The FT-12 (Fei Teng , meaning “Soar” or “SkyRocket”) is a Chinese precision-guided glide bomb kit. It is characterized by its very large 500 kg (1,100 lb) warhead and its emphasis on extended glide range. It is designed to convert standard high-drag, unguided bombs into highly accurate, long-range stand-off weapons capable of destroying the most hardened targets.
Key Characteristics and Capabilities:
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Guidance System: It is equipped with a GPS/INS (Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System) guidance kit, almost certainly leveraging China’s BeiDou satellite navigation system for enhanced accuracy and jamming resistance. This provides all-weather, day-and-night capability to strike fixed coordinates with high accuracy. More advanced variants likely incorporate options for terminal guidance seekers, such as semi-active laser (SAL) or imaging infrared (IIR).
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Warhead: It is a guidance kit attached to a standard 500 kg (1,100 lb) general-purpose bomb warhead (similar to the US Mk-84). This is a powerful warhead size capable of destroying hardened targets like command centers, reinforced bunkers, hangars, industrial facilities, and port infrastructure.
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Range Extension (The Key Feature): The FT-12’s most critical attribute is its large, long-span glide wings. These wings generate significant lift, allowing the bomb to glide for very long distances after release.
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Reported Range: While exact figures are classified, its range is estimated to be well over 80 kilometers (50 miles), with some sources suggesting it can approach or exceed 100 km (62 miles) when released from high altitude and high speed. This range is its primary tactical advantage.
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Launch Platform: Due to its large size and weight, it is typically carried by larger fighter-bombers, heavy fighters, and bombers in the PLAAF and PLANAF inventory, such as the:
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Xian H-6K/J/N Bomber: The primary platform, capable of carrying multiple FT-12s to hold distant targets at risk.
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Shenyang J-16: A heavy multirole fighter capable of carrying a significant payload.
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Xian JH-7/A Flying Leopard: A dedicated long-range fighter-bomber.
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Comparison with Similar Weapons:
The FT-12 sits at the heavy end of the glide bomb spectrum, balancing massive destructive power with significant stand-off range.
| Feature | Chinese FT-12 | US GBU-31 JDAM (2000lb) | Chinese FT-6 (250kg) | US AGM-154 JSOW (BLU-111) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Glide Bomb (Guidance Kit) | Glide Bomb (Guidance Kit) | Glide Bomb (Guidance Kit) | Glide Weapon (Standalone) |
| Warhead | 500 kg (1,100 lb) | ~900 kg (2,000 lb) | 250 kg (550 lb) | ~250 kg (550 lb) |
| Guidance | GPS/INS (BeiDou) | GPS/INS | GPS/INS | GPS/INS + IIR |
| Key Feature | Heavy Warhead + Long Range | Massive Penetration/Blast | Long Range | Stealthy, Long-Range Glide |
| Range | Very Long (80-100+ km) | Medium (~15 km) | Long (60-90 km) | Very Long (110+ km) |
| Role | Strategic Strike vs. Hardened Targets | Hardened Target/Area Destruction | Long-Range Strike | Stand-Off Dispenser/Strike |
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vs. a 2000lb JDAM: The FT-12 has a slightly smaller warhead but a dramatically longer glide range. A basic JDAM kit has minimal glide capability. The US equivalent would be the JDAM-ER (Extended Range) with a wing kit, or the GBU-31v3/B JDAM with a penetrating warhead, though the FT-12’s range is a key marketing and tactical point.
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vs. the FT-6: The difference is in warhead size and destructive effect. The FT-6 (250kg) is for tactical targets. The FT-12 (500kg) is for strategic-level targets—it is designed to ensure the complete destruction of the most hardened infrastructure from a safe distance.
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vs. the JSOW: The JSOW is a more sophisticated, stealthy glide weapon that can also function as a submunitions dispenser. The FT-12 is less complex but delivers a much larger unitary warhead. They represent different design philosophies for long-range strike.
Strategic Significance:
The FT-12 is significant because it:
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Provides Strategic Stand-Off Capability: It allows Chinese aircraft (especially the H-6 bomber fleet) to deliver a devastating 500kg warhead against high-value, strategic, and well-defended targets (like hardened airfields, command bunkers, and key infrastructure) from outside the range of many advanced air defense systems.
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Is a Key A2/AD Asset: The long range of weapons like the FT-12 is a cornerstone of China’s Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) strategy. It allows China to threaten fixed bases and facilities far from its shores, complicating an adversary’s ability to project power into the region.
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Modernizes the Bomber Fleet: It transforms the H-6 bomber, a design based on the 1950s-era Soviet Tu-16, into a highly relevant modern “stand-off missile truck” capable of launching a volley of precise, heavy bombs from a safe distance.
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Complements Ballistic and Cruise Missiles: It provides a more flexible and potentially more cost-effective option for sustained aerial bombing campaigns after initial strikes by more expensive ballistic missiles have degraded enemy defenses.
In summary, the FT-12 is a long-range, 500 kg precision glide bomb kit designed to provide a heavy strategic stand-off strike capability. It is a key asset for the PLAAF, enabling it to hold critical, hardened fixed targets at risk from very long distances, significantly enhancing China’s power projection and strategic deterrence.
