Q-5II
Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company · China · first flew 1983 · fighter
The Q-5II introduced a laser rangefinder and updated nav/attack avionics to the Q-5 airframe, significantly improving ground-attack accuracy compared to the earlier Q-5I/IA without the bomb bay.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Q-5 Fantan outline with area-ruled fuselage and lateral intakes |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Q-5 Fantan outline with area-ruled fuselage and lateral intakes
- Laser rangefinder fairing visible ahead of windscreen
- Updated nav/attack avionics evident by revised nose profile
The small laser rangefinder fairing forward of the windscreen is the primary external differentiator from the Q-5IA. Without this feature visible, positive identification of the II versus IA or III variants from external observation alone is not reliably possible.
Specifications
- The Q-5II has a length of 15.65 m (51 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.68 m (32 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1190 km/h (739 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
PLAAF experience in the late Cold War era highlighted the need for improved target acquisition and weapons delivery accuracy. The Q-5II addressed this with the addition of a laser rangefinder — visible as a small fairing forward of the windshield — and a new navigation/attack computer. The result was a meaningful improvement in conventional strike capability.
Variants
The Q-5II feeds directly into the Q-5III which further refined avionics. The export A-5M (with French avionics from Thomson-CSF) represents an even more sophisticated development path.
Where you'll see it
PLAAF attack regiments received the Q-5II through the 1980s, with the type remaining active into the 1990s before the Q-5III and then A-5M entered service. No confirmed export operators of the exact Q-5II standard exist, though close variants served in Pakistan and elsewhere.
Related aircraft
- Q-5III
- Q-5IA
- Q-5I
- NAMC JL-8 (K-8 Karakorum)
- Boeing Skyfox
- Piper PA-48 Enforcer
- Yakovlev Yak-38M
- ALR Piranha
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