PL-17 Very Long-Range AAM

The PL-17 is an active radar-guided, very long-range air-to-air missile developed by China to target high-value airborne assets. It is designed to engage support aircraft such as AWACS, aerial refuelers, and electronic warfare platforms at extreme distances, neutralizing key enablers of adversary air operations.

Development of the PL-17 began in the 2010s as part of China's effort to counter Western aerial superiority by targeting force-multiplying support aircraft. The missile was first observed in 2016 carried by a Shenyang J-16 fighter during flight trials. It represents a critical element of the PLA's anti-access/area-denial (A2AD) doctrine, designed to push adversary support assets further away from Chinese airspace. While officially in development and evaluation, reports indicate it has entered low-rate initial production and operational testing with the PLAAF.