SH-5
Role	Maritime patrol amphibian/air-sea rescue Type of aircraft
Manufacturer	Harbin Aircraft Factory
First flight	3 April 1976[1]
Introduction	1986
Primary user	People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force
Produced	1984-1985
Number built	7 [2]

The Harbin SH-5 (Chinese: 水轰五型; pinyin: Shuǐhōng wǔxíng; lit. 'water bomb type 5', where "水轰" is short for 水上轰炸机; Shuǐshàng hōngzhàjī; 'seaborne bomber') is a Chinese maritime patrol amphibious aircraft intended for a wide range of duties, including aerial firefighting, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and air-sea rescue (ASR). One prototype and six production aircraft have been built.

Design and development

Research to build a seaplane capable of replacing Beriev Be-6s in service was initiated by the PLANAF in 1968, with designers reassigned from "Objective 3/17", a supersonic canard-wing fighter project. The first prototype flew in 1976; further units were delivered between 1986 and 1990.

Variants

SH-5B Firefighter

One SH-5 was rebuilt for firefighting duties.^[2]

However, by Chinese source,^[3] there were total of 7 SH-5 were produced: 3 SH-5X Prototype, 3 Maritime patrol aircraft, and 1 SH-B Firefighter.

Operators

 People's Republic of China

• People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force received 4 aircraft in 1986.^[2] All are operated by the People's Liberation Army Navy North Sea Fleet from an aircraft base near Qingdao, Shandong province.^[4]

Specifications (SH-5)

Data from Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide,^[5] Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-89^[6]

General characteristics

• Crew: 8
• Capacity: 10,000 kg (22,000 lb) maximum payload (cargo), 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) maximum weapons load
• Length: 38.9 m (127 ft 7 in)
• Wingspan: 36 m (118 ft 1 in)
• Height: 9.79 m (32 ft 1 in)
• Wing area: 144 m² (1,550 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 25,000 kg (55,116 lb) SAR (Search And Rescue) and Transport
  

26,500 kg (58,400 lb) ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare)

• Gross weight: 36,000 kg (79,366 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 45,000 kg (99,208 lb)
• Fuel capacity: 16,500 kg (36,400 lb) max
• Powerplant: 4 × Dongan WJ5A turboprop engines, 2,350 kW (3,150 hp) each
• Propellers: 4-bladed constant speed reversible propellers, 3.8 m (12 ft 6 in) diameter

Performance

• Maximum speed: 560 km/h (350 mph, 300 kn)
• Cruise speed: 450 km/h (280 mph, 243 kn) maximum
• Min Patrol speed: 230 km/h (120 kn; 140 mph)
• Take-off speed (water): 160 km/h (86 kn; 99 mph)
• Landing speed (water): 92 km/h (50 kn; 57 mph)
• Range: 4,756 km (2,955 mi, 2,568 nmi) with maximum fuel
• Endurance: 15 hours on two engines
• Service ceiling: 10,250 m (33,630 ft) service ceiling
• Rate of climb: 9 m/s (1,800 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 250 kg/m² (51 lb/sq ft) at 36,000 kg (79,000 lb)
  

312.5 kg/m² (64 lb/sqft) at 45,000 kg (99,000 lb)

• Power/mass: 0.302 kW/kg (0.184 hp/lb) at 36,000 kg (79,000 lb)
  

0.242 kW/kg (0.147 hp/lb) at 45,000 kg (99,000 lb)

• Take-off run (water): 548 m (1,798 ft)
• Landing run (water): 240 m (790 ft)

Armament

• Hardpoints: 4 with a capacity of 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) of C-101 ASMs, ASW torpedoes, depth charges; mines; bombs

Avionics
Doppler search radar in nose radome; MAD (Magnetic Anomaly Detector) boom extending from the tail of the fuselage