OVERVIEW: The Shaanxi Y-8 or Yunshuji-8 aircraft is a medium size medium range transport aircraft produced by Shaanxi Aircraft Company in China, based on the Soviet Antonov An-12. It has become one of China's most popular military and civilian transport/cargo aircraft, with many variants produced and exported. Although the An-12 is no longer made in Ukraine, the Chinese Y-8 continues to be upgraded and produced. An estimated 169 Y-8 aircraft had been built by 2010.

DETAILS: In the 1960s, China purchased several An-12 aircraft from the Soviet Union, along with license to assemble the aircraft locally. However, due to the Sino-Soviet split, the Soviet Union withdrew its technical assistance. The Xi'an Aircraft Company and Xi'an Aircraft Design Institute worked to reverse engineer the An-12 for local production.

The Y-8 equipped with four turboprop engines mounted under the leading edges of non-swept wings. The wings are attached high on the fuselage, and the tricycle landing gear is equipped with low pressure tires. The earliest versions used for the transportation of freight or troops had two side-hinged, inward-opening doors, while later variants used a rearward-facing ramp to facilitate loading and unloading of the payload. Some specialized versions omit the cargo ramp entirely.

The Y-8 is capable of carrying troops, dropping supplies, parachute drops, and functioning as an air ambulance. It also can be used for commercial uses as a freighter. It is capable of hauling 20 tons of cargo, approximately 96 soldiers, or about 82 paratroopers in the cargo compartment which is 13.5 metres long, 3 metres wide and 2.4 metres high. It can also carry 60 severely wounded soldiers with their stretchers, 20 slightly injured soldiers and 3 medical attendants. Many variants for specialized roles have been built, but information on them can be vague or difficult to obtain due to the secretive nature of the Chinese military.

SPECIFICATIONS: Crew: (5) || Capacity: (90) equipped troops || Payload: 20,000 kg (44,000 lb) cargo || Length: 34.02m (111ft, 8in) || Wingspan: 38.0m (124ft 8in) || Height: 11.16m (36ft 8in) || Max. takeoff weight: 61,000kg (134,480lb) || Powerplant: (4) Zhuzhou WoJiang-6 (WJ-6) turboprops, 3,170kW (4,250hp) each.

PERFORMANCE: Max Speed: 660km/h (357 knots,410 mph) || Range: 5,615km (3030nm,3485 mi) || Service ceiling: 10,400m (34000 ft) || Rate of climb: 10m/s (2000 ft/min).

NOTES: A license copy of the Antonov An-12 “Cub”, the Y-8 is used for many roles in Chinese service. Production started in the late 1960s and continues today; more than 125 have now been built plus additional examples for export and civilian (Y-8B & Y-8F100) use. The original design had a twin NR-23 gun in a manned tail turret; this is not included on the civilian versions, the specialized versions described below, nor recent examples of the military cargo version.

Y-8X is PLAN's first long-range maritime patrol aircraft (range 5,000km). It is equipped with an American Litton AN/APS-504(V)3 surface search radar in an enlarged undernose radome plus western navigational systems for long range patrols over the sea. The aircraft also carries optical and IR cameras. Around 3 Y-8Xs are believed in service with PLA Naval Aviation (S/N 9261-9291, 9281 later converted to Y-8J) stationed in Shangdong Province. They have been carrying out routine long-range intelligence gathering missions near the coast of Japan and South Korea, prompting interceptions by F-15s and F-16s from the two countries. Some Y-8Xs (Y-8XG? 9271 & 9291) have been upgraded with a FLIR turret installed underneath the forward fuselage as well as small bar-shaped antennas on both sides of the forward fuselage. A canoe shaped fairing plus a couple blade antennas were seen attached to the bottom of middle and aft fuselage, suggesting the aircraft's ELINT mission has been further enhanced with possibly a new SAR capability. 

Original Author: Jason W. Henson

SOURCE: [SCO] Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org