Background The Chinese development of the precision-guided bomb began in the 1970s after the Chinese military observed the American usage of
Paveway in the
Vietnam War. Factory 624, later known as the Harbin Jiancheng Group, a subsidiary of
Norinco, began the development process in 1974, with prototypes completed in 1980. Between 1984 and 1985, the guided bomb was tested via ground laser designation, while in 1986, the bomb was tested with an aerial laser
targeting pod prototype. Prototypes were tested on the
H-5 bomber. The project was canceled in the late 1980s due to budgetary issues. The prototype guided bomb in the canceled project was designated Type 7712. A new laser-guided bomb project was initiated in 1992 after Chinese observation of the
Gulf War. This project received more budgetary, human, and political resources. The bomb system was tasked to the Luoyang-based China Airborne Missile Academy (CAMA, 612th Research Institute), and the
targeting pod was tasked to the Luoyang Optoelectro Technology Development Center (LOTDC, 613th Research Institute), and the production was tasked to the Factory 624 (Harbin Jiancheng Group). The final product was LS-500J laser-guided bomb, later renamed LT-2 laser-guided bomb for export. Eventually, the original LS-500J branched out to the other series of guided bombs, • The
LS () and
LT () series guidance bomb kits, with the LS series focusing on satellite
glide bomb, whereas the LT focus on laser guidance, produced by Luoyang Optoelectro Technology Development Center of
Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). • The
FT () series of guided bombs, produced by
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). • The
YL () and
YJ () series of guided bombs, produced by
China South Industries Group and marketed via Norinco. • The
YZ series guided bomb, produced by
China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC).
FT series FT series precision-guided bomb was first revealed in 2006
Zhuhai Airshow. Produced by CALT, the Feiteng (FT) series is a direct competitor to the LS series precision bombs produced by the Luoyang AVIC. Similar to the LS series, FT bombs are primarily guided by the satellite and
inertial navigation system. The bombs are compatible with Chinese
BeiDou, American
GPS, and Russian
GLONASS. The FT-1 is the satellite/inertial bomb kit in class with a strap-on strakes, similar to the performance of the
GBU-32 JDAM. FT-2 is an FT-1 kit with range extension planar glide wings, boosting its maximum range from to . FT-1 and FT-3 were the earliest variants to be publicly revealed. Later, the FT series expanded into more sizes and guidance methods. ==Variants==