Q-5III
Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company · China · first flew 1985 · fighter
The Q-5III is the most capable domestically-developed Nanchang Q-5 variant, incorporating a radar warning receiver, improved laser rangefinder, and updated avionics, and representing the definitive PLAAF-standard Fantan before the Franco-Chinese A-5M.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 15.65 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Q-5 Fantan outline with updated nose containing laser rangefinder and RWR
- Electronic warfare antennas visible on fin tip and intake lips
- Revised cockpit with updated instrument arrangement
Very close to the Q-5II externally. Radar warning receiver antennas on the fin tip and around the intake lips may be spotted at close range. The Q-5 family is always recognisable by its Coke-bottle fuselage, lateral intakes, and solid nose — features shared by no other contemporary Chinese aircraft.
Specifications
- The Q-5III 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
Developed in the mid-1980s, the Q-5III incorporated a radar warning receiver system and refined avionics integration. It represented the peak of domestic Chinese development of the Q-5 before collaboration with Thomson-CSF of France on the A-5M. The Q-5III equipped front-line PLAAF ground-attack units through the late 1980s and into the 1990s.
Variants
The Q-5III is the final purely Chinese production variant. The collaborative A-5M / Q-5M with French avionics offered substantially better nav/attack performance. A dedicated two-seat trainer, the Q-5J, was produced in smaller numbers.
Where you'll see it
PLAAF attack regiments flew the Q-5III as the standard attack variant through the late Cold War period. Pakistan received A-5C variants of broadly similar standards. The Q-5/A-5 family remained in limited Chinese service into the 2010s before final retirement.
Related aircraft
- Q-5II
- NAMC JL-8 (K-8 Karakorum)
- Q-5IA
- Q-5I
- Boeing (GAF) F/A-18B Hornet
- British Aerospace Harrier II GR.5
- Chengdu JJ-7
- GAIC JJ-7 (FT-7)
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