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PL-3

The PL-3 [Pili = Thunderbolt, or Pen Lung = Air Dragon] air-to-air missile was the first independently developed air-to-air missile. Pili-3 air-to-air missile had large range, improved accuracy and lethal power meet the operational requirements of the new generation fighter J-8 (J-8). The PL-3’s design emphasized high-speed and high-altitude performance. The missile was superior to the PL-2, due it its increased range, accuracy, and lethality. The PL-3 also characteristically was different: it had an enlarged lifting service, more balanced angle of attack, and a new warhead. Like the PL-1 and PL-2, the PL-3 was designed primarily to counter fighters and medium bombers. In the mid-1960s, China began to develop the F-8 high-altitude high-speed fighter. According to the shortcomings of the insufficient performance of the Thunderbolt-2, China developed the Thunder-3 air-to-air missile based on it. Compared with the Thunderbolt-2, it increases the distance of the seeker, improves the interception and tracking distance of the target, and increases the area of lift, thereby improving the accuracy of guidance, increasing the area of ??lift, and increasing the angle of attack. To improve combat capability under high-altitude air conditions. In addition, the power of the warhead has been improved to increase the ability to attack high-speed targets.

The research and development of China's air-to-air missiles began in the late 1950s. Like most Chinese weapons at that time, they followed the path of imitation, improvement, and modification until their own development, design, and manufacturing. After decades of hard work, my country's air-to-air missiles have formed a series, which is the well-known "Thunderbolt" series of missiles at home and abroad. The Thunderbolt-3 air-to-air missile was China's first self-designed and manufactured air-to-air missile. The development began in June 1962, and the research for the PL-3 missile began in 1965 after the project was issued by the Third Ministry of Machine Building. It is mainly based on the 612 Institute of the Ministry of Aviation Industry (now Luoyang Sunshine Electric Technology Development Center) and Zhuzhou Aero Engine Factory. In May 1965, the Ministry of Machinery and Equipment assigned the R&D task to the 605 Institute of the Sixth Academy, responsible for the design, the 331 factory was the main manufacturer, the 573 factory was responsible for the development of the seeker, the 282 factory was responsible for the warhead development, and the 845 factory was responsible for the propellant development. After the development task was issued, the relevant scientific and technical personnel began to work non-stop. At the end of 1965, 605 completed the design drawings of the sample missile. In August 1966, the relevant factories completed the development of two prototype missiles, and ground tests confirmed that the main performance met the design requirements. The first batch of Thunderbolt-3 missiles completed trial production in 1966. In January 1967, based on the test data of two prototype missiles, the Ministry of Three Machines issued the task of researching and testing the first batch of missiles. The 331 Plant fully organized its technical force to make full use of the existing conditions for research and development. Major designers from the 605 Institute, including Mao Zongwei, went to the participating factories to assist in solving various technical problems in the development. After the joint efforts of all the developers, the first batch of 20 missiles was launched after the factory test. The results showed that the performance of each component is coordinated and basically met the requirements of tactical and technical indicators. Ground and flight tests of the first batch of 20 sample missiles began in June 1968 and test firing began in 1969. In January 1969, the Ministry of the Three Aircraft Department issued the second batch of missile development tasks. At the end of the same year, 20 missiles were assembled and the factory test was completed. In December 1969, the ground test of the second batch of 30 sample missiles was completed. From June to September 1970, the fuze reliability was found to be low during the finalization test at the air-to-air missile test base. After the development unit conducted technical research, the ground unit test and the target missile shooting test were carried out again in May 1972. The results Indicates that the fuze is working properly. Beginning in November 1974, the finalization test of the "Thunderbolt" 3 missile was carried out again at the air-to-air missile test base. Due to unreliable fuzes and other problems, it was only in 1974 that the test firing on the J-7 fighter aircraft was successful. In November 1974, the J-7 fighters were used to launch combat missiles for the carrier aircraft. The PL-3 missile initially suffered problems from the effect aerodynamic heat had on the engine case's strength and the premature bursting of the fuse. Such a problem was solved when the circuitry of the missile was improved and after a device was installed that automatically controlled the fuse of the missile. The test project was basically completed in November 1974, but testing of the PL-3 missile went as far into 1979, when J-8 aircraft test fired the missiles with success. The first successful launch made the target "scattered." In October 1979, the J-8 fighter was used as the carrier to test, and both single-shot and double-shot bursts were successful.

In 1979, single- and double-engine tests by the J-8 fighter aircraft were also successful. In the same year, China approved the design and finalization of the PL-3 air-to-air missile. By 1980, the PL-3 design was approved by the Conventional Military Products Certification Commission. Since then, in order to further evaluate the performance of the missile, many ground and air tests have been carried out, and it was formally finalized in April 1980. Fifty missiles were produced in 1981, and eight missiles were launched in 1982 for finalizing supplementary tests. As China's first air-to-air missile that completed all the procedures developed by itself, the "Pili" 3 missile had broken through many key technologies in the development, such as solving the problem of aerodynamic heating on the engine shell strength, charge coating and infrared fuze optics. Regarding the impact of system performance, experts have repeatedly measured the aerodynamic heating temperature of the missile during the high-altitude and high-speed flight of the carrier. The large amount of valuable data obtained has provided the basis for the successful development of the "Thunderbolt" 3 missile. For another example, the early fuze explosion has been a problem that has plagued air-to-air missiles for more than ten years. The research team composed of more than 40 scientific and technological personnel repeatedly studied and compiled a variety of comprehensive systems for testing, especially for ballistic changes and large overloads. They designed and manufactured a large number of pressure swing devices, and repeatedly reproduced the phenomenon of early fuze explosion in the rocking test. The main reason for the early explosion of infrared fuze missiles has been found out, which provides a reliable solution for the complete solution of the early explosion problem. in accordance with. During the fuze speed test, the researchers also designed and manufactured a successful rocket skid test device, which also played a role in realizing the new technology of automatic fuze adjustment and delay. In addition, scientific researchers have carried out pioneering work in designing the double-shell prefabricated fragmentation warhead and exploring the immersion technology, making outstanding contributions to the early birth of China's self-developed first air missile. The Pili-3 air-to-air missile adopts a canard aerodynamic shape layout and a modular cabin structure. Its main features increased the wing area and balance the angle of attack to improve maneuverability and high-altitude performance; increase the engine charge to increase the range; use optical immersion infrared detectors to increase the distance of the seeker; it used new warhead section and infrared fuse, in order to increase the lethal power. However, because the missile has clearly fallen behind and has no value for mass production, it was iscontinued in the adjustment of the aviation industry model in 1983. China continued to develop more advanced Thunder-5B air-to-air missiles and uses its technology to improve Thunder-2 air-to-air missiles.

Through the development of the "Pili" No. 3 missile, the design level and capabilities of Chinese scientific and technological personnel have been greatly improved, a group of missile design experts have been trained, and experience has been accumulated for the development of China's air-to-air missiles. It can be said that the "Pili" No. 3 missile is a watershed between imitation and self-developed air-to-air missiles in the development process of China, and has played a role in linking the past and the future. After that, the pace of China's development of new air-to-air missiles has been significantly accelerated, and both quality and performance have developed by leaps and bounds.