Pakistan Eyes Acquisition of Chinese Training Aircraft

Pakistan may acquire the Chinese L-15 supersonic jet trainer aircraft to equip a unit to transition pilots to advanced fighters, eventually reducing the types of trainers in its fleet from four to two.
The need for the aircraft has arisen despite the operation of the Air Force's current basic/advanced jet trainer, the Sino-Pakistani K-8 Karakorum, which is a highly capable aircraft that has won numerous export orders. Experts dispute whether the L-15, manufactured by Hongdu, is a good fit for Pakistan's needs.
Kaiser Tufail, Pakistani defense analyst and former Air Force air commodore, said, "the L-15 makes sense only if K-8 is used solely for basic flying training and L-15 for fighter conversion. In such a case, the [older] T-37 [trainer] would be redundant.
"Considering the extensive [and expensive] structural life enhancement program that theT-37s have undergone, their useful life has been extended by at least 10 more years. The only solution to the dilemma would be to look for a buyer for the T-37s and recover some much-needed foreign exchange."
Tufail added, "Other than this training stream, the L-15 doesn't quite fit if the K-8 is to perform the role of fighter conversion."
However, defense analyst Usman Shabbir of the Pakistan Military Consortium believes the interest in the L-15 is understandable.
The K-8 had been examined by the Air Force as a possible replacement for the current FT-5, a Chinese-made twin-seat MiG-17 Fresco, in the fighter conversion role when it first entered service in the early 1990s, he said. Pakistan also uses a small number of FT-6 trainers, a Chinese-made two-seat Mig-19 Farmer.
However, the Air Force "most likely felt that a dedicated aircraft purpose-built would be a better option," he said. The 1990s were also a time of considerable financial hardship for Pakistan, so the FT-5 therefore continued in service.
Shabbir further stated, "Now that the availability of an affordable and dedicated aircraft from China is assured, it probably led to the decision to go for the type in preparation for the future high-tech jets such as FC-20 andF-16C/D training requirements."
No official word from the Air Force, or the China Aviation Technology Import-Export Corp., was forthcoming. Officials' refusal to confirm the deal may stem from the fact that negotiations have not reached the final stages.
However, the Air Force has conducted detailed examinations of the aircraft, which included a visit of a single L-15 to Pakistan in December as it transited on its way to the Dubai Airshow. Negotiations are now being undertaken on technical aspects and pricing. The time frame for the conclusion of a deal is unknown.

Limited Combat Role

Like the K-8, the L-15 is also useful in the counterinsurgency role as it can carry a light warload of rockets and bombs, plus air-to-air missiles. There is no indication the aircraft is expected to be tasked with this role, but the capability is a point of interest for Pakistan.
The L-15 competed for orders from the People's Liberation Army Air Force and Naval Air Force against the cheaper and less capable JL-9. The JL-9 is heavily based on the F-7 series of fighters and looks set to be the final evolutionary stage of the MiG-21 Fishbed design.
The F-7 also makes up the backbone of Pakistan's Air Force and therefore the JL-9 could bring cost savings due to commonality, but that advantage appears to have been discounted.
This selling point for the JL-9 may have counted against it in the minds of the service's planners, Shabbir said. The L-15 was probably chosen "precisely because it is the more advanced design," and the "JL-9 most likely is not considered a good enough platform due to its F-7 lineage and airframe design, with its associated future growth limitations."
With the Pakistani F-7 variants expected to be retired this decade, the added cost savings associated with selecting the JL-9 would be unlikely to materialize. Also, the L-15 would allow Pakistan to reap economies of scale because of China's extensive modernization program.
Pakistan's interest in the L-15 may therefore have wider implications. Officially, at least, the L-15 has not fully entered service with the Chinese Air Force, but Pakistan's interest may indicate the Chinese are looking at the L-15 in a more favorable light.

Hongdu L-15 new pics

Bolivia To Receive K-8 Karakorum Jets From China

Bolivia, Wednesday, January 19, 2011: Bolivia is set to receive 6 Chinese-made combat aircraft to be used to fight drug trafficking, the head of the Bolivian Air Force said on Tuesday.

General Tito Gandarilla, the Air Force commander, told local journalists that the K-8 Karakorum jets are scheduled to be delivered in April, at a cost of US $ 58 million (S $ 74.5 million).

The aircraft, bought through a loan from China, will be the first of their kind for Bolivia, which currently has only training and freight aircraft.

Gen Gandarilla explained that the jets 'have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years' and have the ability to intercept illegal crafts that 'in Bolivian airspace without authorisation'. The aircraft will be used mainly around Cochabamba in central Bolivia, where there is heavy production of coca plants used to make cocaine.

The Bolivian government also plans to buy 10 Russian-built cargo helicopters for use by the police.

In 2008, President Evo Morales ordered the US Drug Enforcement Administration to leave after accusing it of having had a hand in political unrest and drug-trafficking in Bolivia. The US State Department has identified Bolivia as a major drug-transit or drug-producing country.

Italy's First T-346A Trainer Makes First Flight

Italian air force’s first T-346A advanced jet trainer made a 40min debut flight from Alenia Aermacchi’s Venegono production site on 31 March, with the aircraft due to enter service soon.

During its first flight, the M-346 variant reached an altitude of 15,000ft (4,570m), and underwent checks on its handling and systems functionality, the company says. The aircraft had been rolled out at Venegono last December, along with a second example.

“The aircraft demonstrated its excellent characteristics in terms of handling, energy and man-machine interface,” says Alenia Aermacchi chief test pilot Quirino Bucci.

Alenia Aermacchi says the remaining Italian aircraft under contract are now in build on its new M-346 final assembly line at Venegono, along with 12 more for launch export customer Singapore. 



Italy has so far signed for six of the aircraft from a planned acquisition of 15 to be used at the air force’s training school at Lecce air base.

A T-100 version of the M-346 is being proposed as a potential solution to the US Air Force’s T-X trainer requirement, and Alenia Aermacchi also says that “the air forces of several nations have expressed great interest in this aircraft”.

South Korea T-50 Golden Eagle Trainer

T-50 delivers a total advanced training system that will bridge the gap between basic flight training & high-performance fighters.
General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 12.98 m (42 ft 7 in)
• Wingspan: 9.17 m (30 ft 1 in)
• Height: 4.78 m (15 ft 8.25 in)
• Empty weight: 6,450 kg (14,200 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 13,500 kg (29,700 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× General Electric F404 afterburning turbofan
  • Dry thrust: 53.07 kN (11,925 lbf)
  • Thrust with afterburner: 78.7 kN (17,700 lbf)

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 1.4~1.5
• Range: 1,851 km (1,150 mi)
• Service ceiling: 16,760 m (55,000 ft)
• Thrust/weight: 0.96
• Max g limit: -3 g / +8 g

Armament

• Guns: 1× A-50 3-barreled 20 mm M197 Gatling gun
• Rockets: Hydra 70, LOGIR
• Missiles: ** Air-to-air: AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-120 AMRAAM
  • Air-to-ground: AGM-65 Maverick
• Bombs: Mk 82, Mk 83, and Mk 84 general purpose bombs with SPICE, JDAM, or JDAM-ER guidance kits; CBU-97/105 sensor fuzed weapons, laser-guided bombs

South Korean UAS Deals To Hinge On Israeli Trainer Choice

The future of some potential deals to purchase Israeli-made aerial systems by the South Korean defence ministry will depend on whether the Israeli air force selects the Korea Aerospace Industries/Lockheed Martin T-50 as its new advanced jet trainer.

South Korea's military has been evaluating several Israeli systems in recent months, including unmanned air systems. Its evaluations are being made with the assistance of Sibat, the Israeli defence ministry division in charge of securing defence exports.

Seoul is focusing its interest in the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron (below) and Elbit Systems Hermes 450 UAS. Its shopping list also includes other systems, but the Israeli companies involved have refused to release more details.

Sources related to the competition said on 29 March that while it is not officially stated, the "key people" in Israel are aware of the connection between the selection and the extent of the possible South Korean purchases of equipment from Israel.



South Korea has previously bought Israeli systems such as IAI's Harpy attack drone and the company's Green Pine long-range missile launch detection radar. However, its potential new shopping list has become longer "and more diversified", according to one source.

Meanwhile, a proposed joint venture between Elbit and IAI that would purchase the Israeli air force's favoured trainer design and then sell flight hours to the service at its flight academy should be formally established in the coming days.

HAL And IAF Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) Prototype Aircraft Crashed Pilot Safe

An Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) prototype aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed at Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district on Thursday.

Both the pilots were ejected safely, said IAF officials.
The accident took place while the aircraft was on routine flight testing on Thursday afternoon.

Indonesia Orders 16 T-50 Golden Eagle Jet Trainers

Indonesia has placed a $400 million order for 16 Korea Aerospace Industries T-50 Golden Eagle advanced jet trainers, the type's first export sale.

The Indonesian Defense Ministry signed the deal on Wednesday, said Enes Park, executive vice president of KAI. The contract stipulates that the aircraft must be delivered 18 months after the signing of a loan agreement between the South Korean and Indonesian governments.

The announcement follows a 12 April letter the Indonesian government sent to KAI designating the South Korean firm as the preferred bidder to replace Indonesia's BAE Systems Hawk 53s. The letter all but sealed the fate of the T-50's rivals in the competition, the Aero Vodochody L-159 and Yakovlev Yak-130.

The 16 General Electric F404-powered aircraft will be produced at the KAI facilities in Sacheon, South Korea. They will shipped to Indonesia partially disassembled, where Indonesia state aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia/Indonesian Aerospace (IAe) will reassemble them.

"The aircraft is certainly capable of being ferried, but transporting them meets Indonesian industrial regulations," says Park. "(Re-assembling) the aircraft will help them improve their capabilities."

Despite the best efforts of KAI and the South Korean government, theT-50 lost trainer competitions in both the United Arab Emirates and Singapore to the Alenia Aermacchi M-346.

The T-50 will again square off against its rival in Israel and the USA. In 2012, the Israeli Air Force will decide between the T-50 and M-346 to replaces its Douglas A-4 Skyhawk trainers. In early May, Alenia Aermacchi general manager Alessandra Franzoni said America's T-X competition to replace the 1960s era Northrop T-38C will be a two horse race between the T-50 and M-346.

Park adds that there could be a possibility of selling Indonesia the T-50's combat variant, the F/A-50. "While there have been no concrete discussions on this, there is a distinct possibility of this in the future."

Indonesia is also still involved in South Korea's proposed KF-X programme, says Park.

At the Farnborough air show in 2010, South Korea signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia, with the latter to potentially contribute up to 20% of the KF-X development costs. Indonesia is currently looking at how it might participate in the project.

The T-50 buy is just the latest example of Jakarta's efforts to upgrade the nation's air force. In November 2010, it purchased eight Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucano light attack aircraft to replace Vietnam War-era Rockwell OV-10 Broncos. In January 2011 it awarded Arinc Engineering Services a $66.7 million contract to modernise five Lockheed Martin C-130Bs.

Indonesia is also considering upgrading its 10 Lockheed Martin F-16A/B fighters. Media reports have said Jakarta will buy 24 ex-US Air Force F-16s, but this has not been officially announced by either Washington or Jakarta.