{
  "id": "j-16",
  "name": "J-16",
  "aliases": [],
  "domain": "air",
  "country": "CHN",
  "category": "Multirole strike fighter",
  "status": "in-service",
  "fielded": 2013,
  "operators": [
    "CHN"
  ],
  "prolif_count": 2,
  "summary": "The J-16 is a twin-engine, twin-seat multi-role fighter jet that is also capable of air-to-air combat.",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Manufacturer",
      "section": "system",
      "v": "Shenyang Aircraft Corporation",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "crew",
      "v": 2,
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Hardpoints",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Munitions on twelve external hardpoints",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "length_m",
      "v": 21.9,
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "width_m",
      "v": 14.7,
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Wingspan"
    },
    {
      "k": "height_m",
      "v": 6.36,
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Wing area",
      "section": "dims",
      "v": "62.04 m2",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 17700,
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Empty weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 26000,
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Gross weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 35000,
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Max takeoff weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "engine_name",
      "v": "2 × Shenyang WS-10B afterburning turbofans",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Thrust / power",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "96 kN (22,000 lbf) thrust each dry, 145 kN (33,000 lbf) with afterburner",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "speed_mach",
      "v": 2.4,
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "range_km",
      "v": 3000,
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Combat range",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "1,500 km",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Ferry range",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "4,500 km",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "ceiling_m",
      "v": 20000,
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Rate of climb",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "325 m/s",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Heat Signature Reduction",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "Yes",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "EW countermeasures",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "Electronic countermeasure (ECM) pods",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Chaff / flares",
      "section": "protection",
      "v": "Yes",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Bomb Weapon Systems",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "Various bombs and rockets including BeiDou satellite-guided bombs and laser-guided bombs",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "armament",
      "v": "Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1; PL-12; PL-9",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    }
  ],
  "payloads": [
    {
      "name": "Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1",
      "role": "Autocannon",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "Autocannon",
        "Caliber": "30mm",
        "Rate of fire": "1,800 rounds/min"
      },
      "range_km": 1.8,
      "qty": "150 Rounds"
    },
    {
      "name": "PL-12",
      "role": "Air-to-Air Missile",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "Air-to-Air Missile",
        "Guidance": "Active radar"
      },
      "range_km": [
        70,
        100
      ],
      "qty": "8 x PL-12 Air-to-Air Missiles"
    },
    {
      "name": "PL-9",
      "role": "Air-to-Air Missile",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "Air-to-Air Missile",
        "Guidance": "multi-element infrared"
      },
      "range_km": 22,
      "qty": "4 x PL-9 Air-to-Air Missiles"
    }
  ],
  "variants": [
    {
      "name": "J-16",
      "text": "Strike variant.",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "J-16D",
      "text": "Electronic warfare variant. Equipped with wingtip electronic warfare pods, and no IRST or 30 mm cannon. It reportedly made its first flight in December 2015.",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-16"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "art": "fighter",
  "image": {
    "file": "j-16.jpg",
    "thumb": "j-16-thumb.jpg",
    "credit": "N509FZ",
    "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
    "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:J-16_at_CCAS2023_(20230724102737).jpg",
    "title": "File:J-16 at CCAS2023 (20230724102737).jpg"
  },
  "verified": null,
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-05",
      "change": "Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-05",
      "change": "Editorial correction: J-16 is not exported and is not a low-observable design"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-06",
      "change": "Added photo (CC BY-SA 4.0)"
    }
  ],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/j-16.html",
  "sources": {
    "weg-j-16": {
      "title": "J-16 Chinese Multirole Strike Fighter Aircraft",
      "publisher": "U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)",
      "url": "https://odin.t2com.army.mil/WEG/Asset/J-16_Chinese_Multirole_Strike_Fighter_Aircraft",
      "published": "2026-03-20",
      "tier": 1,
      "checked": "2026-10-10"
    }
  }
}