Y-9GR High New 17
An image first disclosed in April 2025 suggested that a new electronic jamming aircraft (Y-9GR/High New 17?) was being developed by SAC. It features a stretched nose cone housing a large EW antenna. Two additional cylindrical shaped EW antennas are extended outward from both sides of the lower fuselage near the nose landing gear. All three antennas are thought to be part of a new long-range standoff electronic jamming (SOJ) system. The rear fuselage appears similar to that of Y-9Z, equipped with various ELINT, ESM and SATCOM antennas. Y-9GR is expected to replace the old Y-8G.
Y-9EW High New 18
A recent image (December 2025) suggested that a new EW variant of Y-9 (Y-9EW, High New 18?) might have been under developement at SAC. The aircraft features an enlarged nose cone, small fairings underneath the forward fuselage, a bigger round fairing underneath the mid-fuselage, two small fairings on both sides of the rear fuselage, two small EW pods (?) being carried under the outer wings. However the main cargo door appears to have been retained. The exact purpose of Y-9EW is still unknown.