China's aviation industry won a major contract with the sale of 12 L-15 advanced training jets to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The announcement of the business took place in the 16th International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 23), which ends this Friday (24).
The purchase also comes exactly one year after the Emirati Air Force revealed his interest in Chinese aircraft. At the time there was still an option for another 36 aircraft. At the fair, CATIC (China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation) exhibited a model of the L-15 in UAE colors and with a new in-flight refueling probe.
The state-owned company also presented models of the Xian Y-20 heavy freighter and the newest Chinese fighter, the FC-31, also called the J-35.
The purchase of the jets marks the first time that Abu Dhabi has acquired Chinese aircraft, at the same time that the country is caught in the middle of an influence dispute between China and the United States. Since 2018, the Emirates have tried to acquire the Fifth generation F-35 Lightning II, but ran into US vetoes due to the partnership with Beijing. On the other hand, it closed important contracts with for the purchase of Rafale fighters and H225M helicopters.
Manufactured by the Chinese company Hongdu, the L-15 Falcon is an advanced training and light attack aircraft. The aircraft was developed together with the Russian company Yakovlev and therefore has many similarities with the Yak-130, which in turn comes from a t project with Italy, also giving rise to the Leonardo M-346.
The advanced training version is called the L-15AJT (Advanced Jet Trainer), while the combat variant is called the L-15AFT (Attack Fighter Trainer). The L-15 has two Ivchenko-Progress AI-222 engines made in Russia.
The model is already in service with the Air Force and Navy of the People's Liberation Army of China (PLAAF and PLAN), where they are designated as JL-10 and used in the training of future pilots of the J-15, J-16, J -20 and others.
The Latest: UAE Air Force has purchased Chinese L-15 trainer aircraft pic.twitter.com/C9r7tt5DYQ
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Zambia was the L-15's first export customer: six aircraft were acquired in 2014 and delivered in 2017. The trainer jet has also sparked interest in Uruguay, Venezuela and Bolivia (the last two nations already employ Chinese origin K-8 jets).
China's AVIC displayed the L-15 at the Dubai air show last November. The aircraft was placed on static display alongside a huge array of smart weaponry.
Currently the Emirati Air Force has its fleet composed of mostly Western aircraft, with only one Chinese drone being an exception. The country operates F-16 Block 60 fighters, Dassault Mirage 2000 and signed in 2021 the Historic purchase of 80 Dassault Rafale.
