The
Shenyang J-6 (designated
F-6 for export versions) (
NATO-Codename Farmer) was the
ChineseThe People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the most populous in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately one-fifth of the world's population...
-built version of the
SovietThe Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. The name is a translation of the , tr. Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik, abbreviated СССР, SSSR. The common short name is Soviet Union, from , Sovetskiy Soyuz...
MiG-19 'Farmer'The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 is a Soviet second-generation, single-seat, twin jet-engined fighter aircraft. It was the first Soviet production aircraft capable of supersonic speeds in level flight. A comparable U.S...
fighter aircraftA fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets by dropping bombs. Fighters are small, fast, and maneuverable...
.
Design and development
Although the MiG-19 had a comparatively short life in Soviet service, the Chinese came to value its agility, turning performance, and powerful
cannonA cannon is any tubular piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellants to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
armament, and produced it for their own use between 1958 and 1981. By the end of 2005, J-6s have been retired from active combat missions. While the basic MiG-19 has been retired from all but three nations, its airframe made up the Chinese made ground attack version the
Q-5The Nanchang Q-5 , also known as the A-5 in its export versions, is a Chinese-built jet ground-attack aircraft based on the Soviet MiG-19. Its main role is close air support.-Design and development:...
still flies for numerous nations.
The J-6 was considered "disposable" and was intended to be operated for only 100 flight hours (or approximately 100
sortieSortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops from a strongpoint. The sortie, whether by one or more aircraft or vessels, usually has a specific mission....
s) before being overhauled. The
Pakistan Air ForcePakistan Air Force is the air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role to provide air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role to provide strategic air transport and logistics...
was often able to extend this to 130 hours, with diligent maintenance.
The J-6 still is in service with North Korea, Myanmar (Burma), and Sudan.
Description
The J-6 has a maximum speed at altitude of 1,540 km/h (960 mph), Mach 1.45. Service ceiling is 17,900 m (58,700 ft). Combat radius with two drop tanks is about 640 km (400 mi). Powerplant is two Liming Wopen-6A (Tumansky R-9) turbojet engines. In addition to the internal cannon armament, most have provision for four wing pylons for up to 250 kg (550 lb) each, with a maximum ordnance load of 500 kg (1,100 lb). Typical stores include unguided bombs, 55 mm rocket pods, or PL-2/PL-5 (Chinese versions of Soviet K-13 (NATO AA-2 'Atoll') air-to-air missiles.
Operational history
Albania
Albanian Air ForceThe Albanian Air Force is the national Air Force of the Albanian military. Currently it operates under the Albanian Joint Forces Command and it is regrouped in the Albanian Air Brigade...
J-6s replaced the
J-5The Shenyang J-5 is a Chinese-built single-seat jet interceptor and fighter aircraft derived from the Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17. The J-5' was exported as the F-5...
on the border to intercept Yugoslav incursions into Albanian airspace. However, the J-6 was ineffective against the faster Yugoslav
MiG-21 'Fishbed'The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed and built by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish...
. Once the F-7A became available, the J-6 was redeployed to guard
TiranaTirana is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Albania. It was founded in 1614 by Sulejman Pasha and became Albania's capital city in 1920. The Municipality of Tirana lies on the river Ishëm, about inland and is located at in Tirana District, Tirana County...
. As of 2005 all Albanian fighters where grounded due to lack of spare parts.
Indo-Pakistan Wars
The F-6 was flown by the
Pakistan Air ForcePakistan Air Force is the air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role to provide air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role to provide strategic air transport and logistics...
from 1965 to 2002, the aircraft design undergoing around 140 modifications to improve its capabilities in the
interception-Vehicles:* Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, a police car* Ford Interceptor, a 2007 concept car built on a stretched version of the Ford D2C platform* Interceptor 400, a civilian aircraft marque...
and
close air supportIn military tactics, close air support is air action against hostile targets that requires detailed coordination and integration with ground forces. It is typically used to support ground troops, providing firepower at critical points....
roles. The PAF F-6 fighters participated in the Indo-Pak War 1971 against India, scoring approximately 6 confirmed aerial victories. These included one Indian Mig-21, which was believed by many to be a superior aircraft to the F-6 at the time. The three Pakistani J-6 squadrons flew nearly a thousand sorties, during which the PAF lost 3 F-6 to ground fire and one in aerial combat. An F-6 was also lost to friendly fire. One of the F-6 pilots shot down was Wajid Ali Khan, who was taken as a
POWA prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a combatant who is held in continuing custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
and later became a
Member of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a parliament. In many countries the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a unique title, such as senate, and thus also have unique titles for its members, such as senators. Members of...
in
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Vietnam War
After secretly test flying a
Pakistan Air ForcePakistan Air Force is the air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role to provide air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role to provide strategic air transport and logistics...
F-6 in 1965, the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
concluded that the J-6 and MiG-19 were more formidable fighter aircraft than the the more modern and powerful MiG-21 'Fishbed', as well as the older
MiG-17 'Fresco'The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 is a high-subsonic performance jet fighter aircraft produced in the USSR from 1952 and operated by numerous air forces in many variants...
and its Chinese version, the J-5. The supersonic speed advantage provided by the MiG-21's more modern turbojet engine was found to be not as useful in combat as originally thought, because aerial
dogfightA dogfight, or dog fight, is aerial combat between fighter aircraft. Dogfighting first appeared during World War I, shortly after the invention of the airplane, and has since became a component in every major war despite beliefs after World War II that increasingly greater speeds and longer range...
s at the time were conducted almost entirely in the sub-sonic speed regime. The J-6 (and hence the MiG-19 also) was found to be more manoeuvrable than the MiG-21 and, although slower, its acceleration during dogfights was considered adequate. The North Vietnamese Air Force fielded at least one unit of J-6 during the war, the 925th
FighterFighter may refer to:*Warrior, a person habitually engaged in combat*Fighter aircraft, a warplane designed to destroy other warplanes in combat*Starfighter, the science-fiction equivalent of a fighter aircraft...
RegimentA regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. A regiment can be broken into two distinct categories, one being an administrative unit which is responsible for non-operational management of battalions , while the other being a deployable combat...
, beginning in 1969.
Ogaden War
Somalian J-6 participated in the
Ogaden WarThe Ogaden War was a conventional conflict between Somalia and Ethiopia in 1977 and 1978 over the Ogaden region of Ethiopia. In a notable illustration of the nature of Cold War alliances, the Soviet Union switched from supplying aid to Somalia to supporting Ethiopia, which had previously been...
and suffered greatly because the superior opposition faced (Cuban pilots fought for
EthiopiaEthiopia , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Sudan to the west, Kenya to the south, Somalia to the east and Djibouti to the northeast. Its size is 1,100,000 km² with an...
). Over 75% of the Somali Air Force was destroyed in the war but some J-6s and survived until the country turned into turmoil in the early 1990s.
Uganda-Tanzania War
During the
Uganda-Tanzania WarThe Uganda-Tanzania War was fought between Uganda and Tanzania in 1978–1979, and led to the overthrow of Idi Amin's regime. Idi Amin's forces included thousands of troops sent by Muammar al-Gaddafi....
, Tanzanian J-6 was tasked to handle any possible Ugandan fighters which consisted of MiG-15 and MiG-17, while F-7A was tasked to handle more advanced aircraft of Ugandan ally, such as the Libyan
Tupolev Tu-22 'Blinder'The Tupolev Tu-22 was a Soviet supersonic bomber and reconnaissance aircraft.-Development:The Tu-22 was originally intended as a supersonic replacement for the Tupolev Tu-16 bomber. The design, designated Samolët 105 by Tupolev, was drawn in 1954, and the first flight of the prototype took place...
.
Kampuchea-Vietnam War
In the era of
Khmer RougeThe Khmer Rouge was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, the totalitarian ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan....
control of Cambodia, Khmer J-6s participated in Kampuchea-Vietnamese border clashes for ground attacks. During the Vietnamese invasion in 1978, none of the Cambodian aircraft dared to take-off to challenge the invading Vietnamese aircraft. The Vietnamese captured a number of J-6s and put them on public display.
Iran–Iraq War
The J-6's participation in the Iran–Iraq War were mostly ground attack sorties performed by both Iranian and the Iraqi J-6 units.
Afghan War
The
Pakistan Air ForcePakistan Air Force is the air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role to provide air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role to provide strategic air transport and logistics...
used the J-6 in action against its original designers, the Soviet Union, and the jet claimed half a dozen air to air victories.
Variants
- J-6A (J-6IV) - Similar to MiG-19PF, an all-weather radar
Radar is an object detection system that uses electromagnetic waves to identify the range, altitude, direction, or speed of both moving and fixed objects such as aircraft, ships, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The term RADAR was coined in 1941 as an acronym for RAdio Detection And...
-equipped interceptorAn interceptor aircraft is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft, particularly bombers, usually relying on great speed...
with two NR-30 30mm cannonThe Nudelman-Rikhter NR-30 was a Soviet cannon widely used in military aircraft of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact. It was designed by A.E. Nudelman and A.A. Rikhter, entering service in 1954....
. Exported as the F-6A.
- J-6B - Similar to MiG-19PM "Farmer-D", interceptor with two PL-1 (Chinese version of Soviet K-5 (AA-1 'Alkali') beam-riding air-to-air missile
An air-to-air missile is a guided missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying another aircraft. AAMs are typically powered by one or more rocket motors, usually solid fuelled but sometimes liquid fuelled...
s; it is unclear if the J-6B retains its cannon.
- J-6C - Day fighter version with three 30mm cannon
The Nudelman-Rikhter NR-30 was a Soviet cannon widely used in military aircraft of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact. It was designed by A.E. Nudelman and A.A. Rikhter, entering service in 1954....
and braking parachute at the base of the rudderA rudder is a device used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft,or other conveyance that moves through a fluid . On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to counter adverse yaw and p-factor and is not the primary control used to turn the airplane...
- J-6 Xin - Advanced version of the J-6A with radome on the splitter plate (rather than the shock cone centerbody) for Chinese-made radar.
- J-6III - Single-seat day-fighter prototype.
- JJ-6 - Two-seat trainer, stretched 84 cm (33.1 in) to accommodate second seat, armed with one 30 mm cannon. Exported as FT-6.
- JZ-6 - Dedicated reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is a military and medical term denoting exploration conducted to gain information. Militarily, its shorthand Canadian and British form is recce , its American usage form is recon...
version with fuselage camerathumb |right|Cameras from Large to Small, Film to Digital A camera is a device that records images, either as a still photograph or as moving images known as videos or movies...
pack replacing cannon. As of April 2006, it was reported that the PLAAF 3rd Recon Regiment, 26 Air Division based in Nanjing MR, is the last regiment to actively fly the JZ-6 and refused to convert to JZ-8F. http://china-defense.blogspot.com/2006_04_01_china-defense_archive.html
- J-6 Testbed - Ejection seat testbed that succeeded H-5
The Ilyushin Il-28 is a jet bomber aircraft of the immediate post war period that was originally manufactured for the Soviet Air Force. It was the USSR's first such aircraft to enter large-scale production. It was also licence-built in China as the Harbin H-5. Total production in the USSR was 6,316...
ejection seat testbed.
- Nanchang Q-5
The Nanchang Q-5 , also known as the A-5 in its export versions, is a Chinese-built jet ground-attack aircraft based on the Soviet MiG-19. Its main role is close air support.-Design and development:...
- Extensively redesigned attack aircraft based on J-6.
Current Operators
- People's Liberation Army Air Force
The People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China...
- retired J-6 from combat duties at 2005, although they are still used as remote control target drones. A very small number of the twin-seat JJ-6 variant remain in use for pilot training missions, they are in the process of being replaced by the JL-8 trainer.
- People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force
- Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force ' is the aviation branch of the Iranian armed forces.- History :The IRIAF came into being when the former Imperial Iranian Air Force was re-named following the Islamic Revolution in Iran, in February 1979.This "new" Iranian air force largely inherited the...
- operates 18 aircraft
- Myanmar Air Force
The Myanmar Air Force , officially Tatmadaw Lei, informally the Lei tat is the air component of the Myanmar Armed Forces, the Tatmadaw...
- used successfully in ground attack missions
- North Korea Air Force - operates 100 aircraft
Former Operators
- Albanian Air Force
The Albanian Air Force is the national Air Force of the Albanian military. Currently it operates under the Albanian Joint Forces Command and it is regrouped in the Albanian Air Brigade...
- 82 J-6C models, retired as of 2005
- Bangladesh Air Force
The Bangladesh Air Force , is the tactical and strategic air branch of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. It also provides air support for ground troops...
- retired
- Royal Cambodian Air Force
The Royal Cambodian Air Force is the branch of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces which is charged with operating all military aircraft in Cambodia.-Organization:...
- Egyptian Air Force
The Egyptian Air Force, or EAF , is the aviation branch of the Egyptian armed forces. The EAF is headed by an Air Marshal . Currently, the commander of the Egyptian Air Force is Air Marshal Reda Mahmoud Hafez Mohamed...
- replaced by F-16
Iraq
- Iraqi Air Force
The Iraqi Air Force or IQAF is the military branch in Iraq responsible for the policing of international borders, surveillance of national assets and aerial operations...
- retired
- Pakistan Air Force
Pakistan Air Force is the air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role to provide air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role to provide strategic air transport and logistics...
- retired as of 2002, replaced with Chengdu F-7P and F-7PG
- Somali Air Corps
The Somali Air Force is the air force of Somalia. The Somali Aeronautical Corps was the name of the Somali Air Force during the pre-independence period. After 1960, when Somalia gained independence, the name changed to the Somali Air Force...
- Sudanese Air Force
The Sudanese Air Force is the air force operated by the Republic of the Sudan. As such it is part of the Sudanese Armed Forces.-History:...
- used in ground attack missions with limited success
- Vietnam People's Air Force
Vietnamese People's Air Force or Không Quân Nhân Dân Việt Nam is the air force of Vietnam. It was the successor of the North Vietnamese Air Force and absorbed the Republic of Vietnam Air Force following the re-unification of Vietnam in 1975....
- Zimbabwe Air Force - initially piloted by Pakistani pilots
Specifications (J-6)
See also
External links