The KJ-600 airborne early warning and control aircraft was designed for catapult-launched operations and made its debut at the Victory Day parade in early September, flying over Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.
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China’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, enters service
China’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, enters service
While most of the KJ-600’s specifications and performance capabilities are comparable with the US Navy’s E-2D Hawkeye, its apparent lack of aerial refuelling capability was “puzzling”, according to an analysis in the December issue of Shipborne Weapons.
The report speculated that the KJ-600’s AEP-400 turboprop engines might be less powerful than those of the E-2D, making it difficult to support the additional weight of an aerial refuelling system.
The Liaoning and Shandong carriers would continue to be important assets for the Chinese military, despite the advances of the Fujian and future catapult-equipped carriers, the report noted.
