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.

This much-needed ASW variant of Y-8 (High New 6) similar to American P-3C has been under development since 2007. The aircraft is believed to be based on Y-8 "Category III Platform" with a fully pressurized cabin, 4 WJ-6C turbofan engines with 6-blade high efficiency propellers and horizontal tailplanes with small vertical stabilizers. It also features a large chin radome housing a surface search radar which might be based on the British Searchwater 2000 surveillance radar installed on Y-8J. An EO turret was installed underneath the forward fuselage housing a FLIR, CCD TV camera and laser rangefinder. A series of blade antennas are seen on top of and underneath the fuselage for communication and ESM purpose. Two pairs of RWR antennas are installed at the tip of the vertical tailfin. A pair of MAWS sensors are installed on the forward fuselage aft cabin door. The most noticeable feature of Y-8Q is a MAD sting on its tail. Its lower fuselage in the mid-section of the aircraft was modified extensively to house an internal bomb bay for carrying depth charges, light torpedos even AShMs (e.g. Yu-7K & YJ-83K). Two large windows are located in the rear fuselage for observation purpose. The aircraft is capable of dropping newly developed sonobuoys as well. As a dedicated long-range ASW aircraft, Y-8Q has a range of up to 5,000km and a patrol time of up to 10 hours. Two prototypes have been built by SAC (S/N 731 & 732). Y-8Q is believed to be the first combat aircraft in the Y-8 series, and is thought to be capable of coordinating with future Chinese CVBG via secure datalink and extending the defence further away against enemy submarines and small surface ships. The latest image (Februray 2015) indicated that the first production Y-8Q is ready to be handed over to PLAN after several years of testing.

Original Author: Jason W. Henson, http://chinese-military-aviation.blogspot.be/