Chengdu J-7

J-7G

an improved variant of the J-7E by CAC, first flew in 2002.

Equipped with a new KLJ-6E PD radar, which is reported to be SY-80 radar with SY is short for Shen Ying, meaning Celestial Eagle in Chinese.

This radar a Chinese development of the Italian Pointer-2500 ranging radar used for the Q-5M, and the Italian radar itself was a development of Pointer radar, the Italian copy of Israeli Elta EL/M-2001.

In comparison to the Italian Grifo series radar on Pakistani F-7s, the SY-80 weighs more at 60 kg, and the range is also shorter, at 30 km.

However, the radar does have a feat that the Italian radars do not have: it is fully compatible with helmet-mounted sights (HMS) so that both the radar and HMS can be worked together to control PL-8/9 air-to-air missiles.
One 30 mm gun was removed, and a more powerful engine installed.

J-7G2

Improved ;J-7G:with more powerful radar, capable of incorporating detachable conformal tanks.

J-7GB

Unarmed version of the J-7G used to replace the J-7EB for the August 1st Aerobatic team.

J-7M

Until the 2000s (decade), there was at least a F-7M used by Chinese as a radar and avionics test bed.
Differs from other models in that there was no fixed radars and avionics due to the different equipment being tested.

J-7MF

Successor of the J-7FS, with rectangular under-chin inlet similar to that of the Eurofighter Typhoon, and movable canards for better aerodynamic performance.
No prototypes were ever built before the project being abandoned in favor of the FC-1.

J-7MG

J-7E armed with GEC-Marconi Super Skyranger radar with planar slotted array and Martin-Baker ejection seat for potential customers' evaluation.
Pakistan and Bangladesh evaluated the aircraft, and evolved to F-7MG.

J-7MP

After nearly two years use of the F-7M, Pakistani Air Force (PAF) returned the 20 F-7M aircraft to China in the late 1980s with recommendations for 24 upgrades, including replacing the original GEC-Marconi Type 226 Skyranger radar with the Italian FIAR Grifo-7 radar, and AIM-9 Sidewinder capability.

The Italian radar weighs 55 kg, had a slot antenna planar array, and had a range greater than 50 km, while the British radar only weighs 42 kg, with a parabolic antenna, but only had range of 15 km. Both radars have a mean time between failure rate of 200 hours. J-7MP:is the design specially tailored to Pakistani requirements.

J-7PG


Alternative to J-7MG, similar to the J-7MG except with Italian FIAR Grifo-MG radar, which further increased the sector of scan to +/- 30 degrees from the +/- 20 degrees of Grifo-Mk-II on F-7P.

The Grifo-MG radar has better ECCM, look-down and shoot-down capabilities than its predecessor Grifo-Mk-II, while the weight remained the same. The number of targets can be tracked simultaneously is increased from the original 4 of the Grifo-Mk-II to a total of 8 of the Grifo-MG. Pakistan and Bangladesh evaluated the aircraft, and evolved to F-7PG.

JJ-7

Dual-seat J-7 trainer and Chinese equivalent of the MiG-21U Mongol-A design. Originally built by Guizhou Aircraft Design Institute and Guizhou Aircraft Company (now Guizhou Aviation Industry Group/GAIC) in 1981.

JJ-7I

Chinese equivalent of the Soviet MiG-21US trainer with domestic Type-II ejection seat. Only a very small number were built before converting to the JJ-7II.

JJ-7II

JJ-7I with Rockwell Collins avionics that became standard for later J-7 models.

JL-9 (FTC-2000)

Also known as FTC-2000 Mountain Eagle (Shan Ying), new two-seat trainer derived from the JJ-7 series. Built by GAIC in 2000s (decade) as the low-cost solution to JJ-7 trainer replacement.

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JZ-7

Reconnaissance version of the J-7, Chinese equivalent of MiG-21R. In addition to the photo reconnaissance, this aircraft was the first to have the domestically developed ESM reconnaissance pod.

J-7 Drone

Unmanned J-7 remote-controlled drones mostly converted from J-7I fighters.

F-7M Airguard Improved J-7II variant for export with western avionics, with British GEC-Marconi as the prime contractor. Program initiated in 1978 and took six years to complete, after 10 rounds of negotiation. Western avionics includes:

British Type 226 Skyranger radar: Ranging radar that weighs 41 kg with a range of 15 km.

British Type 956 HUDAWAC: This HUD has a built-in weapon aiming computer, hence the name Head-Up Display And Weapon Aiming Computer.

British Type 50-048-02 digitized air data computer

British Type 2032 camera gun, which is linked to HUD with capability to interchange rolls of film while airborne. Each roll of film lasts more than 2 minutes

American converter that is over 30% more efficient in comparison to the original Chinese converter.

American Type 0101-HRA/2 radar altimeter with range increased to 1.5 km in comparison to the original 0.6 km of the Chinese radar altimeter it had replaced.
British AD-3400 secured radio with range in excess of 400 km at 1.2 km altitude.

Other improvement includes domestic newly designed CW-1002 air data sensor developed in conjunction with the western avionics, and WP-7B/WP-7BM engine.

A totally different wing enabled the take-off and landing distance to be reduced by 20%, while increasing the aerodynamic performance in dogfights.

According to customers' claims, F-7M is nearly 40% more effective than MiG-21 in terms of overall performance. It can use French R550 Magic and PL-7 Air-to-air missiles. It was sold to Myanmar, Egypt and Bangladesh in 1980s.

Pakistan contribution: Although Pakistan did not purchase any F-7M and later returned all 20 F-7M's to China after evaluation to require China to provide a better fighter (which eventually resulted in F-7MP/P), Pakistan did provide important support for F-7M program, including:

In the last quarter of 1982, test flights revealed that the radar was plagued by the problem of picking up ground clutter.

China did not have any western radar assisted air-to-ground attack experience, and had no idea of conducting the necessary flight tests specifically designed for the western avionics to solve the problem. Pakistani Air Force provided pilots (including F-16 pilots) to China to perform these tests and helped in solving this problem.

Chinese 630th Institute responsible for F-7M program lacked the facility and experience to conduct live round weapon tests with advanced western avionics, and it also lacked the capability to conduct mocked air combat with western aircraft.

Therefore from June, 1984 to September, 1984, two F-7Ms were sent to Pakistan to conduct such tests. Pakistan Air Force once again provided F-16 pilots to help to complete the tests, with the Chinese team in Pakistan led by Mr. Chen Baoqi
of the Chinese Aviation Ministry and Mr Xie Anqing of Chengdu Aircraft Co.