Before the India-Pakistan conflict, non-military enthusiasts might not have known about our country's PL-15E missile. However, an air battle between India and Pakistan on May 7 made this missile famous overnight, with an outstanding record of shooting down six fighter jets, surprising the world. It was then that people realized that this missile is basically the strongest in current air-to-air missiles.
However, in our country, the PL-15E is just a scaled-down version of our domestically used PL-15 missile, with reduced performance in terms of range, so our domestically used PL-15 missile has stronger performance, with a range of up to 300 kilometers.
Is that all? No! Because in our country, above the PL-15 missile, we also have the PL-17 air-to-air missile, which has a range of around 500 kilometers, making it a unique one in the world.
But above the PL-17, there are even newer air-to-air missiles being developed. On May 30 this year, in a military program on CCTV, Academician Fan Huitao, the chief designer of the PL-15 air-to-air missile, revealed another major news: China has started the key technology layout for "next-generation missiles" and is working hard to overcome the challenges, as merely "running side by side" with foreign militaries is not enough. This also indicates that China has even stronger air-to-air missiles under development.
So, what amazing "black technologies" will China's future air-to-air missiles have, and how "extreme" will they be? Let's speculate based on currently known information and technological trends.
First, the use of multi-pulse propulsion systems will achieve a huge leap in range. Traditional solid-fuel rocket engines work continuously once ignited until the fuel is exhausted, like a car with only one fixed speed gear, unable to adjust power output flexibly according to actual conditions. In contrast, a multi-pulse propulsion system is entirely different, as it is like equipping a missile with a "stepless transmission" engine. Considering China's technical accumulation in this field, it is highly likely that future air-to-air missiles will adopt multi-pulse propulsion systems.
The working principle of a multi-pulse solid-fuel rocket engine is to divide the solid fuel into several small segments within the same combustion chamber using fire-resistant and heat-insulating layers, with each segment having its own ignition system, and the control system determines the ignition time for each segment. This design allows the fuel to burn segment by segment, enabling precise energy control. It is speculated that its range could break through existing limits, allowing Chinese aircraft to have a much longer attack distance in aerial combat. Additionally, once China's air-to-air missiles break through the hypersonic propulsion system, their range and flight speed will also see revolutionary progress.
Second, future Chinese air-to-air missiles will be equipped with more intelligent guidance heads. From the current technological advancements in radar and artificial intelligence in our country, the next-generation guidance head will have stronger data communication capabilities. It can not only communicate in real-time and at high speed with the launch aircraft but also receive information from other combat platforms such as early warning aircraft and drones, thereby obtaining more comprehensive and accurate target information.
In terms of terminal autonomous intelligent targeting, the guidance head will be equipped with advanced artificial intelligence algorithms and data processing systems. It can perceive the battlefield environment in real-time, analyze the threat level, movement status, and surrounding interference of the target, and automatically select the optimal attack path and timing. This revolutionary advancement will greatly improve the operational effectiveness of air-to-air missiles in complex battlefield environments, significantly increasing the missile's hit rate.
Third, with the deep application of information technology in the military field, future Chinese air-to-air missiles will be capable of coordinating attacks among multiple missiles. Through advanced data link technology, multiple missiles can form a small combat network, achieving information sharing and coordinated operations. This coordinated operation capability will exponentially enhance the operational effectiveness of China's air-to-air missiles in aerial combat, enabling them to more effectively counter enemy air forces.
Fourth, future long-range Chinese air-to-air missiles will adopt multiple guidance modes, with infrared-guided ultra-long-range air-to-air missiles becoming a highlight. With the continuous development of stealth technology, stealth aircraft pose a significant challenge to air defense systems. However, infrared guidance has unique advantages, as it can detect and track targets by detecting their infrared radiation characteristics. For stealth targets, even if their radar cross-section is small, their engine exhaust areas still emit obvious infrared radiation signals. During the initial phase of missile flight, satellite guidance and inertial guidance can be combined to guide the missile to the general area of the target; when approaching the target, infrared guidance and active radar guidance can be activated to achieve precise locking and attack on the target.
In summary, China's next-generation air-to-air missiles being developed will achieve major breakthroughs in multiple key technology fields, with the breakthrough in propulsion systems being the most challenging, while the others should not be a problem. The application of these advanced technologies will elevate the performance of China's air-to-air missiles to a new level, giving them an absolute advantage in future aerial combat. Let's look forward to the surprises brought by China's military scientific research personnel.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7527142270190010930/
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