Emergence of Chinese Navy military serials?

[ehusmann]

Recently a number of Chinese Navy aircraft started to appear with what looks like new numbers painted on. Most databases and websites quote these long numbers as codes, but I wonder if this is some new kind of serial system. I have only seen a few examples so far, and it is too few to draw any conclusion as to the meaning of the digits. However all start with a H, have 7 digits and the last two are displayed large on the aircraft. It certainly are not construction numbers. Also, the J-15 seems to have squadron markings on the tail, so maybe interesting to see if this at some point changes with the numbers remaining the same.

Some examples:
Harbin Z-9F H5373061/61
Shenyang J-15D H1104194/94
Harbin Y-9 H3031023/23 (long number quoted but not visible on picture)
Shaanxi Y-8 H2032082/82 (long number quoted but not visible on picture)

Has anybody seen more of these, any ideas about meaning?

[ehusmann]

Some more:
Harbin Z-20F H5073138/38
3x J-15 ... all have such a number, but not readable
Shenyang J-15T H1104206/06 c/n 020031

Changhe Z-8CJ 8C-21/21 - this one is very different..

[ehusmann]

Here is a list of what I have been able to find so far through Airliners and jetphotos. It seems to have started about 2 years ago.

registration	code	cn		type
H1081010	10			J-11BH
H1084095	95			J-11BSH
H1104193	93	0103		J-15D
H1104194	94			J-15D
H1104206	06	020031		J-15T
H1104210	10			J-15T
H4712006	06	"1450743164006"	JL-8
H4712037	37			JL-8
H4712038	38			JL-8
H4712039	39			JL-8
H5342026	26			Ka-28
H2032082	82			Y-8Q
H3031023	23			Y-9
H2011010	10	561808		Y-9/KJ100
		38	Z18FA-11	Z-18FA
		43?	Z18FA-16	Z-18FA
H5073138	38			Z-20F
H5073142	42			Z-20F
		65	Z8J-007		Z-8J
		67	Z8J-009		Z-8J
		9516	Z8JH-001	Z-8JH
H5364073	73	Z9-0398		Z-9D
		9746	Z9-0399		Z-9D
H5364074	74	Z9-0399		Z-9D
H5364075	75	Z9-0585		Z-9D
H5364076	76	Z9-0586		Z-9D
H5364077	77			Z-9D
H5364079	79	Z9-0589		Z-9D
H5364082				Z-9D
H5374043	43			Z-9DQ
H5363086	86	Z9-0787		Z-9DQ
H5363092	92			Z-9DQ
		92	Z9-0788		Z-9DQ
H5363093	93	Z9-0789		Z-9DQ
		94	Z9-0790		Z-9DQ
		95	Z9-0791		Z-9DQ
		96	Z9-0792		Z-9DQ
		98	Z9-0794		Z-9DQ
H5363099	99	Z9-0795		Z-9DQ
		01	Z9-0796		Z-9DQ
H5373061	61			Z-9F
H5373062	62	Z9-0799		Z-9F

There certainly seems to be a system in this. This first digit may denote role:
1 - fighters
2 - special purpose/patrol some kind
3 - transport
4 - trainer
5 - helicopter
Then two or three digits that are linked to the type and subtype.
The last three digits a sequential number. The highest is 206 for a J-15T which would indicate they have over 200 of them already?

Noteworthy is that I have not been able to find any such numbers on the Z-8/Z-18s, nor on any of the larger planes (Y-8, Y-9). Two were quoted with such a number though, so perhaps it is painted on, but just not visible on pictures.

Another note, Z-9DQ H5374043 has it painted on like that, though H5364043 would be more in sequence. Not sure what to think of that.

All the Z-9 construction numbers are from older pictures. Since the introduction of the serials the construction numbers have been removed from the tails.