Shaanxi Y-8 ASW

The History of Shaanxi Yun-8 Anti-Submarine Warfare

The Y-8 aircraft, used by the Chinese military, is a versatile turboprop plane derived from the Soviet Antonov An-12 "Cub." It serves various roles like maritime patrols, medical evacuation, and troop transportation. A newer model, starting in 2012, is specialized for hunting submarines.

The updated Y-8 keeps its original functions but adds features for anti-submarine warfare (ASW). These include radar units, antennas, and a magnetic anomaly detector. It requires a standard crew and mission specialists.

Powered by four turboprop engines, it maintains performance similar to the original model. Besides ASW, it performs tasks like patrolling strategic waters and surface patrols, operating from land bases with retractable wheels.

Specification

Basics

Year of service: 2012

Origin: China

Status: Active.

Crew: 10

Production: 20+

Manufacturer: Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation - China

Carrier: China

Roles

Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW): Can search, track and attack enemy underwater elements using special equipment and weapons on board.

Ship Defense: Equipped to find, track, and attack enemy surface elements through visual acquisition, radar support, and ship-based weapons.

Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR): Monitor ground targets/target areas to assess surrounding threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.

Dimensions and Weight

Length: 121.0 feet (36.88 m)

Width/span: 124.7 feet (38.00 m)

Height: 36.1 ft (11.00 m)

Cured weight: 78,264 lbs (35,500 kg)

MTOW: 143,300 lbs (65,000 kg)

Performance

Installed: 4 x Zhuzhou WpJiang-6 (WJ-6) (Ivchenko Ai-20 series) 4,250 hp turboprop engines, each driving a six-bladed propeller unit.

Maximum speed: 404 km/h (650 km/h | 351 kn)

Maximum: 34,449 feet (10,500 m | 7 km)

Area: 5,418 km (10,186 nautical miles)

Rrate of climb: 2,000 ft/min (610 m/min)