{
  "id": "kj-500",
  "name": "KJ-500",
  "aliases": [
    "Air Warning 500"
  ],
  "domain": "air",
  "country": "CHN",
  "category": "Airborne early warning and control aircraft",
  "status": "in-service",
  "fielded": 2010,
  "operators": [
    "CHN"
  ],
  "prolif_count": 1,
  "summary": "The KJ-500 (Chinese: literally: \"Air Warning 500\") is a third-generation airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft used by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force. It was built by Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation., and is based on the Y-9 airframe.",
  "specs": [
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Manufacturer",
      "section": "system",
      "v": "Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation",
      "src": [
        "weg-kj-500"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "crew",
      "v": 24,
      "src": [
        "weg-kj-500"
      ],
      "conf": "low"
    },
    {
      "k": "length_m",
      "v": 36,
      "src": [
        "weg-kj-500"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "width_m",
      "v": 40,
      "src": [
        "weg-kj-500"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Wingspan"
    },
    {
      "k": "height_m",
      "v": 11.5,
      "src": [
        "weg-kj-500"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "mass_kg",
      "v": 40000,
      "src": [
        "weg-kj-500"
      ],
      "conf": "medium",
      "label": "Empty weight"
    },
    {
      "k": "engine_name",
      "v": "4 x Zhuzhou WoJiang-6C (FWJ-6C)",
      "src": [
        "weg-kj-500"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Thrust / power",
      "section": "mobility",
      "v": "5,100 horsepower each and driving six-bladed propeller units.",
      "src": [
        "weg-kj-500"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "range_km",
      "v": 5700,
      "src": [
        "weg-kj-500"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "speed_kmh",
      "v": 550,
      "src": [
        "weg-kj-500"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "ceiling_m",
      "v": 10500,
      "src": [
        "weg-kj-500"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Battle Management System (BMS)",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "Yes, Coupled with other current Chinese Air Force capabilities, the KJ-500 series platform certainly adds a much-needed modern potent tracking solution for the service.",
      "src": [
        "weg-kj-500"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Radar arrangement",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "The aircraft carries a fixed dorsal radome containing three AESA radar arrays for 360 degree coverage, and is said to be more efficient than the two-planar 'balance beam' array…",
      "src": [
        "weg-kj-500"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    },
    {
      "k": "",
      "label": "Coverage",
      "section": "firecontrol",
      "v": "360 deg",
      "src": [
        "weg-kj-500"
      ],
      "conf": "medium"
    }
  ],
  "payloads": [],
  "variants": [],
  "art": "bomber",
  "image": {
    "file": "kj-500.jpg",
    "thumb": "kj-500-thumb.jpg",
    "credit": "Alert5",
    "license": "CC BY-SA 4.0",
    "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KJ-500_(cropped).jpg",
    "title": "File:KJ-500 (cropped).jpg"
  },
  "verified": null,
  "changelog": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-05",
      "change": "Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-06",
      "change": "Added photo (CC BY-SA 4.0)"
    }
  ],
  "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/kj-500.html",
  "sources": {
    "weg-kj-500": {
      "title": "KJ-500 Chinese Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) Aircraft",
      "publisher": "U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)",
      "url": "https://odin.t2com.army.mil/WEG/Asset/KJ-500_Chinese_Airborne_Early_Warning_and_Control_AEW_C_Aircraft",
      "published": "2026-03-20",
      "tier": 1,
      "checked": "2026-10-10"
    }
  }
}