China’s new Y-15 four-engine turboprop tactical cargo aircraft has appeared in its clearest images yet, revealing a prototype built by Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation that appears aimed at the country’s medium-lift military transport requirement. The photos show a ramp-equipped rear fuselage, a T-tail and four six-blade propellers, offering the best look so far at an aircraft that could sit between the smaller Y-9 and the larger Y-20.
The new imagery also helps settle long-running uncertainty over the aircraft’s identity, which had been referred to as Y-30 in earlier coverage before the Y-15 designation became clearer from prototype markings and image analysis. The aircraft was photographed at an unidentified test airfield, and no official Chinese confirmation has been made public.
Reporting over the past few days indicates the programme had first surfaced in flight-test imagery in late 2025 before re-emerging with clearer views in August. The configuration points to a tactical transport role for moving troops, vehicles and supplies from rough or short fields, with some coverage suggesting a possible payload near 30 tonnes, although that figure remains unconfirmed.
The aircraft’s layout has also drawn comparisons with Western tactical transports in the C-130J and A400M class. While engine type, performance and production plans remain unknown, the clearer photographs suggest Shaanxi is advancing a design that could later support specialised variants, including airborne support or other mission-specific derivatives.