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

KampfAlwin

Junior Member
Registered Member
I never quite got why the WP-14 Kunlun exists at all. China had the license to build the Rolls-Royce Spey aka WS-9 back then. So why did they not just build a combat jet with two of those engines instead? Not that it matters anymore given combat jets with the WS-10 now exist.

I have heard some people say online that China already got all it needed out of their purchase of Motor Sich including. All schematics and key personnel. That all the nationalization of Motor Sich will achieve is the termination of all their engine sales to China. If this is true then Ukraine certainly shot itself in the foot. We might simply see the Al-222 produced in China.
Is the WS-17 a variant of the Al-222?
 

KampfAlwin

Junior Member
Registered Member
It is supposed to serve the same purpose, i.e. be a propulsion unit for the JL-10. Like Deino said it is a unicorn engine no one has seen yet.
Ah, I see. I suppose they’ll have to work on it now(assuming they paused development) since Ukraine blocked the Motor Sich sale - unless it doesn’t affect Al-222 deliveries?
 

Deino

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
I never quite got why the WP-14 Kunlun exists at all. China had the license to build the Rolls-Royce Spey aka WS-9 back then. So why did they not just build a combat jet with two of those engines instead? Not that it matters anymore given combat jets with the WS-10 now exist.

I have heard some people say online that China already got all it needed out of their purchase of Motor Sich including. All schematics and key personnel. That all the nationalization of Motor Sich will achieve is the termination of all their engine sales to China. If this is true then Ukraine certainly shot itself in the foot. We might simply see the Al-222 produced in China.


Just in short even if off-topic: Since the WS-9 did not fit the J-8 and since they wanted a more modern engine that could fit the slimmer fuselage they needed an engine within the same dimensions of the WP-13.
 

gelgoog

Brigadier
Registered Member
Just in short even if off-topic: Since the WS-9 did not fit the J-8 and since they wanted a more modern engine that could fit the slimmer fuselage they needed an engine within the same dimensions of the WP-13.

I think both engines have a similar diameter. The problem is the WS-9 is a lot longer and heavier. It would also mess up the CoG.
 

hmkdf

Just Hatched
Registered Member
Just in short even if off-topic: Since the WS-9 did not fit the J-8 and since they wanted a more modern engine that could fit the slimmer fuselage they needed an engine within the same dimensions of the WP-13.
But why did they use the WP-14 for J-8 but not for J-7. Or asked in a different way: why the found the WP-13 to be sufficent for latest J-7 versions including JL-9 but not for the J-8?
 

Semi-Lobster

Junior Member
Malaysia has officially issued the tender for the Royal Malaysian Air Force's LCA/FLIT programme (Light Combat Aircraft/Fighter Lead-In-Trainer) today and Hongdu's L-15A/B is in the running as both a trainer and a light fighter. Interestingly the FA-50 and L-15/JL-10 are both allegedly in contention while the similar M346 and Yak-130 are no longer being considered.

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Malaysia's Ministry of Defence (MinDef) announced on 22 June that it has launched a tender for the Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF's) Light Combat Aircraft/Fighter Lead-In-Trainer (LCA/FLIT) programme.


Published on the ministry's website, the brief announcement said the service aims to acquire an initial 18 aircraft, adding that the request for bids will close on 22 September.


No further details were provided, but industry sources told Janes that the RMAF wants eight of these platforms to be primarily configured for lead-in-fighter training, while the remaining 10 would be LCAs.

Several other defence aerospace websites offer a little more insight as this tender has been in the works for some time now:

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Malaysia has published the tender for the supply of eighteen Fighter Lead In Trainer-Light Combat Aircraft (FLIT/LCA) for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) on June 22. Closing date for the tender is Sept. 22. The RMAF Capability Development Plan 2055 (CAP55), the service plans to procure 36 FLIT/LCA aircraft in two steps. The RMAF has asked the government for a budget for the acquisition of 18 aircraft in phase 1 through the submission of the new projects 2021 and another 18 aircraft in phase 2, under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13).
For the Fighter Lead In Trainer-Light Combat Aircraft (FLIT/LCA) requirement, the types under consideration are the Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50 Fighting Eagle; the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Tejas; the Leonardo M-346; the Aero Vodochody L-39NG; the CAC L-15A/B; the CAC/PAC JF-17; the Saab Gripen; and the Yakovlev Yak-130. It is reported that the Leonardo M346 Master and the Yakolev YAK-130 Mitten have since been cut from the competition.
 

by78

General
Some nice images of JL-9s...

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Grupo2

New Member
Registered Member
L-15 for Uruguay:

I've been searching for any references to this possible sale on this forum and haven't found much. A member of The forum mentioned in 2020 that Uruguay operated Chinese transport aircraft this is incorrect - Uruguay operates a mixed fleet of CASA Aviocars and C-130 tactical transports.

The possibility of L-15s to replace the A-37 light strike aircraft is very much alive and well.

Relations with China are good more than half of the covid vaccination effort has been with sinovac vaccine, commercial relations remain strong and the Uruguayan president is planning a visit to China later this year. There has been lots of speculation on Military forum in Uruguay about whether that would be the occasion for announcing purchase of L-15.

The Uruguayan Air force is looking to enhance the capabilities of its combat squadron by replacing the dragonflies with a supersonic aircraft equipped with a multi-mode radar the reason for this is that the aircraft is required to operate as an interceptor against elicit drug carrying aircraft Crossing Uruguayan airspace from Brazil and Argentina.

The L-15 remains very much a contender however exactly what radar could be fitted to an export L-15 remains unclear as far as I can tell and it is a non-negotiable requirement of the Uruguayan Air force.

I'd be interested in hearing any thoughts for members may have on this. The selection of the new combat aircraft was slowed down by the pandemic but is very much ongoing I would expect a decision to be made later this year when the pandemic situation in Uruguay improves further.
 
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