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

Today marks the 18th anniversary of L-15's first flight.

Deino said:

The next step towards a true carrier-borne force is a dedicated carrier-capable jet trainer and even if we have hints since some time, we still lack clear evidence of a prototype being built … here another hint: An image of a model of the JL-10J.

(Image courtesy of metalp38 at Huitong‘s CMA-Blog)

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Just yesterday, be had an update on the JL-10J carrier-capable trainer and now another update: Allegedly it features a much redesigned rear fuselage with twin slanted tail fins, foldable wings, and "could" be powered by two AI-222K-25F (or improved WS-17) engines with reheat!

Really? This all is based on what information?? @huitong

(Image via @大包CG from Weibo)

Deino said:

Just yesterday, be had an update on the JL-10J carrier-capable trainer and now another update: Allegedly it features a much redesigned rear fuselage with twin slanted tail fins, foldable wings, and "could" be powered by two AI-222K-25F (or improved WS-17) engines with reheat!

Really? This all is based on what information?? @huitong

(Image via @大包CG from Weibo)

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That's literally a mini-Super Hornet LOL

Jokes aside - While the Big Bun is certainly a great CGI artist when it comes to actual, future and hypothetical PLA equipment (in that his illustrations generally tend to lie on the more realistic side), I don't think we have come across any sources or evidences that would suggest major changes to the alleged JL-10J that we are now seeing with the Big Bun's CGI - At least for the time being.

Sorry so far I have seen conflicting information regarding the authenticity of this new mini-FA18 design. As the result I just reversed it back to the earlier version.

ACuriousPLAFan said:

That's literally a mini-Super Hornet LOL

Jokes aside - While the Big Bun is certainly a great CGI artist when it comes to actual, future and hypothetical PLA equipment (in that his illustrations generally tend to lie on the more realistic side), I don't think we have come across any sources or evidences that would suggest major changes to the alleged JL-10J that we are now seeing with the Big Bun's CGI - At least for the time being.

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Isn't a mini super hornet just a regular hornet.

And this thing more resembles a twin engine T-7 if anything.


That said, I also highly doubt they will pursue such a significant change for merely a carrier based trainer of the variant.

Deino said:

The next step towards a true carrier-borne force is a dedicated carrier-capable jet trainer and even if we have hints since some time, we still lack clear evidence of a prototype being built … here another hint: An image of a model of the JL-10J.

(Image courtesy of metalp38 at Huitong‘s CMA-Blog)

View attachment 126599

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There is what appears to be an unfinished JL-10J mockup stored at dockside next to carrier Fujian:

by78 said:

There is what appears to be an unfinished JL-10J mockup stored at dockside next to carrier Fujian:

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So question is: Two tails as shown in the latest CG or just one like the regular JL-10?

Deino said:

So question is: Two tails as shown in the latest CG or just one like the regular JL-10?

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The Big Bun on Weibo did some CG editing on what the supposed JL-10J could look like, using what looks like wing structures placed to the right of the airframe.



In the same post, Big Bun said that his previous CGI of the JL-10J with twin angled vertical stabilizers is just his personal attempt at "copy-&-paste" said feature from the Boeing T-7A onto the JL-10. In reality, the JL-10J will still be having only one vertical stabilizer.

He also said this:

结果分分钟就有人发给小黄人，
四舍五入也算跨国海钓了

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Turns out, someone sent it to the minion (i.e. @Deino) in just minutes (i.e. very quickly).
Rounding it all off, this is considered a cross-border fishing.

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ACuriousPLAFan said:

The Big Bun on Weibo did some CG editing on what the supposed JL-10J could look like, using what looks like wing structures placed to the right of the airframe.

View attachment 126870

In the same post, Big Bun said that his previous CGI of the JL-10J with twin angled vertical stabilizers is just his personal attempt at "copy-&-paste" said feature from the Boeing T-7A onto the JL-10. In reality, the JL-10J will still be having only one vertical stabilizer.

He also said this:

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Thanks a lot for this post and in fact I wasn‘t lurking on his Weibo account, I would it as an update at Huitong‘s blog.

Anyway, interesting is the different and much larger horizontal tail.

What a JL-10J might possibly look like. CGI made by Big Bun on Weibo. The paint scheme seems somewhat similar to the USN's T-45 trainers.




Here's a side-by-side comparison with a J-15.