L-15 lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT)
During the 9th Aviation Expo held recently in Beijing (September 2001), a new design of an advanced lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT) was revealed by Hongdu Aviation Industrial Group as L-15. This new trainer could be designed to support the next generation of Chinese fighters such as J-10 which still lacks a trainer version. Therefore advanced features such as glass cockpit, HOTAS and digital FBW are expected to be standard. The aircraft appears to be powered by two improved WS-11 turbofans which will give it good manoeuvrabillity and reliability. In addition, large leading edge extentions (LEX) similar to those on Russian Yak-130 advanced trainer are believed to give the aircraft a decent angle of attack (AOA). L-15 can also be converted into light air-to-ground attack role. Some specifications of L-15: normal TO weight 6,500kg, max TO weight 9,500kg, max speed 1.4 Mach, max climb rate 150m/s, g-load +8/-3, ceiling 16,000m, loitering time 2 hr. It is still unclear whether PLAAF has chosen the aircraft as its next generation figher triner. However the revealing of L-15 in its early design stage suggests that Hongdu intends to promote the aircraft in the international market, an effort which has been encouraged by the export success of K-8 intermediate trainer.
