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12/31/2007. Design of this lightweight single-seat air-superiority fighter was started in mid-1969 by a team under the leadership of Lu Xiao-Pcheng at the Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company. One of the earliest modern indigenous jet fighters it was designated Jianjiji-12 (J-12, Fighter-12), and powered by a single 7,165 lb (3,250 kg) st Wopen WP-6 turbojet (Chinese-built Tumansky RD-9BF-811) the first of three prototypes made its flight on December 26, 1970. Following flight test results the J-12 was redesigned and the revised prototype, featuring an area-ruled fuselage, revised air intake, simplified wing control devices and lighter structure, flew in July 1975. By January 1977 the J-12 had flown 61 hr 12min in 135 flights, but despite improved performance the development was discontinued due to inferior characteristics compared to the license-built MiG-21F-13, the J-7.