Chinese paratroopers of 15th Airborne corps jump out of a new Y-9 military transport aircraft during drills in Tibet.

While the Y-20 program is getting all the attention, the Y-9 is another tool in China’s war chest that can call upon to rapidly reinforce China’s remote regions.

The Y-9 (Yun-9) is a medium-sized, medium-range turboprop multi-purpose transport aircraft designed and manufactured by Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation. Derived from the Y-8 (An-12 Cub) transport aircraft, the Y-9 features improved engines and modern avionics including a ‘glass’ cockpit, and is believed to be comparable to the U.S. Lockheed Martin C-130J in general performance.