The PL-7 () is the PRC version of the French Magic R.550 short-range air-to-air missile. It is a short-range,

Infrared homing Infrared homing is a Missile guidance#Passive homing, passive weapon guidance system which uses the infrared (IR) light emission from a target to track and follow it seamlessly. Missiles which use infrared seeking are often referred to as "he ...

missile used by Chinese fighters. It was designed by Wu Shendao, and produced at the Factory 331 (Zhuzhou Aeroengine factory) (中国株洲航空发动机厂).

Specifications

* Length - 2.74 m * Diameter - 157 mm * Wingspan - 0.66 m * Weight - 89 kg * Warhead - 12.5 kg * Speed - Mach 2.5 * Range - 0.5 to 14 km * Guidance -

Operational history

During the late 1998–2001 Zimbabwean intervention in the

Second Congo War The Second Congo War, also known as Africa's World War or the Great War of Africa, was a major conflict that began on 2 August 1998, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, just over a year after the First Congo War. The war initially erupted ...

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s were reportedly modified to be armed with PL-7s for air interception missions in support of Zimbabwean and

Laurent Kabila Laurent may refer to: *Laurent (name), a French masculine given name and a surname **Saint Laurence (aka: Saint ''Laurent''), the martyr Laurent **Pierre Alphonse Laurent, mathematician **Joseph Jean Pierre Laurent, amateur astronomer, discoverer ...

's government forces.

Operator

; *

Bangladesh Air Force The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) () is the aerial warfare branch of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The air force is primarily responsible for air defence of Bangladesh's sovereign territory as well as providing air support to the Bangladesh Army a ...

; *

People's Liberation Army Air Force The People's Liberation Army Air Force, also referred to as the Chinese Air Force () or the People's Air Force (), is the primary aerial warfare service of the People's Liberation Army. The PLAAF controls most of the PLA's air assets, includi ...

; * Iranian Air Force

References

External links

*https://web.archive.org/web/20060510171721/http://www.sinodefence.com/airforce/weapon/pl7.asp Air-to-air missiles of the People's Republic of China Cold War weapons of China Short range air-to-air missiles {{Missile-stub