ThePL-17 (NATO reporting name:CH-AA-12Auger[1]) orPL-20 is anactive radar-guidedbeyond-visual-rangeair-to-air missile developed by thePeople's Republic of China for thePeople's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). The missile has claimed range more than 400 km (250 mi) and is intended to target high value airborne assets (HVAA) such astanker andearly warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft.[2][3][4]
The missile was tested on aShenyang J-16 fighter in 2016,[5] and can also be deployed on Chinese importedSu-30MKK andSu-35 fighters.[6] It's understood that PL-17 is a separate development from the ramjet-poweredPL-21 (PL-XX).[3][7] In October 2022, Chinese state media reported that the PL-17 entered PLAAF service.[8]
PL-17 is much larger than other long-range air-to-air missiles, at 6 m (20 ft) long (whereasPL-15,AIM-120 are measured around 4 m (13 ft) long), which contains more solid fuel. The extended length makes the missile unfit for the internal weapons bay of theChengdu J-20. During the flight, PL-17 would rely on inertial guidance, satellite navigation, and data-link to track targets. During the terminal phase, the missile would turn on its multimode seeker with both active AESA radar, passive sensors,[2] and IR-homing to track the target autonomously. The missile features a low-drag profile, and maneuverability is provided by four small control fins and thrust-vectoring engines.[9] The missile is powered by a dual pulse rocket motor and flies in lofted launch trajectory[2] to achieve the reported range between 300–500 km (190–310 mi) by various media, or 400 km (250 mi) class byRoyal United Services Institute[9] with a top speed in excess of Mach 4.[7][8]
