Chinese Trainer Aircraft (JL-8, JL-9, JL-10 (L-15), etc.)

Gloire_bb · Wednesday at 9:25 PM

tamsen_ikard said:
I dont think they are comparable. Jf-17 is a full fledged fighter with aesa radar, ecm and good air to air capabilities. It also has solid anti shipping and anti radiation missile capabilities. I dont think this trainer will have the advanced radar capabilities. It might be used for light bombing missions but even there it will not be optimized for it.

But so can be this one. They're in the same class, both supersonic/high performance and so on.
Many LIFTs already go for advanced AESAs and armament sets anyway (Koreans even going towards adding true LACM capability for FA-50 blk.70).
Here it's especially visible - IMHO what we see here is a light fighter in all but name. It may still qualify as qualification trainer for combat pilots, but at this point it's super expensive as a trainer, and can do most combat stuff without major restrictions.

_killuminati_ · 2025-10-30T01:13:50-0400

Tomboy said:
IMO if there is enough demand, most if not all of what you said could be integrated with the airframe. Those and the LO features on the aircraft could make it a potent light fighter. Also, it may be in the interest of the PLA to integrate this trainer stock with a low cost AESA to better prepare pilots for transition to a real 5th/6th generation fighter.

What's the point of adding all these features to the trainer to bring it on par with the JF-17, when one could just acquire the JF-17 itself?

Gloire_bb · 2025-10-30T02:12:13-0400

_killuminati_ said:
What's the point of adding all these features to the trainer to bring it on par with the JF-17, when one could just acquire the JF-17 itself?

It's still fully LIFT capable; 2 in 1, with much longer airframe life;
State of the art national engine, rather than imported RD-93;
It's a 3 decades newer, fresher airframe, without archeotech J-7 trails like in JF-17. It may be outright better at flights envelope;
It's Hongdu, not Chengdu, effectively reinstating them as fighter house. Local ambitions matter.

H6BomberGal · 2025-10-30T03:07:01-0400

Wow, this new plane looks like it would be fun to fly. Any idea where these pictures were taken?

00rinsak · 2025-10-30T03:58:24-0400

Syrida2887 said:
View attachment 163488

by78 said:
Better versions of previously shared images.

These two images are taken in very different weather conditions - which could suggest it has already conducted multiple flights?

tphuang · 2025-10-30T11:12:51-0400

So this aircraft looks like a good low option for the export market. How quickly this project gets put into production will be a good barometer of where Hongdu is at.

there is clearly demand out there for a low cost strike aircraft that's somewhat stealthy and free of political baggage in the global south.

Tomboy · 2025-10-30T11:48:43-0400

Gloire_bb said:
It's still fully LIFT capable; 2 in 1, with much longer airframe life;
State of the art national engine, rather than imported RD-93;
It's a 3 decades newer, fresher airframe, without archeotech J-7 trails like in JF-17. It may be outright better at flights envelope;
It's Hongdu, not Chengdu, effectively reinstating them as fighter house. Local ambitions matter.

Cheap LO feature is also a good selling point for nations who can't afford or need real 5th gens or advanced 4.5th gens but still want some LO feature. They could make something similar to the F-50 upgrade package for the FA-50 so you could retrofit it to be a true single seater light fighter.

ying1978 · 2025-10-31T06:50:43-0400

Xi Yazhou mentioned in

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that the production of the JL-10 has stopped due to engine availability issues. Hongdu's new trainer is more likely to be aimed as a JL-10 replacement rather than as a carrier capable naval trainer.

sunnymaxi · 2025-10-31T07:17:58-0400

ying1978 said:
Xi Yazhou mentioned in
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that the production of the JL-10 has stopped due to engine availability issues. Hongdu's new trainer is more likely to be aimed as a JL-10 replacement rather than as a carrier capable naval trainer.

recently AECC have showcase plenty of small/medium category Engines.

waiting for more information but JL-XX most likely have indigenous Engines. the engine nozzle/length and design doesn't match with existing JL-10 Ukrainian engine.

Chinese Trainer Aircraft (JL-8, JL-9, JL-10 (L-15), etc.)

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