China’s new KJ-600 surveillance aircraft completes latest test flight

PLA’s carrier-based early warning aircraft took to the skies over Xian on Wednesday morning, military insider says

Domestically developed plane, which is in its final stages of development, is capable of spotting stealth aircraft like American F-22s and F-35s

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China’s KJ-600 early warning aircraft is in its final stages of development. Photo: Weibo

Published: 9:30pm, 28 Jan 2021Updated: 11:11pm, 28 Jan 2021

China put its new carrier-based early warning aircraft through its paces again on Wednesday, a military source said, after images of the plane were shared online.

“The [test] flight took place early on Wednesday morning in Xian,” said the People’s Liberation Army insider. “It was another regular test before the plane enters service.”

Speaking on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media, the source confirmed that the photographs shared on social media were of the KJ-600, China’s first domestically developed early warning plane, which is in its final stages of development.

The images showed an aircraft, with its distinctive radar system atop its fuselage and four vertical tail fins, in flight.

The KJ-600 made its maiden flight in August, two years after Chinese state media confirmed such an aircraft was in development.

Designed to operate from an aircraft carrier, the plane’s large active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar makes it capable of spotting stealth aircraft such as the United States’ F-22s and F-35s.

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