China's transport, tanker & heavy lift aircraft

Sri Lanka to purchase giant Y-20 aircraft from China
on: December 05, 2016

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Further strengthening the economic, diplomatic and military ties with China, Sri Lanka has decided to purchase at least two Chinese modern Xian Y20 military transport aircraft.

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in an interview with South China Morning Post has said that his government’s intention was to buy dual-use military planes that can also carry tourists.

According to the newspaper, codenamed ‘Kunpeng’ after a mythical Chinese bird, Y-20 makes China the third nation after Russia and the United States to design and develop its own heavy military transport aircraft.

“I have travelled around in some of the Chinese transport planes we have. They are good workhorses. Some people have raised questions about their quality but I have always said, ‘Look, as far as I am concerned, I will always underwrite Chinese military transport planes’. We will buy two more,” Prime Minster Wickremesinghe said.

It is not immediately know the cost of the giant aircraft, the arrival of which could earn the wrath of neighbouring India, which in the past has warned Sri Lanka over its closer military ties with China.

Y-20, dubbed as the military transport of the future, is the largest military aircraft currently in production and the first cargo aircraft to use 3D printing technology. It was officially inducted into service by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force in July this year.

Codenamed “Kunpeng” after a mythical Chinese bird, Y-20 makes China the third nation after Russia and the United States to design and develop its own heavy military transport aircraft.

Y 20 is the largest military aircraft currently in production and the first cargo aircraft to use 3D printing technology. It was officially inducted into service by the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) in July.

China’s first indigenously-developed heavy military transport aircraft, Y-20, was built by Xi’an Aircraft Industry (Group), a part of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) for the PLAAF.

According to the manufacturer, the aircraft can be deployed in the transportation of personnel and heavy equipment during military assault, and humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping missions. It can also be configured for airborne early warning and control (AEW&C), anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and aerial refuelling missions.

The aircraft measures 44 meters to 47 meters in length and 18 meter-high, and has a wingspan of 50 meters. The maximum take-off weight of the aircraft is approximately 220 tons and the maximum payload carrying capacity is 66 tons.

“The only thing is getting the US federal aviation clearance, without which there might be insurance issues for Western tourists. Since our airports have excess capacity, we will try to get dual-use military planes that can also carry tourists. We are talking to the Chinese to see if we can get planes that can conform to these norms,” Prime Minister Wickremesinghe has been quoted as saying.

“Logically it makes sense for Sri Lanka to buy strategic transport aircraft because the old ones are not serviceable in a cost-effective manner,” he added.

Although there is no war in Sri Lanka now and there is no threat from outside either, the Sri Lankan Air Force needs to replace its ageing fleet of Russian and Israeli fighter bombers and train itself to face a future threat despite the burden any new purchases will foist on the debt-ridden country.

Colombo was expected to sign a deal to purchase up to 12 JF-17s co-developed by Pakistan and China in January. The deal was cancelled after intense diplomatic manoeuvres by India, which has been trying to sell its own “Tejas” to the strategically located Indian Ocean island nation.

“China, India, Sweden and Russia have made offers, we are studying them,” Wickremesinghe has said.

India had been concerned about an increasing Chinese presence in Sri Lanka since two Chinese submarine calls in Colombo last year. The incident was the final straw in India’s relations with Rajapaksa, whose China tilt had strained his ties with New Delhi, which worked behind the scenes to unite a fractured opposition and pave the way for the unity government of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe.

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Tyloe said:

They've bagged their first Y-20 export sale.

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Tyloe said:

They've bagged their first Y-20 export sale.

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Click to expand...

Tyloe said:

They've bagged their first Y-20 export sale.

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Tyloe said:

They've bagged their first Y-20 export sale.

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Zool said:

The Sri Lankan PM never mentioned Y-20 in the original interview with SCMP, only that he was interested in buying "..two more" Chinese transport aircraft. Currently they operate Y-12's and MA60's from China. They also have a couple of C-130's. Nothing in the class of C-17 or Y-20.

Y-20 was referenced by other commentators as a possibility because its the latest and greatest offering from China, but very unlikely (i.e. not happening) based on Sri Lanka's small geography and financial position. Y-9 would be much more likely.

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