Key Characteristics and Capabilities:
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Guidance System: It employs an advanced GPS/INS (Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System) guidance kit, integrated with China’s BeiDou satellite navigation system for enhanced accuracy, reliability, and resistance to jamming. This provides all-weather, day-and-night capability to strike fixed coordinates. It is highly likely that it can also accommodate a semi-active laser (SAL) or imaging infrared (IIR) seeker for terminal guidance to engage moving targets or for exceptional point accuracy.
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Warhead: It is a guidance kit attached to a standard 500 kg (1,100 lb) high-explosive general-purpose bomb warhead (comparable to the US Mk-84). This warhead size delivers devastating effects, capable of obliterating hardened aircraft shelters (HAS), command and control centers, bridges, industrial complexes, and port facilities.
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Range Extension (The Defining Feature): The FT-2’s most critical attribute is its large, long-span glide wings. These wings generate immense lift, allowing the bomb to glide for extremely long distances after release.
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Reported Range: When released from high altitude and high speed, its effective range is publicly stated to be approximately 90 kilometers (56 miles), with some analyses suggesting it can potentially exceed this under optimal conditions. This stand-off range is its core tactical advantage.
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Launch Platform: Due to its considerable size and weight, it is typically carried by larger aircraft with heavy payload capacity:
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Xian H-6K/J/N Bomber: The primary platform. The H-6K can carry multiple FT-2s, transforming it into a potent long-range stand-off bomber.
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Shenyang J-16: A heavy multirole fighter capable of carrying one or two of these weapons for strategic missions.
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Xian JH-7/A Flying Leopard: A dedicated fighter-bomber, though its payload capacity for multiple FT-2s would be more limited.
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Comparison with Similar Weapons:
The FT-2 is the heavy hitter in the FT family, designed for maximum destructive power at long range.
| Feature | Chinese FT-2 | Chinese FT-12 | US GBU-31 JDAM (2000lb) | US AGM-154C JSOW (Unitary) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Glide Bomb (Guidance Kit) | Glide Bomb (Guidance Kit) | Glide Bomb (Guidance Kit) | Glide Weapon (Standalone) |
| Warhead | 500 kg (1,100 lb) | 500 kg (1,100 lb) | ~900 kg (2,000 lb) | ~250 kg (550 lb) BROACH |
| Guidance | GPS/INS (BeiDou) | GPS/INS (BeiDou) | GPS/INS | GPS/INS + IIR |
| Key Feature | Publicly Stated 90km Range | Likely Similar/Newer | Massive Blast/Penetration | Stealthy, Very Long Range |
| Range | ~90 km | Estimated 80-100+ km | ~15 km | ~130 km |
| Role | Strategic Stand-Off Strike | Strategic Stand-Off Strike | Close-in Strategic Strike | Long-Range, Precision Strike |
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vs. the FT-12: The nomenclature can be confusing. The FT-2 is the version with a publicly disclosed range of 90km. The FT-12 is very likely a direct competitor, a newer variant, or a version from a different manufacturer with similar or enhanced capabilities. They occupy the same strategic niche.
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vs. a 2000lb JDAM: The FT-2 has a slightly smaller warhead but a dramatically longer published glide range. A basic JDAM kit has minimal glide capability. The US equivalent would be a JDAM-ER (Extended Range) with a 2000lb warhead and a wing kit. The FT-2 is explicitly designed for this long-range mission.
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vs. the JSOW: The US JSOW-C is a more sophisticated, stealthy glide vehicle with a specialized penetrating warhead (BROACH), but its warhead is less than half the size of the FT-2’s. The FT-2 prioritizes massive destructive power over stealth.
Strategic Significance:
The FT-2 is significant because it:
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Enables Strategic Bombing from Stand-Off Ranges: It allows PLAAF bombers and heavy fighters to conduct strategic strikes against critical assets (e.g., airfields, naval bases, infrastructure) without entering the engagement envelope of modern integrated air defense systems (IADS).
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Supercharges the H-6 Bomber Fleet: It is a key weapon that modernizes the legacy H-6 bomber, allowing it to perform a critical mission in modern warfare as a “stand-off arsenal plane” that can launch a salvo of these powerful, precise weapons from a safe distance.
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Is a Pillar of A2/AD Doctrine: The FT-2’s long range directly supports China’s Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) strategy by providing a means to threaten fixed bases and facilities throughout the first island chain and beyond, complicating adversary force projection.
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Offers a Cost-Effective Strategic Option: It provides a more flexible and sustainable alternative to using expensive ballistic or cruise missiles for sustained campaigns against an adversary’s fixed infrastructure.
In summary, the FT-2 is a publicly disclosed, long-range (90km), 500 kg precision glide bomb kit designed to provide a heavy strategic stand-off strike capability. It is a cornerstone of the PLAAF’s evolving strategic bombing doctrine, significantly enhancing China’s ability to project power and deter intervention by holding high-value fixed targets at risk from very long distances.
