# defense technology

China’s New 300 km Air-to-Air Missile Sharpens J-20’s Reach and Shifts BVR Calculus

A leaked paper outlines the PL-16, a compact Chinese air‑to‑air missile with an asserted 300 km range designed for internal carriage on fifth‑generation fighters. By trading extreme size for fit and firepower density, the PL-16 promises to extend the J‑20’s BVR reach and complicate regional air‑defense and coalition targeting strategies.