항공무장 근접사진이 공개된 PL-17 장거리 AAM

[위종민]

어딘가의 무역 박람회나 전시회로 보이는 곳에서 촬영된 PL-17의 사진이 공개됐네요. 크긴 큽니다.. 길이가 대략 20피트 정도로 보인다고 하네요. J-20 내부 폭탄창에는 못 들어갈 것 같네요. 

중국의 대형 PL-17 공대공 미사일이 근접 사진으로 포착됐다
전시회에 전시된 약 20피트 길이의 무기 모형을 보여주는 것으로 보이는 사진이 공개됐다.
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중국 인민해방군 공군(PLAAF) 무기고에서 가장 수수께끼 같은 무기 가운데 하나인 PL-17 초장거리 공대공 미사일이, 처음으로 근접 거리에서 공개된 것으로 보인다.

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중국 인민해방군 공군(PLAAF) 무기고에서 가장 수수께끼 같은 무기 가운데 하나인 PL-17 초장거리 공대공 미사일이, 처음으로 근접 거리에서 공개된 것으로 보인다. 이 미사일은 비교적 오랜 기간 존재해 왔지만, 이에 대한 공식적인 세부 사항은 거의 공개되지 않았다. 한편, 이 미사일과 기타 중국 공대공 미사일들이 제기하는 위협은 미국에서 무기 개발의 급증을 촉발했다.

이와 같은 이미지에서 흔히 그렇듯이, PL-17의 사진은 진짜처럼 보이지만 이를 확신할 수는 없다. 이미지의 날짜와 촬영 장소 역시 불분명하지만, 무역 박람회나 전시회에서 전시대 위에 놓인 PL-17(보다 정확히는 실물 크기 모형)을 보여준다. 한 남성이 얼굴이 가려진 채 미사일 앞에 서 있고, 무기 뒤쪽에는 J-20 스텔스 전투기를 홍보하는 패널이 있다.

우리는 수년에 걸쳐 중국에서 새로운 군용 항공기 설계와 무장과 관련된 ‘유출’에 익숙해져 왔다. PL-17이 거의 10년 전 흐릿한 사진으로 처음 공개되었다는 점을 고려하면, 이 시점에서 전시회에 등장한 것이 전혀 놀라운 일만은 아닐 수 있다.

PLAAF는 PL-17의 공식 이미지를 공개한 바 있으며(다만 미사일이 상당히 먼 거리에서 촬영되어 세부 사항은 거의 보이지 않는다), 아래에 보이는 2023년에 공개된 PLAAF 사진은 이 미사일이 J-16 플랭커에 탑재되어 실전 운용 중이거나 그에 근접해 있다는 확인으로 받아들여졌다.

PLAAF 이미지에는 다양한 공대공 미사일 구성으로 편대 비행 중인 J-16 네 대가 등장한다. 해당 전투기 가운데 두 대는 PL-10 네 발, PL-12 한 발, PL-15 네 발, 그리고 대형 PL-17 한 발을 탑재하고 있다. 이 무장 구성은 단거리에서 초장거리에 이르는 교전 범위를 포괄하며, PL-17은 전례 없는 사거리를 제공한다. PLAAF

이 미사일이 2016년에 처음 공개되었을 때 서방에서는 PL-XX로 불렸으며, 이후 PL-20이라는 명칭이 제안되었지만, 최소한 이번 새 사진을 기준으로 PL-17이라는 명칭이 확인됐다. 이 미사일이 실전 배치에 들어갔을 때 서방 식별명 CH-AA-12 ‘어거(Auger)’를 부여받았다는 보고도 있다.

처음부터 PL-17은 약 20피트에 달하는 거대한 크기를 근거로 초장거리 공대공 미사일로 간주돼 왔다. 이 정도 사거리를 가진 미사일의 주요 표적은 공중급유기나 공중조기경보기를 포함한 고가치 대형 자산일 가능성이 크다.

이 2016년 이미지는 PL-17을 처음으로 확인할 수 있게 해준 자료였다. 중국 인터넷

또 다른 2016년 이미지는 PL-17을 더 자세히 보여준다. 중국 인터넷

세부적으로 보면, PL-17은 이중 펄스 로켓 모터를 특징으로 하며, 조종은 비교적 작은 네 개의 꼬리날개와 추력 편향 노즐을 통해 이루어진다. 이 미사일의 사거리는 약 250마일로 보고되고 있으나, 이는 수많은 요인에 따라 달라지며 실제 사거리는 교전 상황에 따라 크게 변할 수 있다. 최고 속도는 최소 마하 4에 달하는 것으로 여겨진다.

유도는 양방향 데이터 링크와 능동전자주사배열(AESA) 탐색기를 결합해 이루어지는 것으로 보이며, 이 탐색기는 전자전 대응 수단에 매우 강한 저항성을 지닌 것으로 알려져 있다. 주 탐색기를 보완하기 위한 수동형 대레이더 탐색기가 탑재됐다는 보고도 있다. 이는 공중조기경보 및 지상 이동 표적 지시(GMTI) 레이더 항공기를 상대로 특히 유용할 수 있다.

그러나 사거리 측면에서 PL-17의 잠재력을 최대한 활용하려면, 교전에는 우군 공중조기경보기를 포함한 원거리 지원 자산(중국이 대규모로 투자해 온 능력), 표적에 더 가까운 다른 항공기, 지상 및 해상 기반 레이더, 혹은 위성으로부터 제공되는 표적 정보가 필요할 가능성이 크다.

과거에는 미사일 노즈 측면에 광학 창이 있어 추가적인 적외선 탐색기를 의미할 수 있다는 추측도 있었지만, 이번 실물 크기 모형에서는 그러한 흔적이 보이지 않는다.

현재까지 PL-17이 탑재된 모습이 확인된 기체는 J-16뿐이지만, J-20에도 외부 장착용으로 개조될 것이라는 가정이 있어 왔다.

외부 무장을 8발 장착한 J-20으로, 이 경우에는 PL-17이 아니다. 중국 인터넷

확실히 이 미사일은 J-10 계열이나 심지어 J-35에 무장을 제공하기에는 너무 커 보이며, 이는 수출 가능성에 대한 큰 의문을 제기하는 요소로 보인다. 반면, 이 미사일은 향후 중국의 전투 항공기, 특히 광범위한 내부 무장 적재 능력을 갖춘 J-36 6세대 전투기를 위한 무장으로 구상됐을 가능성도 있다.

어찌 되었든, PL-17의 존재와 다른 중국의 첨단 공대공 미사일 개발은 미국 군에게 매우 심각한 문제로 부상했다. 중국이 서방과의 ‘미사일 격차’를 줄이고 있다는 우려는, 여전히 고도의 기밀에 부쳐진 AIM-260 합동 첨단 전술 미사일을 비롯한 장거리 공대공 미사일 개발을 촉진해 왔다.

지난해 미 해군은 AIM-174B라는 제식명 하에, 적어도 제한적인 범위에서 표준 미사일-6(SM-6)의 공중 발사형을 도입했다. 이 무기의 사거리는 기밀이지만, 대형 표적에 대해서는 AIM-120D 개량형 중거리 공대공 미사일(AMRAAM)의 사거리를 훨씬 초과하며, 아마도 최소 두 배, 어쩌면 세 배에 이를 것으로 보인다. 이는 수백 마일에 달하는 거리에서 일부 유형의 공중 표적을 타격할 수 있는 능력을 의미한다.

해군의 새로운 초장거리 AIM-174가 어떻게 중국의 반접근 거부 거품을 관통할 것인가

현재로서는 PL-17의 완전한 성능과 기술적 특징에 대해 많은 의문이 남아 있다. 그러나 이번 새 사진이 진짜라면, 베이징이 이 대형 미사일의 일부 측면을 더 넓은 대중에게 공개할 의지가 있음을 확인해 주는 셈이다. 이런 점을 고려하면, 우리는 조만간 이 무기에 대해 더 많은 것을 알게 될지도 모른다.

저자 연락처: [thomas@thewarzone.com](mailto:thomas@thewarzone.com)

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토머스는 군사 항공우주 분야와 분쟁을 20년 넘게 취재해 온 국방 전문 작가이자 편집자다. 그는 여러 권의 책을 집필했고 더 많은 책을 편집했으며, 세계 주요 항공 출판물 다수에 기고해 왔다. 2020년 더 워존(The War Zone)에 합류하기 전에는 에어포시스 먼슬리(AirForces Monthly)의 편집장을 지냈다.

China’s Massive PL-17 Air-To-Air Missile Seen Up Close

China’s Massive PL-17 Air-To-Air Missile Seen Up Close

China’s Massive PL-17 Air-To-Air Missile Seen Up Close

A photo has surfaced that appears to show a mock-up of the roughly 20-foot-long weapon on display at an exhibition.

Thomas Newdick

Published Jan 27, 2026 7:15 PM EST

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One of the most enigmatic weapons in the arsenal of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), the PL-17 very long-range air-to-air missile, appears to have been shown for the first time at close quarters. The missile has been around for a relatively long time, but next to no official details about it have been released. Meanwhile, the threat that it and other Chinese air-to-air missiles pose has triggered a flurry of weapons development in the United States.

As is often the case with such images, we must note that the photo of the PL-17 appears authentic, but we cannot be certain of that. The date and location of the image are also unclear, but it shows a PL-17 (more accurately, a full-size mock-up of one) on a display stand at a tradeshow or exhibition. A man poses in front of the missile, face censored, while behind the weapon is a board promoting the J-20 stealth fighter.

We have become accustomed to ‘leaks’ out of China over many years when it comes to new military aircraft designs and their weaponry. Combined with the fact that the PL-17 was first publicly revealed in a blurry photo close to 10 years ago, its appearance at a tradeshow at this point might not be entirely surprising.

For its part, the PLAAF has published official imagery of the PL-17 (albeit showing the missile at a considerable distance, with no real detail visible). The release of the PLAAF photo, seen below, in 2023, was taken as confirmation that the missile was in operational service, or close to it, arming the J-16 Flanker.

The PLAAF image showing a formation of four J-16s with varying configurations of air-to-air missiles. Two of the fighters in question carry four PL-10s, one PL-12, four PL-15s, and one big PL-17. This loadout spans short to very long-range engagement envelopes, with the PL-17 providing unprecedented reach. PLAAF

When the missile first appeared in public, in 2016, it was dubbed PL-XX in the West; subsequently, the PL-20 designation was suggested, but PL-17 is now confirmed, at least based on the new photo. There are reports that the missile received the Western reporting name CH-AA-12 Auger when it entered service.

From the start, the PL-17 was considered to be a very long-range AAM, based on its prodigious size, roughly 20 feet long. For a missile with this reach, key targets are likely high-value, larger assets, including tankers and airborne early warning aircraft.

This 2016 image provided our first look at the PL-17. Chinese internet

Another 2016 image shows the PL-17 in more detail. Chinese internet

In detail, the PL-17 features a dual-pulse rocket motor, while control is provided by four relatively small tail fins and a thrust-vectoring nozzle. Reportedly, the missile has a range of around 250 miles, although that number is dependent on a huge array of factors, and actual range can vary dramatically based on the engagement circumstances. It is thought to have a top speed of at least Mach 4.

Guidance is thought to be achieved through a combination of a two-way datalink and an active electronically scanned array (AESA) seeker, which is said to be highly resistant to electronic countermeasures. There are also reports of a passive anti-radiation seeker to supplement the main seeker. This could be especially useful against airborne early warning and ground moving target indicator (GMTI) radar aircraft.

However, using the PL-17 to its full potential, in terms of range, engagements would likely involve targeting data provided by standoff assets, such as friendly airborne early warning aircraft (a capability set that China has invested heavily into), other aircraft closer to the target, ground and surface-based radar, or even satellites.

In the past, there had been speculation about a possible optical window on the side of the nose of the missile that could indicate an additional infrared seeker, although there is no sign of that in the full-size mock-up version.

So far, the PL-17 has only been seen carried by the J-16, although there has been an assumption that it would be adapted for external carriage on the J-20, too.

A J-20 with eight external missiles, not, in this case, PL-17s. Chinese internet

Certainly, it seems too large to be used to arm the J-10 series or even the J-35, which would seem to raise a big question about its potential export prospects. On the other hand, the missile may well be envisaged as armament for forthcoming Chinese combat aircraft, most notably the J-36 sixth-generation jet, which features extensive internal weapons capacity.

Regardless, the existence of the PL-17, along with other advanced Chinese air-to-air missile developments, has become a very serious issue for the U.S. military. Concerns about China eroding the ‘missile gap’ with the West have driven work on the still highly classified AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile, among other long-range air-to-air missile initiatives.

Last year, the U.S. Navy introduced, at least on a limited scale, an air-launched version of the Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) under the AIM-174B designation. The range of this weapon is classified but should be far in excess of that of the AIM-120D Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), probably at least double and perhaps even triple the range, against large targets. This would imply an ability to hit some types of aerial targets over multiple hundreds of miles.

How The Navy's New Very Long-Range AIM-174 Will Pierce China’s Anti-Access Bubble

For now, many questions remain about the full capabilities and technical features of the PL-17. Should the new photo be genuine, however, it would confirm‎ that Beijing is willing to expose at least some aspects of the big missile to a broader audience. With that in mind, we might well learn more about this weapon soon.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

Thomas NewdickStaff Writer

Thomas is a defense writer and editor with over 20 years of experience covering military aerospace topics and conflicts. He’s written a number of books, edited many more, and has contributed to many of the world’s leading aviation publications. Before joining The War Zone in 2020, he was the editor of AirForces Monthly.

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물량이 중요할 텐데 AIM-174가 PL-17 물량을 따라갈 수 있을 정도로 생산될 수 있을지...