The TL-6 () is an anti-ship missile developed by Hongdu Aviation Industry Group. The missile was marketed via China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC) as FL-9 ().
Development During the Falkland War, the Royal Air Force (RAF) used Westland Lynx to launch Sea Skua anti-ship missiles against Argentinian patrol boats. Helicopter-based anti-surface operation was seen as a viable option in any potential Taiwan Strait operation by the Chinese military industry. In the 1990s, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) Third Academy and Hongdu Aviation Industry Group (Hongdu) both initiated small anti-ship missile projects, resulting in CASIC's C-701 missile and Hongdu's TL-10 missile. Both missiles shared very similar specifications, but with a slight deviation in launch profile. The initial model of the C-701 focused on surface launch from boats, while TL-10 focused on helicopter air-launch integration.
Hongdu Aviation Industry Corporation (Hongdu) began the development of TL-6 and TL-10 missiles in the mid-1990s, and conducted test fires in the same period. According to a representative of Hongdu in 2004, the TL-6 and TL-10 programs were purely designed for export, and no missiles would be inducted into the People's Liberation Army. Three missile variants were showcased, including the air-to-surface KJ/TL-10B, the surface-to-surface JJ/TL-10A, and the surface-to-surface JJ/TL-6B. TL-6 was tested for fire by both surface systems and aircraft. TL-6B also had a radar-guided version under development. The TL-6 missile was showcased at Zhuhai Airshow 2004.
Jane's Defence Weekly suspected that the reason behind the similar roles, dimensions, and performance of the C-701 and TL-10 was that they were part of a competition bid intended for Iran's Kowsar missile program. Sources conflict regarding which missile variant ultimately entered service with the Iranian military; one account states that the TL-10/FL-8 and TL-6/FL-9 became the Kowsar and Nasar missiles, while another suggests that the C-701 and C-704 were the ones developed into these two systems.
Variants TL-6 Original variant FL-9 Alternative name for the TL-6. TL-2 Rebranded TL-6, showcased at Zhuhai Airshow 2008.
Specifications + Missile specifications of Tianlong (TL) and C-701/C-704 series TL-10 C-701 TL-6 C-704 Manufacturer Hongdu CASIC Hongdu CASIC Launch mass Warhead semi-armor piercing (SAP) SAP SAP Length Diameter Span Range Seeker TV / Active radar / imaging infrared Motor Dual thrust / dual chamber solid rocket Speed Mach 0.85 Mach 0.85 Mach 0.9 Mach 0.8
Operators
Current operators : Islamic Republic of Iran : People's Republic of China
See also TL-10 - a smaller anti-ship missile in the TL series C-704 - the competitor to the TL-6 missile AGM-65 Maverick AGM-119 Kh-25
References
External links Report on the 5th Airshow China Zhuhai, Richard Fisher, Jr., PRC, November 1–7, 2004 China aids Iran's tactical missile programme, Robert Hewson, Jane's Defence Weekly, November 11, 2004 TL-2/6