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 oval/cylindrical shaped EW antennas protrude 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-9PT High New 18
A blurry image first disclosed in December 2025 suggested that a possible gunship variant based on the Y-9 transport (Y-9PT? High New 18?) might have been under developement at SAC. The aircraft features an enlarged nose cone housing a multi-function search radar, an EO turret underneath the nose for all-weather flights, four box shaped ESM/ECM antennas underneath the forward fuselage and the tail, two DIRCM turrets on both sides of the rear fuselage against IR-guided missiles, a SATCOM antenna on top of the rear fuselage. The most powerful weapon carried by Y-9PT is a large caliber cannon with a long barrel inside a moveable (?) round gun turret underneath the mid-fuselage. A second EO turret is located in front of the barrel for targeting purposes. In addition, two pylons are installed under the outer wings for carrying multiple AGMs or loitering munitions. Y-9PT is expected to fly CAS missions similar to American AC-130J.
--Last Updated 5/20/26
Y-9DG High New 19
This new electronic jamming aircraft was first disclosed in June 2026 with the exact designation still unknown (Y-9DG/High New 19?). It appears to bear some resemblences to both Y-9G communication jamming aircraft and KJ-500 AWACS. Y-9DG features Y-9G style large rectangular side-looking ECM antennas on the forward fuselage, KJ-500 style bar shaped ELINT antennas on the rear fuselage, KJ-500 style rotodome on its back containing two or three AESA antennas 120° apart, and Y-9G style plate antennas attached to the vertical tail fin. Additional antennas can be found in the nose cone/tail cone, underneath the chin and forward fuselage, and on top of the vertical tail fin. A new type of turprop engine (WJ-10?) might have been installed to generate adequate electricity for the equipment onboard. Similar to Y-9LG, which adopts the balance beam AESA technology from KJ-200, Y-9DG adopts the rotodome/trangular AESA array technology from KJ-500 for the jamming purpose. Y-9DG is expected to fly long range electronic jamming missions against enemy radar and communication systems. There are also speculations that Y-9DG possesses some degrees of AEW capability (as KJ-900?) but this has not been confirmed.
--Last Updated 6/6/26