Re: JL-15 and other trainers
I think the key to the success fo the L-15 is the proper marketing for exports. In a couple of years there will be a glut of different 'advanced' fighter trainers on the market, infact we're already seeing that now. For the L-15 to be successful, it has to have an impressive list of incetives that country like Russia or European nations cannot match. If we take the Aero L-159 for example, we can see that while there is possibly a market for small multi-role attack aircraft with AtoA capabilities aeasy conversion to an advanced trainer, time and time again it still lost contracts in Venezuela, and then South Africa, Greece, Nigeria, Georgia, Indonesia, Bolivia, Colombia etc., not a single sale. Now how could you possibly have such a run of bad luck with such an advanced aircraft and such a proven company like Aero who have been building advanced trainers for decades? Even losing in the Greek case, to the prop powered Texan II? In my opinion, because there are so many advanced trainers on the market, one must integrate and simplify maintenance, weapons systems and controls with existing aircraft to tailor the aircraft to the buyers need, you have to offer a package with the weapons system, not to gouge the tar out of the customer like France has been trying to do with the Rafale, but to offer, say limited TOT, flight instructors, knock-down kits, a promise of a steady supply of spare parts, like what China has offered with the very successful JL-8 and if need be, holistic, economic support, especially with countries in Africa who are willing to refurbish their entire military in some cases.
