The primary pair of Chinese language Hongdu L-15A Falcons have been delivered to the UAE Air Pressure.

On Oct. 6, 2023, photographs of UAE’s first batch of L-15A’s have emerged on the Chinese language social media platform Weibo. The UAE authorities has beforehand signed a take care of Chinese language plane producer Hongdu on Feb. 21, 2023, on the Abu Dhabi Worldwide Protection Exhibition and Convention (IDES) to purchase 12 L-15A advanced jet trainers. It seems that in 9 months the primary batch of the Chinese language plane have arrived within the nation. The pair of L-15As took off from Xinjian, China on a ferry flight with a single layover in Pakistan for refuelling on Monday.

The 2 plane in query (#64 and #65) are thought to have been donning a particular livery in preparation for the upcoming 18th Dubai Air Present subsequent week. Sources say that one of many plane will probably be on static show while the opposite will probably be performing aerobatics on the airshow.

For the primary time the primary two UAE Air Pressure L-15A (?) jet trainers have been revealed to participate within the upcoming 18th Dubai Air Present.

(Photos through @太湖军I名 and @Oneninety from Weibo) pic.twitter.com/oTzah3d3sU

— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) November 6, 2023

UAE has ordered 12 L-15A coach jets earlier this yr with as much as 36 extra plane as an possibility.

Whereas the official doc signed in February of this yr confirmed the acquisition of 12 of the plane, the UAE authorities nonetheless has intentions to purchase as much as 36 extra plane, permitting for a possible coaching fleet of as much as 48.

The plane in query is a complicated jet coach made by the Chinese language agency Hongdu. The plane was developed with help from the Russian firm Yakolev as a substitute of the PLAAF JL-9 again in 2006. Domestically the L-15 is called the JL-10 within the Chinese language air power. Whereas the later L-15B has the afterburning variants of the Ukrainian made AI-222K-25F turbofan engines, as pictured above the L-15A have the non-afterburning variant and consequently lack supersonic capabilities. Whereas at the moment the L-15As are being equipped with Ukrainian engines that is still in Hongdu’s inventory, it’s anticipated that the engines will quickly be produced domestically in China as a result of two nation’s political ties struggling for the reason that latest Ukrainian conflict.

Wonwoo is a pupil journalist and contributor to The Aviationist based mostly in London, United Kingdom. At present learning MEng in Aeronautical Engineering with a eager curiosity in OSINT, airplane recognizing and plane design. He’s a former Sergeant of the Republic of Korea Military, having served as an artillery Hearth Path Centre Car Radio Operator.