Source from Chinese internet disclosed that on September 15, 2015, China successfully tested its latest BVRAAM, the PL-15, firing from a fighter to destroy a target drone. PL-10 successfully hit its target as well.
PL-15
PL-15 surely raises USAF concerns. Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Sept. 15, ACC cheif Gen. Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle reiterated the threat of the Chinese PL-15 beyond visual range air-to-air missile.
Youtube video link; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgooB13PJIg
Popular Science reported: Speaking at the 2015 Air Force Association conference the same week as the test, USAF Air Combatant Commander General Hawk Carlisle cited the PL-15 as the reason for Congress to fund a new missile to replace the American AMRAAM. His reasons for concern is the PL-15’s range. By incorporating a ramjet engine, its range could reach 150-200 km, was well as its terminal maneuverability. That would out-range existing American air-to-air missiles, making the PL-15 not just a threat to fighters like the F-35, but also to US bombers and aerial tankers critical to American air operations across the vast Pacific. General Carlisle called “out-sticking” the PL-15 a high priority for the USAF.
According to Chinese source, PL-15 may have maximum range of 400 km.
The followings are in Chinese:
9月15日，PL10、PL15双双试射成功了？难怪老美要追赶PL15.
chaifox 发表于 2015-9-19
2015年9月15日，历史会记录下今天，今天是个“跨时代”的日子！
那个老棍家里，有只叫“三弟”的鸡，下了个那啥叫“窖洞”的蛋，结果成功砸下来一只小鸟！
那个老筷家里，有只叫“水果”的鹅，下了个叫“月饼”的大蛋，结果蛋飞了老远老远，准确无误地砸下来一只小鸟！
双喜临门！庆祝庆祝！
PL-10
During a Chinese television interview, the chief designer revealed that the air-to-air missile for the fifth-generation PL-10 is almost completed.
Weighing in at nearly 200 pounds, the 10-foot PL-10 features “world-class” capabilities. The missile has a range of 12 miles and it was in development for seven years, Defence Talk reported the missile’s designer Liang Xiaogeng as saying.
Designed by the Luoyang Electro-Optical Research Institute (LEOC), images of the fifth-generation PL-10 first appeared in 2013. Carried onboard the J-20 fighter, the missiles have also been seen on the J-11, a replica of the Russian Su-27.
“The new missile also includes a “multi-element imaging infrared seeker with anti-jamming capabilities” and off-bore sight attacks.”
The PL-10 has already been successfully test-fired 30 times. So the advanced PL-10s, equipped onboard the navigable J-11s, could be a highly effective combination.