Yun-8 Turboprop Transport Aircraft

The Y-8 (Yunshu-8, or Yun-8) is the four-engine turboprop transport in service with all three service branches of the PLA: air force (both aviation and airborne corps), ground forces (army aviation), and navy (naval aviation). First launched in 1974, over 100 examples of the Y-8 have been produced in over 30 variants for a whole range of roles, including transport, helicopter carrier, maritime patrol, surveillance, AEW, UAV carrier, communications relay, electronic intelligence, and electronic warfare.

The Y-8 has been developed and built by the Shaanxi Aircraft Industry (Group) Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of AVIC 1. In 1968, the PRC Ministry of Aeronautics was asked to produce a copy of the Soviet Antonov An-12 (NATO reporting name: Cub) turboprop transport. The reverse-engineering of the An-12 was initially carried out by the Xi’an-based 603 Aircraft Design Institute and Xi’an Aircraft Factory. The first prototype (#01) made its maiden flight on 25 December 1974. Later the project was transferred to the nearby 012 Base (now Shaanxi Aircraft Industry) in Hanzhong. The Hanzhong-made prototype (#02) first flew on 20 December 1975, followed by prototype #03 in January 1977. The aircraft was certified for design finalisation in February 1980.

Design

The Y-8 has high-mounted wings with drooping outer wing panels, back-tapered leading edges, straight trailing edges, and blunt tips. Four Zhuzhou Wojiang-6 (WJ-6) turboprop engines are mounted under the wings' leading edges. The round, slender body features a stepped cockpit and glassed-in nose, with landing gear pods which bulge at lower body midsection. The tail flats are unequally tapered with blunt tips and mounted high on the fuselage. The fin is tapered with a blunt tip and a step in the leading edge.

The Y-8’s cargo compartment that can rapidly be reconfigured for the carriage of passengers, paratroops, or stretchers. The size of the cargo compartment is 13.5m X 3m X 2.4m, which can accommodate 96 armed soldiers; or 82 paratroops; or 60 stretchers plus 23 lightly wounded patients and 3 medics; or 16t containers; or 20t cargo. The aircraft can be committed for high- and low-altitude airdrops of troops, vehicles and cargo. The basic variant Y-8 can air drop pallets of 1m, 2m, 4m and 6m size. A single maximum airdrop is 7.4t. A pallet can be air dropped within 6 seconds. The aircraft can take off and land on dirt runways (grass, snow, and muddy).

Avionics

The Y-8 is fitted with radio communications and navigations, Doppler navigation radar, autopilot, radio compass, altitude radio altimeter, maker beacon receiver, rear warning receiver, and identification friend or foe (IFF). The aircraft is capable of all-weather, day/night flight.

Y-8

The basic variant Y-8 was a rather direct copy of the An-12, with a slightly modified ‘glass-in’ nose copied from the design of the H-6 bomber. This variant only had the front-half of its fuselage pressurised, while the cargo cabin was unpressurised. Early production variant of the Y-8 inherited the An-12’s tail turret which mounts a twin 23mm cannon, but this was removed on later variants.

Y-8A

In November 1985, the Y-8A entered the PLAAF service. The aircraft was designed to ferry the valuable S-70C Black Hawk helicopters in service with the PLA between their inland bases and the frontier airfields in Tibet. The airframe was specially modified to accommodate a single S-70C helicopter.

Y-8C

In the late 1980s, under the assistance of Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin), Shaanxi introduced the improved Y-8C. This variant features a fully-pressurised cabin which allows the aircraft to fly at high altitudes. The original inward-open two-piece cargo loading doors were replaced by a single-piece flat loading ramp similar to that of the C-130. Lockheed provided assistance in the aircraft’s design and also sent its test pilots to carry out some flight tests of the aircraft.

Based on the Y-8C, Shaanxi has also developed the Y-8CA radar testbed and Y-8CI export variant transport (with Western-made avionics).

Y-8D

The Y-8D is the export variant transport, fitted with Western-made avionics to meet the requirements for commercial flights. Its onboard avionics include Collins flight director system (FDS), air data computer, VOR/ILS, comparing warning, TDR-90 air traffic control receiver, VHF radio, Honeywell P-400 colour weather radar, Litton LTN-311 Omega navigation system, Bendix/King HF communication, Sundsstrand universal flight data recorder (UFDR), and cockpit voice recorder (CVR).

Y-8E

In 1986 the PLA Air Force (PLAAF) requested a new carrier to replace its ageing Tu-4 to carry and launch the WuZhen-5 (WZ-5, also known as ChangHong-1) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Shaanxi began to develop the Y-8E UAV carrier based on its Y-8 turboprop transport aircraft in October 1988. The first prototype was finished in March 1990, and the first UAV launch test was carried out successfully in October of the same year. The aircraft entered service with the PLAAF in late 1990.

Y-8F

The Y-8F was introduced in 1993 as a commercial freighter.

Y-8H

The Y-8H is the aerial survey and photography variant.

Y-8F100

The Y-8F100 is the commercial freighter version of the Y-8, featuring improved avionics. The aircraft has a redesigned cargo compartment, which can carry four international standard pallets of 88'' X 108'' or eight 88'' X 54'', or three 96'' X 125''. The cargo compartment is also fitted with modernised cargo handling system, allowing fast loading/unloading.

Y-8F200

The Y-8F200 is the commercial freighter version of the Y-8C, with upgraded avionics and redesign cargo compartment. The cargo handling system and large flat ramp allow fast loading/unloading of cargo.

Y-8F400

The Y-8F400 is the modernised freighter featuring upgraded avionics and a three-man flight crew replacing the original five-man crew. The original 'glass-in' nose was replaced by a solid nose. The cargo compartment of the Y-8F400 is equipped with a 1,000kg payload overhead cargo system, where the cargo can be suspended from an electrically powered rail. Rollers in the floor of the cargo compartment enable quick and easy handling of cargo pallets and can be removed to leave a flat surface if needed. The compartment is fully pressurised.

Y-8F600

The Y-8F600 is the latest development variant of the Y-8. The aircraft was developed under the assistance of Ukraine-based Antonov Aeronautical Scientific-Technical Complex (ASTC) and Pratt and Whitney Canada. The Y-8F600 configured to provide an aerial platform for airborne early warning aircraft and other special purposes is referred to as “Category-III Platform”. The aircraft made its first flight on 14 January 2005.

Based on the successful Shaanxi Y-8 series transport aircraft, the Y-8F600 has been extensively modified and upgraded with Western technologies including turboprop engine and avionics. The development programme began in 1999, with two foreign partners Ukraine-based Antonov Aeronautical Scientific-Technical Complex (ASTC) and Pratt and Whitney Canada joining the programme in 2000~2002. Under the contract signed in 2002, Shaanxi and Antonov shall jointly design, assemble prototypes, certify and put into series the new Y-8F600 transport, while P&W was responsible for providing its PW150B engine to power the aircraft.

A risks-sharing partner under the programme, Antonov provided Shaanxi with the results of rigidity and aerodynamic research, as well as documents on aircraft maintainability and service life. It also designed the new wing with fuel tanks and developed technology to build it. Antonov would also share its technical data and experience with Shaanxi, and was involved in the test of the aircraft. The first flight of the Y-8F600 was made successfully on 14 January 2005.

The Y-8F600 is also referred to by Shaanxi and the PLA as “Category-III Platform”, which would provide an advanced aerial platform for special purposes such as airborne early warning (AEW/AWACS), electronic warfare and intelligence (EW/ELINT), maritime patrol, etc. The terms of Category-I and -II platforms are used to refer to the aerial platforms developed from the Y-8 basic variant and Y-8C fully-pressurised variant respectively. The successful development of the Y-8F600 was seen as a significant achievement for Shaanxi.

The Y-8F600 features an advanced two-man ‘glass’ cockpit. As well as basic flight avionics, the aircraft is equipped with datalink, flight management and control, and near ground warning system.

The Y-8F600 is powered by four P&W PB150B turboprop engines. The all-composite six-blade R-408 propeller system was developed by British Dodi company. This arrangement offers improved take-off performance at "hot and high" airports and high altitude cruise performance, extended engine service lives, and lower engine operating and maintenance costs. In addition, noise levels will be reduced and meet stringent airport noise restrictions. The aircraft maximum take-off weight is increased to 65t.

Y-8 Special Purpose Variants

• Y-8X – Maritime patrol, tactical reconnaissance and surveillance
• Y-8J – Maritime surveillance and anti-ship missile targeting, with British Skymaster radar
• Y-8 “Gaxin No.1” – Electronic warfare
• Y-8 “Gaxin No.2” – Electronic intelligence
• Y-8 “Gaxin No.3” – Communication relay
• YG-8 “Gaxin No.4” – Stand-off electronic countermeasures
• KJ200 – Airborne early warning and control (AEW&C), known as “Gaxin No.5”
• Y-8 “Gaxin No.7” – Unknown purpose EW/ELINT aircraft
• Y-8 AEW - Rotodome airborne early warning

Last update: 13 June 2008