Looks like L-15 is going to mass production. China has ordered 250 AI-222-25F turbofans from the Ukraine.
Wow! This is HUGE news, this means the PLAAF is finally ready to introduce the L-15! And at 250 AI-222-25F engines, that means at the most 125 L-15s are expected to be built since no other aircraft in the PLAAF or PLANAF uses that engine! Also we finally get a solid price for the L-15, $10 million, for a supersonic advanced trainer, thats huge! The Only other modern supersonic trainer aircraft that can reach Mach 1.6 is the Korean T-50 which costs over $20 million! The L-15 has the potential to be a huge export success! Both as a trainer or even a light fighter. They mention that the less advanced, non-afterburning prototype Hongdu flew earlier will not be introduced so $10 million is a great deal for such a handy aircraft!
Then that will be a bad news for FC-1....
Where do people get these great L-15 photos? Are they at Chengdu or somewhere else?
two different market.
if some AF is stupid enough to have a overweight trainer taking over the job of a combat fighter. than its their problem.
trainers are stressed to a higher fatigue cycles thus suffer from higher structural weight.
FC-1 is safe. it's plethora of usable weapons and battle-avionics options would not be matched by any fighter in the world. it prob would be known as the airplane that can fitted with anybody's radar and fire anybody's weapon.
Engines for about one hundred aircraft, but more can be bought later, when the need arises because PLAAF needs more and/or because of success on the export market.Wow! This is HUGE news, this means the PLAAF is finally ready to introduce the L-15! And at 250 AI-222-25F engines, that means at the most 125 L-15s are expected to be built since no other aircraft in the PLAAF or PLANAF uses that engine! Also we finally get a solid price for the L-15, $10 million, for a supersonic advanced trainer, thats huge! The Only other modern supersonic trainer aircraft that can reach Mach 1.6 is the Korean T-50 which costs over $20 million! The L-15 has the potential to be a huge export success! Both as a trainer or even a light fighter. They mention that the less advanced, non-afterburning prototype Hongdu flew earlier will not be introduced so $10 million is a great deal for such a handy aircraft!