
Development began in 1964 which resulted in the first Chinese-designed and built jet fighter, The People's Liberation Army Air Force requested an all-weather interceptor from Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and the 601 Institute to combat new, high altitude threats such as Convair B-58 Hustler bombers, Republic F-105 Thunderchief fighter-bombers and Lockheed U-2 spy planes as the recently introduced Chengdu J-7 (a licence-built MiG-21) was incapable of doing so.
