China military testing new 400 km range air-to-air missile

An image released online by the Chinese Air Force has led to speculation that the military is testing a beyond-visual- range, air-to-air missile in combat drills, according to China Daily. 

The photo, recently uploaded to the People’s Liberation Army website, shows a J-11B twin-engine fighter jet carrying a large missile, it stretches about one-fourth of the length of the 22-meter-long aircraft during ‘Red Sword 2016’, an aerial warfare exercise over a northwestern desert in November.

Nearly 100 aircraft as well as air defense and electronic countermeasure units from two theater commands participated in the exercise, the Air Force had said. It comes after photographs circulated on weapons websites late last year of a Chinese J-16 strike fighter carrying a nearly identical missile, the report said.

A spokesman for the Air Force was unavailable for comment on Wednesday, and no official introduction of the potential new weapon has been disclosed by the PLA or defense contractors. However, its appearance has attracted attention from military enthusiasts, many of whom say such a missile would boost the Air Force’s combat capabilities, it said.