PL-12#PL-12B

File:JF17-10-113-1736.jpg on display at the Farnborough Airshow 2010.]]

Development of the PL-12 (SD-10) began in 1997.{{sfn|Wood|Yang|Cliff|2020|p=19}} The first public information of the Leihua Electronic Technology Research Institute's PL-12{{Snd}} then called the SD-10{{Snd}} emerged in 2001.{{cite web |url=http://www.strategycenter.net/research/pubID.181/pub_detail.asp |title=China's Emerging 5th Generation Air-to-Air Missiles |last1=Fisher |first1=Richard D. Jr. |date=2 February 2008 |website=International Assessment and Strategy Center |access-date=1 November 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091021052354/http://www.strategycenter.net/research/pubID.181/pub_detail.asp |archive-date=21 October 2009 |df=dmy-all }} Development was assisted by Vympel NPO and Agat of Russia.Medeiros et al.: page 92 Liang Xiaogeng is believed to have been the chief designer.{{cite web |url=http://www.janes.com/article/54531/chief-designer-reveals-data-on-china-s-new-luoyang-pl-10-aam |title=Chief designer reveals data on China's new Luoyang PL-10 AAM |last1=Fisher |first1=Richard D. Jr. |date=18 September 2015 |website=janes.com |access-date=15 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105092300/http://www.janes.com/article/54531/chief-designer-reveals-data-on-china-s-new-luoyang-pl-10-aam |archive-date=5 January 2016 }} Four successful test firings were made in 2004. The missile entered People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) service in 2005.{{sfn|Wood|Yang|Cliff|2020|p=19}}

The early batches of PL-12 missiles reportedly used the 9B-1348 radar seeker designed for the R-77 missile. The development process was assisted by Vympel NPO and Tactical Missile Corporation and benefited from Russian technology transfers.{{sfn|Wood|Yang|Cliff|2020|p=38}} But as of 2018, the PL-12 was no longer reliant on Russian components for missile production.{{sfn|Wood|Yang|Cliff|2020|p=38}}

The guidance system comprises data-linked mid-course guidance and active radar homing for terminal guidance.{{sfn|Wood|Yang|Cliff|2020|p=38}} The missile uses a Chinese rocket motor and airframe.{{cite web |url=http://www.strategycenter.net/research/pubID.14/pub_detail.asp |title=Military Sales to China: Going to Pieces |last1=Fisher |first1=Richard D. Jr. |date=21 November 2002 |website=International Assessment and Strategy Center |access-date=1 November 2016 }} The PL-12 may have a passive homing mode for use against jammers and AEW aircraft. The maximum range is estimated to be {{convert|100|km|mi}}.{{sfn|Wood|Yang|Cliff|2020|p=39}}

PL-12's overall dimension is larger than AIM-120 AMRAAM. Per PLAAF assessment, PL-12's capability sits between AIM-120B and AIM-120C, and the improved PL-12A is claimed to be comparable with the AIM-120C-4. The domestic version of the PL-12 features a variable-thrust rocket motor with a range of {{convert|70-100|km|mi}}, while the export variant SD-10 features a reduced range of {{convert|60-70|km|mi}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/a-guide-to-chinas-increasingly-impressive-air-to-air-missile-inventory |title=A Guide To China's Increasingly Impressive Air-To-Air Missile Inventory |website=The Drive |date=1 September 2022 |first=Thomas |last=Newdick }} According to the Royal United Services Institute, the range performance of PL-12 stands between AIM-120B and AIM-120C-5.{{sfn|Bronk|2020|p=36}}

File:JF17-10-114-1739.jpg light-weight fighter at the Farnborough International Airshow 2010.]]

;PL-12: Domestic version with 60{{cite web|url=https://theprint.in/defence/how-china-is-fast-catching-up-with-the-west-in-the-race-for-air-to-air-missile-superiority/597206/ |title=How China is fast catching up with the West in the race for air-to-air missile superiority |website=The Print |first=Sameer |last=Joshi |date=6 February 2021}} to 100 km{{sfn|Wood|Yang|Cliff|2020|p=39}} range.

;PL-12A: NATO reporting name is CH-AA-7A.{{cite web|last=Barrie |first=Douglas |date=9 September 2022 |title=Air-to-air warfare: speed kills |url=https://www.iiss.org/blogs/military-balance/2022/09/analysis-air-to-air-warfare-speed-kills |website=Military Balance Blog |publisher=International Institute for Strategic Studies |access-date=6 November 2022}} Improved PL-12 with a modified seeker and digital processor. Reportedly fitted with passive mode for anti-radiation missions.

;PL-12C: Variant with folded control fins, designed to fit inside the J-20 weapons bay. Did not enter service and used to develop the PL-15.{{sfn|Bronk|2020|p=36}}

;PL-12D: Variant powered by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation{{cite web|url=https://www.popsci.com/chinas-new-ramjet-engine-triple-range-missiles/ |title=This new ramjet engine could triple the range of Chinese missiles |website=Popular Science |date=12 June 2017 |first1=Jeffrey |last1=Lin |first2=P.W. |last2=Singer }} ramjet. Did not enter service and used to develop the PL-15.{{sfn|Bronk|2020|p=36}}

;SD-10A (ShanDian-10, 闪电-10): Export version of the PL-12 with a reduced maximum launch range of {{convert|37-44|mi|km}}.{{Cite web |last=Newdick |first=Thomas |date=2022-09-01 |title=A Guide To China's Increasingly Impressive Air-To-Air Missile Inventory |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/a-guide-to-chinas-increasingly-impressive-air-to-air-missile-inventory |access-date=2023-04-18 |website=The Drive |language=en}}

;SD-10B: Enhanced SD-10A with better anti-jamming capability.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.janes.com/article/49749/bulgaria-to-be-offered-jf-17-fighter-by-pakistan |title=Bulgaria to be offered JF-17 fighter by Pakistan |last1=Jennings |first1=Gareth |date=4 March 2015 |magazine=Jane's Defence Weekly|access-date=15 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702031733/http://www.janes.com/article/49749/bulgaria-to-be-offered-jf-17-fighter-by-pakistan |archive-date=2 July 2015 }}

;LD-10: Anti-radiation missile based on SD-10.{{cite web|url=https://www.militarydrones.org.cn/ld-10-anti-radiation-missile-p00775p1.html |title=LD-10 Anti-radiation Missiles |website=CN Defense }}

File:PL-12 operators.png

;{{PRC}}

• People's Liberation Army Air Force
• People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force

;{{PAK}}

• Pakistan Air Force (PAF) - 575 delivered of 750 ordered {{as_of|2021|lc=x}}{{cite web |title=Transfers of major weapons: Deals with deliveries or orders made for 1950 to 2021 (China to Pakistan, missiles) |url=http://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/page/trade_register.php |publisher=Stockholm International Peace Research Institute |access-date=26 January 2023 |quote=(750) PL-12 BVRAAM (2006) 2010-2021 (575) For JF-17 combat aircraft}}

;{{MYA}}

• Myanmar Air Force - 24 delivered of 60 ordered {{as_of|2021|lc=x}}{{cite web |title=Transfers of major weapons: Deals with deliveries or orders made for 1950 to 2021 (China to Myanmar, missiles) |url=http://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/page/trade_register.php |publisher=Stockholm International Peace Research Institute |access-date=26 January 2023 |quote=(60) PL-12 BVRAAM (2015) 2018-2019 (24) For JF-17 combat aircraft}}

• {{lwc|AAM-4}}
• {{lwc|AIM-120 AMRAAM}}
• {{lwc|R-77}}
• {{lwc|Sky Sword II|TC-2}}

{{reflist}}

;Bibliography

{{Refbegin}}

• {{Cite report |last1=Cliff |first1=Roger |date=May 2010 |title=The Development of China's Air Force Capabilities |publisher=RAND Corporation |url=http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/testimonies/2010/RAND_CT346.pdf |access-date=30 October 2016 }}
• {{cite report |last1=Gormley |first1=Dennis M. |last2=Erickson |first2=Andrew S. |last3=Yuan |first3=Jingdong |date=2014 |title=A Low-Visibility Force Multiplier: Assessing China's Cruise Missile Ambitions |url=http://ndupress.ndu.edu/Portals/68/Documents/Books/force-multiplier.pdf |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=National Defense University Press }}
• {{cite report |editor1-last=Hallion |editor1-first=Richard P. |editor2-last=Cliff |editor2-first=Roger P. |editor3-last=Saunder |editor3-first=Phillip C. |date=2012 |title=The Chinese Air Force: Evolving Concepts, Roles, and Capabilities |url=https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Portals/68/Documents/Books/chinese-air-force.pdf |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=National Defense University Press }}
• {{cite book |last1=Medeiros |first1=Evan S. |last2=Cliff |first2=Roger |last3=Crane |first3=Keith |last4=Mulvenon |first4=James C. |date=2005 |title=A New Direction for China's Defense Industry |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f0TCkit3c6QC |publisher=RAND Corporation |isbn=9780833040794 }}
• {{Cite report |last1=O'Rourke |first1=Ronald |date=28 February 2014 |title=China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities—Background and Issues for Congress |publisher=Congressional Research Service |url=https://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/223460.pdf |access-date=1 November 2016 }}
• {{cite book |last1=Wood |first1=Peter |last2=Yang |first2=David |last3=Cliff |first3=Roger |title=Air-to-Air Missiles: Capabilities And Development In China |url=https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/Portals/10/CASI/documents/Research/Infrastructure/2020-11-%2030%20Air-to-Air%20Missiles%20and%20Guidance%20Systems.pdf |date=November 2020 |publisher=China Aerospace Studies Institute |location=Montgomery |isbn=9798574996270}}
• {{Cite report |last1=Bronk |first1=Justin |url=https://static.rusi.org/russian_and_chinese_combat_air_trends_whr_final_web_version.pdf |title=Russian and Chinese Combat Air Trends |date=October 2020 |publisher= Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies |location=United Kingdom }}

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Category:Air-to-air missiles of the People's Republic of China

Category:Surface-to-air missiles of the People's Republic of China

Category:Anti-radiation missiles of the People's Republic of China

Category:Beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles

Category:Military equipment introduced in the 2000s