The J-35A's weapons bay has, for the first time, showcased a new "Leidian-8A" anti-radiation missile. This lightweight and specialized "killer weapon," designed to target radars, is quietly changing the rules of modern air combat.

At the indoor exhibition area of the Changchun Air Show, the weapon configuration list of the air force version of the J-35A stealth fighter revealed a new anti-radiation missile called Leidian-8A for the first time. This missile was developed from the PL-15 long-range air-to-air missile. It is 3.2 meters in length and weighs 130 kilograms, which is about 70% lighter than the currently used YJ-91 anti-radiation missile.

The J-35A can carry up to six anti-radiation missiles in its internal weapons bay without exposing its stealth capabilities. This means that China's fifth-generation fighter has, for the first time, the ability to hide anti-radiation missiles inside its fuselage, eliminating the need to externally mount large missiles that would compromise stealth, allowing it to pass through enemy air defenses undetected.

Traditional anti-radiation missiles such as the YJ-91 weigh 600 kg and are 4.7 meters long, and they can only be externally mounted under the wings of aircraft. This configuration is a fatal weakness for stealth fighters—external weapons significantly increase radar cross-section, rendering stealth capabilities useless.

The compact design of the Leidian-8A solves this problem. With a length of 3.2 meters and a weight of 130 kg, it can perfectly fit into the J-35A's belly weapons bay. CCTV footage of the J-35 shows that its weapons bay uses a unique design, with a partition dividing two spaces, each capable of holding three missiles arranged in a triangular pattern to maximize space utilization.

This lightweight breakthrough not only relates to the carrying method but also brings tactical advantages. A single J-35A can now deal with multiple threats at the same time: mixing four Leidian-8A anti-radiation missiles with two PL-15 air-to-air missiles, eliminating the need to make difficult choices between dedicated anti-radiation missions and air superiority battles.

The development of the Leidian-8A reflects a high degree of practical wisdom. It shares production lines and components with the PL-15, greatly reducing research and maintenance costs. This "old bottle with new wine" strategy has precedents internationally—during the Vietnam War, the US military's AGM-45 "Sparrow" anti-radiation missile was derived from the AIM-7 "Sparrow" air-to-air missile.

The combination of the J-35A and the Leidian-8A essentially redefines the role of fifth-generation fighters in suppressing enemy air defenses. In the past, such missions were typically carried out by non-stealth aircraft equipped with electronic warfare pods and anti-radiation missiles. Now, stealth fighters can directly penetrate enemy airspace to hunt radars.

Although the Leidian-8A is lightweight, its performance is no less impressive. Its range exceeds 160 kilometers when launched from high altitude, surpassing the 100-kilometer range of the YJ-91. The guidance system uses a "mid-course inertial navigation + satellite correction + terminal passive radar" composite mode, with a circular probability of error less than 4 meters.

More notably, it has strong resistance to shutdown. Modern air defense systems can turn off their radars upon detecting an incoming anti-radiation missile to avoid being hit. The Leidian-8A, by storing target coordinates and using satellite correction, can accurately hit targets even if the enemy radar is turned off.

The J-35A's onboard active electronically scanned array radar further enhances this capability. Similar to the F-35, it can identify, track, and locate enemy radar signals, providing target parameters for the Leidian-8A. This means the J-35A is not just a missile launch platform, but a complete reconnaissance-strike system.

Traditionally, anti-radiation missiles target ground radar stations, but the Leidian-8A's potential goes far beyond that. Its design characteristics allow it to effectively attack airborne early warning aircraft, naval radar systems, and even fighter jet-mounted radar systems.

Early warning aircraft serve as the core node in air combat systems and usually patrol outside high-risk areas. Since the Leidian-8A is developed based on the PL-15 platform, and the PL-15 has a range exceeding 200 kilometers, this means the J-35A equipped with it has the capability to threaten enemy early warning aircraft.

Regarding naval vessels, especially large surface targets equipped with "Aegis" systems, the Leidian-8A can play a similar role to the YJ-91. The YJ-91 is known as the "Aegis killer," and the Leidian-8A's advantages in range and accuracy may pose a greater threat to shipboard radar systems.

The most revolutionary application could be countering enemy fighter jets. In modern air combat, fighter jets need to activate their radars to search for targets. The Leidian-8A's passive radar seeker can track the radar signals of enemy fighter jets, enabling "stealth hunting" while remaining silent on radar.

This multi-target capability makes the Leidian-8A a true "all-encompassing" weapon for land, sea, and air. When facing a J-35A carrying a mix of Leidian-8A and PL-15 missiles, the enemy will be in a dilemma: turning on the radar might invite an anti-radiation missile attack, while staying silent could result in a conventional air-to-air missile strike.

The combination of the Leidian-8A and the J-35A represents a profound change in the Chinese Air Force's operational concept—from single-platform confrontation to system-based operations.

This combination first solves the issue of firepower sustainability for stealth fighters. The J-35A, by carrying six missiles (four Leidian-8A and two PL-15), significantly improves single-aircraft combat efficiency. This means fewer aircraft can cover the same operational area, or the same number of aircraft can suppress more targets.

Secondly, it changes the tactics of air defense suppression. Traditional "Wild Weasel" aircraft needed to accompany attack formations, facing higher risks. However, the better stealth capabilities of the J-35A allow it to infiltrate first, silently eliminating air defense threats and creating safe passages for subsequent non-stealth aircraft.

A deeper impact lies in the possibility of reshaping the role of China's fifth-generation fighters. Originally, the J-35 was positioned as an air superiority fighter, but the integration of the Leidian-8A demonstrates its multi-task potential. This is similar to the development path of the US F-35—despite different positioning, both are constantly expanding their mission ranges.

As the production of the J-35 series increases, the Chinese Air Force may form a specialized anti-radiation stealth fighter squadron, complementing platforms like the J-20. This continuous upgrade of the overall system is more significant than a single weapon breakthrough and is worth our attention.

In future air combat scenarios, a J-35A fighter can stealthily enter enemy airspace without emitting any radar signals, then simultaneously launch multiple Leidian-8A missiles toward targets such as early warning aircraft, radar stations, and warships that emit radiation signals. After completing the mission, it can use the remaining PL-15 missiles to counter enemy aircraft that have taken off. This multi-target strike capability poses unprecedented challenges to traditional air defense systems.

With the introduction of the Leidian-8A, the J-35 series has transitioned from a purely air superiority fighter to a multi-mission platform that combines "stealth killer" and "air defense grave digger." This transformation not only expands the mission boundaries of China's fifth-generation fighters but may also redefine the rules of future air combat.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7555329189927207424/

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