La fiche Ce qu’est ce système, d’où il vient, qui le met en œuvre et pour quels modules de Vigil il est pertinent — avec les éléments sur lesquels repose chacun de ces points.
Fiche
Pertinence pour les conflits
Ceci est la fiche unique du catalogue pour ce système. Il est pertinent pour le module ci-dessous ; le Force Atlas de chaque module montre comment il y est employé.
Rôle sur le champ de bataille
Strategic airlift and, in the tanker variant, aerial refuelling — the enabling capability that determines how far and how long other aircraft can operate.
Points forts
Indigenous production of large aircraft addresses a long-standing PLA weakness, and the tanker variant directly extends the reach of the combat fleet.
Limites
Fleet size and engine production have historically been constraints, and support-fleet capacity remains a limiting factor on sustained operations at distance. No inventory or basing detail is published here.
Pertinence pour les campagnes
Dérivé : une organisation participant à ces campagnes porte une association d’équipement typée avec ce système. Ce n’est pas la même chose qu’un emploi documenté du système dans la campagne elle-même.
- Une pression soutenue sous le seuil En intensification depuis 2020
via PLA Air Force (Documented, moderate confidence)
Identification visuelle
A large four-engine high-wing transport with a T-tail and a notably wide fuselage — superficially similar to Western strategic transports and most reliably identified by its size relative to escorts. The tanker derivative carries hose-and-drogue pods under the outer wings, which is the only external difference visible in most photographs.
Emploi documenté dans les conflits
In service since the mid-2010s and reported by Taiwan's defence ministry in activity around the island, including the tanker derivative: on 25 May 2026 Taiwan identified an aerial refueller operating with fighters and an airborne early-warning aircraft. The tanker's appearance is the analytically significant part — refuelling capacity is the constraint on sustained activity east of Taiwan, and its presence in a detection report says more than the transport role does. These are Taiwanese detections published by Taiwan and are read on those terms.
Opérateurs par composante et par service
- PLA Air Force Documenté
Évalué au — 2026-09 Dernière revue — 2026-09-09