Shaanxi Y-9E (Yun-9E)
The Y-9E transport aircraft is the latest development of the Chinese-made Y-8 medium military transport aircraft. The new aircraft is a special export version with a maximum payload of 25 tons. Y-9E is a medium-sized, medium-range, all-pressurized and multipurpose 20,000kg tactical transport platform with 4 turboprop engines. It is equipped with advanced integrated avionics system, cargo transport system and rear ramp cargo door. It is mainly used for the equipment, cargo and personnel transportation, airdrop and parachuting. In addition, Y-9E can be modified into the special mission aircraft platform. The Y-9E is the export version of the Y-9 tactical transportation plane. It is designed for carrying out missions such as transporting soldiers and equipment, as well as facilitating airdrops and parachuting operations. It features a long flight range, a spacious interior and a convenient loading and unloading mechanism. The aircraft can operate in diverse environments, including tropical, icy and high-altitude regions. According to specifications released by SAC, the Y-9E is approximately 36 meters long with a wingspan of 38 meters. It has a top speed of 660 kilometers per hour, a cruising altitude of 7 to 8 kilometers, and a maximum operational range of 5,200 km. With a maximum takeoff weight of 65 metric tons, the aircraft can transport up to 20 tons of personnel and cargo. The Y-9 is equipped with an upgraded FWJ6C engine and a JL-4 propeller. Each engine is equipped with six composite blades. Its cockpit has been made of "glass" and has six large displays that can provide complete flight information. With the upgrading of domestic military products, the quality and performance of our military products for export have been greatly improved. At the same time, due to the guaranteed after-sales service and relatively reasonable price, in recent years, domestic advanced export weapon systems have brought us many large orders. The 2018 Singapore Air Show officially opened on February 6. A large number of foreign military enterprises showed off their advanced aviation products at the air show to attract potential users. For example, China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation displayed its latest Y-9E upgraded version of the transport aircraft at the air show. It is reported that this improved transport aircraft has already had its first user. During the 2018 Singapore Air Show, AVIC unveiled Shaanxi Aircraft's Y-9E medium-range transport aircraft at the air show's exhibition center in Changi. This four-engine transport aircraft has been in service with the People's Liberation Army. The aircraft was looking for potential customers in the Asia-Pacific region. According to some sources, the first export customer of the Y-9E is likely to be the Myanmar Air Force. China's domestically developed Y-9E transport aircraft was officially delivered to its first overseas client, the Global Times learned from the aircraft's maker, Shaanxi Aircraft Industry (Group) Corp (SAIC) under the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) on 16 December 2024. Wu Jiancheng, a spokesperson of the AVIC SAIC, told reporters that the company was committed to promoting the Y-9E transport aircraft to potential overseas customers. The deal, finalized in early 2023, marks the Y-9E's first overseas sale. While AVIC did not disclose the buyer's identity or the number of planes ordered, it confirmed that the delivery process had begun.
"The Y-9E transport aircraft features outstanding flight performance, with long endurance and strong adaptability to various environments, making it suitable for tropical, low-temperature and high-altitude regions," Wu said. "In addition, the Y-9E offers a spacious interior, a substantial carrying capacity, and convenient loading and unloading capabilities."
The Global Times learned that the Y-9E transport aircraft is developed based on the Y-9 transport aircraft and caters to the needs of overseas customers. It can perform missions involving the transportation of personnel, equipment and supplies, and is a multi-purpose transport aircraft offering safety, reliability and exceptional performance.
The transport aircraft was displayed at Airshow China 2024 in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province. Public data shows that the Y-9E transport aircraft measures approximately 36 meters in length and has a wingspan of about 38 meters. It boasts a maximum payload capacity of 20 tons and a maximum takeoff weight of around 65 tons. The aircraft can achieve a maximum cruising speed of 660 kilometers per hour, operate at a cruising altitude of about seven to eight kilometers, and has a maximum range of 5,200 kilometers.
Founded in 1969, SAIC is one of China's key manufacturers of large aircraft, specializing in midsize transport planes and their modified variants, including early-warning and electronic warfare models. Dubbed the "cradle of China's early warning aircraft," AVIC SAIC has established two major product lines: transport aircraft and special-mission aircraft, producing various types of aircraft. These aircraft have become a key supplier for various military services and branches in China, fulfilling domestic market demands while exporting overseas, thereby making significant contributions to national defense and economic development.
Multiple types of special-mission aircraft independently developed by AVIC SAIC were also displayed at Airshow China 2024. Among them, the Y-8 anti-submarine patrol aircraft is capable of searching and attacking submarines, making it a sharp tool in the Chinese military's patrols in the South China Sea, while the Y-9 medical aid aircraft can transport patients faster than ambulances and helicopters, and can host surgeries in the air, acting as an "aerial path of life."
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