Displayed during the last Airshow China 2022 exhibition, China has unveiled 2 new air-to-surface weapons, not previously seen publicly, the AKF98A and the AKF088C. For both the weapon systems, the “F” in “AKF” likely stands for “standoff” in Chinesee. According to the US military experts' analysis, the AKF98A appears to be an autonomous precison-guided stand-off missile, in a similar class to Lockheed Martin's AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) and MBDA's STORM SHADOW stand-off land-attack cruise missile. It also appears to be a new standoff submunition dispenser or ALCM featuring a low observable stealth optimized body with a diamond shape cross section plus 2 folded high wings and 4 tail control fins. The nose section of the missile is presumed to house a terminal combined radar/IIR seekers at the late and terminal stages in order to improve its accuracy and countermeasure capability. INS/Beidou guidance could be used during the initial and mid-stages. It is speculated to be powered by a small turbojet engine with a recessed ventral air intake to reduce RCS. The missile is thought to have a range of about 500km and is being carried by PLAAF JH-7A2 and J-16. The KF-088C (K/AKF088C) is a standoff ALCM featuring 2 folded low wings to further extend its range. The missile appears to have evolved from the earlier KD-88/88A ASM and could be guided by the same TV or IIR seeker with man-in-the-loop corrections. INS/Beidou guidance could be used during the initial and mid-stages. The missile is thought to be in the same class as American AGM-84H/K HARPOON, has a range of about 300km, and is expected to be carried by PLAAF JH-7A2 and J-16.

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