{
  "id": "j-7",
  "name": "J-7 (Fishcan)",
  "aliases": [
    "F-7 Fishcan"
  ],
  "domain": "air",
  "country": "CHN",
  "category": "Fighter aircraft",
  "status": null,
  "fielded": 1966,
  "operators": [
    "CHN",
    "EGY",
    "MMR",
    "PRK"
  ],
  "prolif_count": 4,
  "summary": "The Chengdu J-7 (NATO reporting name: Fishcan) is a People's Republic of China license-built version of the Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21. Though production ceased in 2013, it continues to serve, mostly as an interceptor, in several air forces, including the People's Liberation Army Air Force.",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Manufacturer",
      "section": "system",
      "v": "Chengdu Aircraft Corporation/Guizhou Aircraft Industry Corporation",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "crew",
      "v": 1,
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "length_m",
      "v": 14.86,
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "height_m",
      "v": 4.1,
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "width_m",
      "v": 7.15,
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Wingspan"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Wing area",
      "section": "dims",
      "v": "23 sq m",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 5145,
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Empty weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "engine_name",
      "v": "1 x Liyang Wopen 7 turbojet",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "speed_kmh",
      "v": 2175,
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "ceiling_m",
      "v": 18800,
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Rate of climb",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "9,000 m/min",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Radar",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "1 x Skyranger",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Rocket Weapon Systems: rocket weapon system (option)",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "55 mm rocket pod (12 rounds); 90 mm rocket pod (7 rounds)",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Bomb Weapon System: bomb capacity",
      "section": "armament",
      "v": "50 kg to 500 kg unguided bombs",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "armament",
      "v": "2 x Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1; Autocannon; PL-5; PL-8; PL-9",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    }
  ],
  "payloads": [
    {
      "name": "2 x Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1",
      "role": "Autocannon",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "Autocannon",
        "Caliber": "30 mm",
        "Rate of fire": "1,800 rounds/min"
      },
      "range_km": 1.8
    },
    {
      "name": "Autocannon",
      "role": "Weapon",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Caliber": "30 mm"
      },
      "qty": "60 rounds per gun"
    },
    {
      "name": "PL-5",
      "role": "Air-to-Air Missile",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "Air-to-Air Missile",
        "Guidance": "Infrared homing, multi-element, dual band detector(PL-5EII)",
        "Warhead": "6kg blast-frag, or expanding rod (RF-fuse)",
        "Speed": "Mach 2.5",
        "Length": "3.128 m"
      },
      "range_km": [
        1,
        16
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "PL-8",
      "role": "Air-to-Air Missile",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "Air-to-Air Missile",
        "Guidance": "passive infrared homing",
        "Warhead": "11 kg high explosive",
        "Speed": "Mach 3.5",
        "Length": "2.95 m"
      },
      "range_km": 20
    },
    {
      "name": "PL-9",
      "role": "Air-to-Air Missile",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "caps": {
        "Type": "Air-to-Air Missile",
        "Guidance": "multi-element infrared",
        "Warhead": "11.8kg blast-frag, or expanding rod (RF-fuse)",
        "Speed": "Mach 2+",
        "Length": "2.9 m"
      },
      "range_km": 22
    }
  ],
  "variants": [
    {
      "name": "Note",
      "text": "The Following is a list of the J-7 Variants: Type 1962/62 series J-7 series J-7I series J-7II series J/F-7M Air Guard series F-7MP/P Sky Bolt series J-7III series F-7C series J-7E series J/F-7F series MiG-21 upgrade subcontract J/F-7MG series J/F-7PG series…",
      "src": [
        "weg-j-7"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "art": "fighter",
  "image": {
    "file": "j-7.jpg",
    "thumb": "j-7-thumb.jpg",
    "credit": "Shadman Samee from Dhaka, Bangladesh",
    "license": "CC BY-SA 2.0",
    "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2716_Bangladesh_Air_Force_F-7BGI._(45012006595).jpg",
    "title": "File:2716 Bangladesh Air Force F-7BGI. (45012006595).jpg"
  },
  "verified": null,
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-10",
      "change": "Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN), bulk import"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-10",
      "change": "Added photo (CC BY-SA 2.0)"
    }
  ],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/j-7.html",
  "sources": {
    "weg-j-7": {
      "title": "J-7 (Fishcan) Chinese Fighter Aircraft",
      "publisher": "U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)",
      "url": "https://odin.t2com.army.mil/WEG/Asset/J-7_Fishcan_Chinese_Fighter_Aircraft",
      "published": "2026-03-20",
      "tier": 1,
      "checked": "2026-10-10"
    }
  }
}