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Nanchang J-12 (Jianjiji-12)


Lightweight Supersonic Fighter Prototype


China | 1975



"The Nanchang J-12 was a promising indigenous Chinese lightweight supersonic fighter design derailed by the arrival of the Chengdu J-7 - a local version of the Soviet MiG-21."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Nanchang J-12 (Jianjiji-12) Lightweight Supersonic Fighter Prototype.
1 x Wopen WP-6Z afterburning turbojet engine developing 5,515lb of thrust dry and 9,000lb of thrust with reheat.
Propulsion
808 mph
1,300 kph | 702 kts
Max Speed
55,774 ft
17,000 m | 11 miles
Service Ceiling
559 miles
900 km | 486 nm
Operational Range
35,435 ft/min
10,801 m/min
Rate-of-Climb
Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Nanchang J-12 (Jianjiji-12) Lightweight Supersonic Fighter Prototype.
1
(MANNED)
Crew
33.8 ft
10.30 m
O/A Length
23.6 ft
(7.20 m)
O/A Width
12.3 ft
(3.75 m)
O/A Height
7,000 lb
(3,175 kg)
Empty Weight
9,998 lb
(4,535 kg)
MTOW
Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Nanchang J-12 (Jianjiji-12) Lightweight Supersonic Fighter Prototype .
STANDARD (proposed):
1 x 30mm cannon in portside wing root mounting
1 x 23mm cannon in starboard wing root mounting

OPTIONAL:
Assumed Air-to-Air Missiles (AAMs) across the three available hardpoints (two under-wing, one under-fuselage).
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Nanchang J-12 (Jianjiji-12) family line.
J-12 - Base Series Designation; three prototypes and six pre-series aircraft completed.
Jianjiji-12 - Alternative Designation (long form)
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 08/06/2019 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The aircraft that was to become the J-12 ("Jianjiji-12") began as a requirement by the Chinese Air Force (PLAAF) in 1969 for a planned successor to the aging line of Soviet-originated Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 single-seat, jet-powered fighters. The service sought a compact, lightweight form to be powered by turbojet engines and capable of short-field operations while being economical to mass produce. The Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company (NAMC) (with a design brought along by Lu Xiao-Pcheng) squared off against a submission by the Shenyang company and emerged the declared winner. Three prototypes were eventually completed in the early-going and a first-flight followed on December 26th, 1970.

The Soviet design influence on the J-12 was readily apparent as the new aircraft held a general resemblance to the Soviet MiG-21 "Fishbed" fighter introduced back in 1959. The cockpit was set aft of a nose-mounted circular intake (as in the MiG-21) though "true" swept wing mainplanes were used (unlike the MiG-21's delta planform) and these mounted low along the fuselage sides. The tail unit incorporated a single vertical fin and low-mounted horizontal planes with all of these surfaces swept as well. As in the MiG-21, the J-12 featured a raised fuselage spine which restricted views to the rear of the aircraft some.

Power was from a single Wopen WP-6Z turbojet engine offering 5,512lb thrust on dry and 9,000lb thrust with reheat. The unit was the most recent incarnation at the time of the original WP-6, itself based on the Soviet Tumansky R-9BF-811 series turbojet.

Installed armament included cannons as fixed, standard weapons for close-in work and support for Air-to-Air Missiles (AAMs) across three available hardpoints. The cannon armament was made up of a 30mm system fitted to the portside wing root and paired with a 23mm system mounted in the starboard wingroot. Two hardpoints were featured under the wings, one per wing, and a single hardpoint was found under the fuselage.

As with any ambitious program, particularly those related to combat warplanes, the J-12 was not an immediate success as overall performance was lacking so this led to series of progressive modifications of the base design - the armament fit moved further aft, the intake revised, a lightening of the fuselage, split flaps added, etc. From this work then emerged an aircraft which took to the skies for the first time during July 1975 and resulted in a further six aircraft constructed to a pre-series standard.

The project would eventually count nine J-12 aircraft to its name made up of three prototypes and six pre-series examples.

With the arrival of the competing (and superior) Chengdu J-7 (a local Chinese version of the Soviet MiG-21), development on the J-12 was ended in January of 1977. The completed aircraft collectively accounted for over 60 hours in the air across 135 flights. As finalized, the J-12 featured a maximum speed of 810 miles per hour, a range (combat) out to 430 miles and a service ceiling up to 55,675 feet. Rate-of-climb was 35,533 feet-per-minute.

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Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Nanchang J-12 (Jianjiji-12). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 9 Units

Contractor(s): Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company (NAMC) - China
National flag of China

[ China (cancelled) ]
1 / 1
Image of the Nanchang J-12 (Jianjiji-12)
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Going Further...
The Nanchang J-12 (Jianjiji-12) Lightweight Supersonic Fighter Prototype appears in the following collections:
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