Aircraft
Ukraine Wins Engine Contract for Chinese L-15 Jet Trainer Production
China has ordered Ukraine-built engines to power the Hongdu L-15 jet trainer.
China¹s L-15 jet trainer is going into production with an afterburning engine from the Ukraine. (Photo: Chris Pocock)
China¹s L-15 jet trainer is going into production with an afterburning engine from the Ukraine. (Photo: Chris Pocock)

China has ordered 250 AI-222-25F turbofans from the Ukraine to power production versions of the Hongdu L-15 advanced jet trainer. The –25F is an afterburning version of the AI-222 that was first flown on the Lead-In Fighter Trainer (LIFT) version of the L-15 in October 2010.

The original AI-222 was developed by the Ivchenko Progress design bureau at Zaporozhye for the Russian Yak-130 jet trainer, and was then fitted to three of the four L-15 prototypes. The new order suggests that China will not put the basic version of the L-15 into production.

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