PL-15

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/pl-15

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the development agency?China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC)
2. What is the operational status?In service with PLAAF and PLANAF since at least 2016
3. What is the PL-15 missile?The PL-15 is a super‑fast missile made by China. It can fly very far and is used by the Chinese Air Force and Navy.
4. How fast can the PL-15 go?The PL-15 can reach speeds up to Mach 5, which is about 6,100 kilometers per hour.

Beyond-visual-range (BVR): The capability to detect, track, and engage targets at distances greater than the pilot's direct line of sight.
Active radar homing: A missile guidance system where the missile itself emits radar signals to track its target, allowing for 'fire-and-forget' capability.
Mach number: A dimensionless quantity representing the ratio of the speed of an object to the speed of sound in the surrounding medium.
Electronic countermeasures (ECM): Methods used to prevent or reduce the effectiveness of enemy radar and other electronic systems.