts instead of purely ceremonial display. This arrangement conveyed the operational pairing of sensor platforms with strike aircraft in training and potential combat, combining electronic warfare, reconnaissance, and anti-submarine patrol functions with multirole fighters. The decision to name and identify each Y-9 variant publicly provided further clarity about their roles, which are usually kept discreet due to their intelligence-gathering missions. The imagery presented at the parade, therefore, demonstrated how reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and maritime patrol are integrated with combat aviation in joint packages.
The base platform behind these derivatives is the Shaanxi Y-9 transport aircraft, which first flew in 2010 and entered service in 2012 as a successor to the Y-8. It is powered by four WJ-6C turboprops with six-blade composite propellers, has a maximum takeoff weight of 65,000 kilograms, and can carry up to 25,000 kilograms of cargo, 106 paratroopers, or 72 medical evacuees. Its ferry range exceeds 5,000 kilometers, and its high-wing, T-tail configuration with a rear loading ramp supports paratroop operations and cargo airdrops. The Y-9 has been used by the PLA Air Force, Navy, and Ground Force Aviation for transport and humanitarian missions and served as the foundation for multiple special-mission conversions. Its introduction has provided the common structure, power, and space necessary for electronic, reconnaissance, and patrol configurations, making it the central airframe for a wide array of new mission systems.
Beyond the three aircraft that flew together in 2025, the Y-9 family now includes airborne early warning versions such as the KJ-500 and the newer KJ-700 under development, psychological operations aircraft designated Y-9XZ, multi-mission reconnaissance platforms like the Y-9DZ, and communication relay aircraft such as the Y-9T intended to provide secure links with ballistic missile submarines. Reports also describe the Y-9LG as a long-range standoff jammer with a balance beam-style antenna array, and multiple foreign-language sources list these alongside the Y-9Q, Y-9JZ, and Y-9G in active service. Together, these variants mirror the multi-role use of the American C-130 family, covering tasks from intelligence gathering and electronic attack to airborne early warning and maritime patrol. Their combined roles indicate a layered approach to surveillance and electronic warfare, with the 2025 parade providing a rare synchronized display of how anti-submarine, reconnaissance, and jamming aircraft operate as part of a joint force.
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China’s September 3, 2025, parade in Beijing marked the first time three Y-9 special-mission aircraft flew together in a coordinated formation. The echelon included the Y-9Q maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft, the Y-9 electronic reconnaissance aircraft, and the Y-9 radar jamming aircraft. They were joined by six J-16 fighters carrying different loads depending on the tactical purpose, which officials explained as evidence of a realistic operational orientation. This combined formation was highlighted during the parade, giving public visibility to aircraft that normally operate in sensitive reconnaissance and electronic warfare roles.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Y-9 electronic reconnaissance aircraft that took part in the formation is said to correspond to the GX-12, also known as the Y-9DZ, which carries conformal antenna fairings along the rear fuselage, a prominent synthetic aperture radar array under the nose, and a series of additional aerials on the fuselage and tail for expanded signals collection. (Picture source: Weibo/@齐天的孙猴子)
The Y-9Q, designated KQ-200 in People’s Liberation Army Navy service, is the long-range anti-submarine warfare and maritime patrol version of the Y-9 family. It carries a surface search radar under the nose, an electro-optical turret beneath the fuselage, and a magnetic anomaly detector boom on the tail for submarine detection. The aircraft also uses rotary sonobuoy launchers in the rear fuselage to disperse acoustic sensors across a search area and has an internal bay capable of deploying lightweight torpedoes or depth charges. It has been in service since around 2015 and by 2023 had been deployed across all three major naval fleets. Public reports have identified near-daily Y-9Q patrols south of Taiwan and over other contested waters, including low-altitude transits of the Taiwan Strait and forward deployments to South China Sea outposts, showing its role in strengthening naval aviation’s anti-submarine reach.
The Y-9 electronic reconnaissance aircraft, referred to in open sources as Y-9JB or Y-9JZ and associated with the “High New 8” designation, functions as a second-generation signals intelligence and electronic intelligence platform. It incorporates a bulbous nose radome, four rectangular side-mounted antenna fairings, a dorsal SATCOM dome, and a ventral electro-optical turret to support long-duration collection missions. These aircraft are flown mainly by PLAN reconnaissance regiments and regularly conduct operations near Japan and Taiwan, mapping radar emissions and communications for integration into China’s intelligence databases. In August 2024, a Y-9 reconnaissance aircraft was reported to have briefly crossed into Japanese airspace near the Danjo Islands, marking the first known Chinese military aircraft intrusion into Japanese sovereign airspace. The Y-9JZ, therefore, provides a more capable and reliable replacement for earlier Y-8-based electronic intelligence types while extending the PLA’s data-gathering footprint into the Western Pacific.
However, the Y-9 electronic reconnaissance aircraft that took part in the formation is said to correspond to the GX-12 variant, also known as the Y-9DZ, which is assessed as a newer generation electronic intelligence platform. This aircraft differs from the earlier Y-9JB/JZ by carrying conformal antenna fairings along the rear fuselage, a prominent synthetic aperture radar array under the nose, and a series of additional aerials on the fuselage and tail for expanded signals collection. Its mission profile involves intercepting and geolocating radar and communications emissions, conducting ground surveillance through radar imaging, and, in some cases, supporting psychological operations by transmitting broadcast signals. Reports indicate that prototypes began flight testing around 2017, with operational aircraft appearing in low-visibility paint schemes from 2022 onward, and by late 2023, Japanese officials identified a new Y-9 “intelligence gathering” aircraft in regional airspace that is believed to be the GX-12. The aircraft provides the PLA with a more versatile intelligence and electronic warfare tool than its predecessors, capable of combining reconnaissance, jamming, and communications roles within a single platform.
The Y-9 radar jamming aircraft is associated with the High New 11 program and is also identified as the Y-9G, with some reports citing the Y-9LG as a later development emphasizing long-range standoff jamming. This variant features multiple large fuselage antenna fairings, a prominent chin radome, tail-mounted pods, and additional antennas on the fin and fuselage for 360-degree electronic coverage. Its role is to provide theater-level radar and communications jamming support, operating from outside the range of adversary surface-to-air missile systems while emitting interference to degrade enemy sensors and networks. The aircraft’s appearance at national parades since 2019, along with documented activity near Taiwan and forward use in the South China Sea, indicates its integration into routine operational patterns. With solid-state active arrays and multiple antenna baselines, it can also conduct electronic support measures and emitter geolocation, combining electronic attack and reconnaissance functions within a single airframe.
The joint flypast of the Y-9Q, Y-9 electronic reconnaissance aircraft, and Y-9 radar jamming aircraft with J-16 fighters was officially described as the first collective public showing of these special-mission variants under both naval and air force aviation. The J-16s carried different weapons according to tactical intent, reflecting an emphasis on practical combat loadouts instead of purely ceremonial display. This arrangement conveyed the operational pairing of sensor platforms with strike aircraft in training and potential combat, combining electronic warfare, reconnaissance, and anti-submarine patrol functions with multirole fighters. The decision to name and identify each Y-9 variant publicly provided further clarity about their roles, which are usually kept discreet due to their intelligence-gathering missions. The imagery presented at the parade, therefore, demonstrated how reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and maritime patrol are integrated with combat aviation in joint packages.
The base platform behind these derivatives is the Shaanxi Y-9 transport aircraft, which first flew in 2010 and entered service in 2012 as a successor to the Y-8. It is powered by four WJ-6C turboprops with six-blade composite propellers, has a maximum takeoff weight of 65,000 kilograms, and can carry up to 25,000 kilograms of cargo, 106 paratroopers, or 72 medical evacuees. Its ferry range exceeds 5,000 kilometers, and its high-wing, T-tail configuration with a rear loading ramp supports paratroop operations and cargo airdrops. The Y-9 has been used by the PLA Air Force, Navy, and Ground Force Aviation for transport and humanitarian missions and served as the foundation for multiple special-mission conversions. Its introduction has provided the common structure, power, and space necessary for electronic, reconnaissance, and patrol configurations, making it the central airframe for a wide array of new mission systems.
Beyond the three aircraft that flew together in 2025, the Y-9 family now includes airborne early warning versions such as the KJ-500 and the newer KJ-700 under development, psychological operations aircraft designated Y-9XZ, multi-mission reconnaissance platforms like the Y-9DZ, and communication relay aircraft such as the Y-9T intended to provide secure links with ballistic missile submarines. Reports also describe the Y-9LG as a long-range standoff jammer with a balance beam-style antenna array, and multiple foreign-language sources list these alongside the Y-9Q, Y-9JZ, and Y-9G in active service. Together, these variants mirror the multi-role use of the American C-130 family, covering tasks from intelligence gathering and electronic attack to airborne early warning and maritime patrol. Their combined roles indicate a layered approach to surveillance and electronic warfare, with the 2025 parade providing a rare synchronized display of how anti-submarine, reconnaissance, and jamming aircraft operate as part of a joint force.
