The Chinese
Air Force is about to get a swarm of fighter jets for training pilots
China is
investing in the supporting elements of modern air power.
By Jeffrey
Lin and P.W. Singer
JL-10
Production Line
Hongdu
Aviation Industry Corporation is gearing up for mass production of the JL-10,
for both Chinese and foreign customers. JXTV News – Source popsci.com
One of the
largest aerospace contracts in the world right now is T-X program, an effort to
replace all of the United States' T-38 trainer jets—a.k.a. the aircraft used to
train fighter pilots. When counting the potential buys on the foreign export
market, some 1,000 new jets are planned for this program.
But the T-X
won't be alone. China is playing in the same sandbox with its L-15 (JL-10 in
People's Liberation Army Air Force service), an advanced training aircraft
undergoing mass production at the Hongdu Aviation Industry Corporation in
Nanchang. With this plane, China is quickly building up a supersonic jet
trainer force, as well opening up its own export market.
L-15
The L-15 is
China's newest lead-in fighter trainer, with provisions for supersonic flight,
PESA radar, and an all-digital cockpit. Weimeng – Source popsci.com
The
L-15/JL-10 is a lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT), which is what training pilots
transition to after starting off on subsonic propeller and jet aircraft. This
means it is the final plane that Chinese fighter pilots will fly before taking
flight in frontline fighters like the J-10, J-11, and stealthy J-20.
The planes
have a maximum takeoff weight of 9.5 tons and uses a three-axis fly-by wire
system that helps simulate the flight parameters of most modern fighters. The
Ukrainian Ivchencko AI-222K-25F turbofan engines on its supersonic JL-10
version pushes it to a speed of Mach 1.4. It has tandem seating for two people;
the student pilot in the front seat, and the instructor in the back. The
advanced avionics on the JL-10 will also help student pilots prepare for the
complex digital cockpits on modern Chinese fighters, especially the J-20.
A Success
The JL-10 is
quickly becoming a success, as it begins to meet the PLAAF's need for 21s-
century fighter training, as well as planning to fill possible PLANAF and
foreign orders. =GT via China Defense Forum – Source popsci.com
The
L-15/JL-10 first flew in 2006 and has already won export orders from Venezuela
and Zambia, in addition to equipping the first few PLAAF squadrons. With the
PLAAF and PLANAF projected to have a combined 1,200 fourth- and
fifth-generation fighters by 2030, Hongdu Aviation will likely have an order
backlog for hundreds more JL-10s.
L-15B
The L-15B, a proposed variant of the JL-10,
is equipped with long-range air-to-air and air-to-surface attack capabilities,
making it a cheap, modern multirole aircraft. Da Hai – Source popsci.com
In addition to its training mission, the
JL-10 comes equipped with a passive electronically scanned array (PESA) radar
that can be used in long-range air-to-air combat, and its three-ton payload can
be configured for air superiority and counterinsurgency missions. The
flexibility and low cost of the JL-10 means that it could be modified as a low
cost close air support aircraft in counterinsurgency and counterterrorism
roles. It may also have a broader export appeal, as its basic air combat
capabilities make it ideal for countries facing a low threat air defense
environment (the South Korea T-50 Golden Eagle has found success in that role).
While it may not be as exciting as a stealthy
drone or fighter jet, the L-15/JL-10 shows that that China is not only building
a world-class force of combat aircraft, but also all the supporting elements of
modern air power.
Original post: popsci.com
Hongdu L-15: Details
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