The People's Liberation Army's new electronic intelligence (ELINT) gathering aircraft, the Y-9JB, is a major upgrade on its predecessors and reflects the emphasis China is placing on electronic reconnaissance capabilities, says the Beijing-based Sina Military Network.
The Y-9JB, also known as the GX-8 — which literally means the "High New 8" — is the ELINT variant of the Shaanxi Y-9 mid-sized transport aircraft. It is said to possess significant advancements over China's first-generation electronic reconnaissance planes, the Y-8DZ or GX-2 and the Y-8G or GX-3.
According to the report, China has been developing electronic warfare aircraft for decades with the aim of improving the PLA's ability to gather and analyze operational and tactical electronic intelligence, and therefore its strategic decision-making.
Read the full story at Want China Times