Air-to-Air Missiles Capabilities and Development in China

This report analyzes Chinese air-to-air missile and guidance system development. Drawing upon Chinese-language government publications, academic studies, and news articles, it reviews China’s progress in air-to-air weapons development, including early attempts to copy and reverse engineer foreign missile and fire control systems as well as more recent efforts at indigenous innovation. It reviews the history of the PRC’s acquisition of air-to-air missiles and production capabilities, describes the missiles and associated airborne sensors that China has produced or is currently developing, and provides an overview of China’s air-to-air missile research and development (R&D) ecosystem, including profiles of key organizations and individuals. Throughout, it pays special attention to China’s defense technology R&D plans and the technical characteristics of known systems. It concludes with an assessment of the outlook for China’s air-to-air missile capabilities and their implications for the United States.