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China Legacy Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC)
J-8II
China's first indigenously developed high-altitude interceptor, evolved from early MiG-21 study work into a large delta-wing, twin-engine fighter. Largely retired from frontline PLA Air Force service and superseded by fourth- and fifth-generation types.
In service since 1988 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
2,338
km/h
2,200
km range
20,200
m ceiling
4,500
kg payload
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Chinese state channel
State export agencies (NORINCO/CATIC); limited availability to Western-aligned states.
Channel: State export agency
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 1988. Status: legacy · ~300 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the J-8II can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 2,338 km/h Stronger than 66% of fighters
- Max speed (Mach)
Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.
- 2.2 Mach Stronger than 71% of fighters
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 2,200 km Stronger than 24% of fighters
- Combat radius
Distance an aircraft can fly, complete its mission and return without refueling. Roughly a third of ferry range.
- 800 km Stronger than 37% of fighters
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 20,200 m Top 3% of fighters
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 1x 23 mm twin-barrel cannon
- Hardpoints
External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.
- 7 Stronger than 17% of fighters
- Weapons payload
Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.
- 4,500 kg Stronger than 22% of fighters
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 21.59 m
- Wingspan
Wingtip-to-wingtip span.
- 9.34 m
- Height
Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.
- 5.41 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 9,820 kg
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 14,300 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 1
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- 2x Wopen WP-13B II turbojets
- Engines
Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.
- 2
- Thrust
Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable).
- 68 kN Bottom 8% of fighters
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Turbojet
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
- Radar
Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art.
- Type 1471 (Zhuk-8II) pulse-Doppler radar
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 300 Stronger than 62% of fighters
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 1 Stronger than 23% of fighters
Specifications compiled from public Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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What is the top speed of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II has a maximum speed of 2,338 km/h.
What is the range of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II has a maximum range of 2,200 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II can carry up to 4,500 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II weigh? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II has a combat weight of 14,300 kg.
How many crew does the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II require? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II's primary weapon is the 1x 23 mm twin-barrel cannon.
What engine does the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II use? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II is powered by the 2x Wopen WP-13B II turbojets.
What is the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II used for? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II is a fighter aircraft typically used for air superiority.
How many countries operate the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II? +
The Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II cost? +
Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) J-8II: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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