Guizhou JL-9
Summary
| Category | Training aircraft |
| Origin country | 🇨🇳 China |
| First flight | 13 December 2003 |
| Year of introduction | 2013 |
| Number produced | 8 units |
Description
The Guizhou JL-9, also marketed as the FTC-2000 Mountain Eagle, was developed by the Guizhou Aviation Industry Import/Export Company (GAIEC) as a cost-effective trainer for fourth-generation fighter aircraft. The aircraft was publicly unveiled at the 2001 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition and is reportedly manufactured at a GAIC facility in Anshun, Guizhou. It was designed to compete with the Hongdu JL-10, offering a more economical solution for advanced trainer requirements. In 2011, a carrier-landing trainer variant, the JL-9G, was revealed. Mass production of the FTC-2000G variant commenced in September 2018, with the first mass-produced aircraft performing its maiden flight later the same month. An order for the FTC-2000G was placed by Myanmar in April 2020, with deliveries scheduled between 2021 and 2023.
The Guizhou JL-9 design is derived from the JJ-7/FT-7, a two-seat trainer version of the Chengdu J-7 (a Chinese variant of the MiG-21). Design modifications include a new wing and a forward fuselage with side air intakes and a glass cockpit. Components such as the engine, empennage, and mechanical controls are retained from the JJ-7/FT-7. The FTC-2000G variant features a diverterless supersonic inlet.
The FTC-2000 is equipped with a single 23 mm cannon and five hardpoints capable of carrying a maximum payload of 2,000 kg (4,409 lb). These hardpoints can be configured for various stores, including up to three external fuel tanks. For air-to-air combat, the aircraft can be armed with PL-8 and PL-9 short-range missiles. The FTC-2000G variant increases the number of hardpoints to seven, with a maximum payload of 3 tons, and adds compatibility with SD-10 beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles and CM-102 anti-radiation missiles.
The People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF) operated a regiment of JL-9s by 2014. The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) initiated JL-9 usage for training in October 2015. The Sudanese Air Force has operated the FTC-2000; in April 2023, one Sudanese FTC-2000 was destroyed at Merowe Air Base. Satellite imagery confirmed the presence of three additional FTC-2000s at the base during the assault. On January 16, 2024, a Myanmar Air Force FTC-2000G was downed in Shan State by a Kachin Independence Army FN-6 missile, resulting in the deaths of both pilots.
Main Variants:
-
FTC-2000: The original export model, primarily intended for the international market.
-
FTC-2000G: A dual-seat light combat aircraft and lead-in fighter trainer variant designed as a cost-effective fighter replacement, featuring a diverterless supersonic inlet and seven hardpoints.
-
JL-9: The initial variant developed for domestic use by the People's Liberation Army.
-
JL-9G: A carrier-trainer variant for the People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force, modified for carrier training including ski-jump ramp takeoffs and simulated arrested landings on land.
Technical specifications
| Version: JL-9 | |
|---|---|
| Wing area | 24.9 m² (267.8 sqft) |
| Wingspan | 8.3 m (27.3 ft) |
| Height | 4.1 m (13.5 ft) |
| Length | 14.6 m (47.7 ft) |
| Service ceiling | 16000 m (52493 ft) |
| Empty weight | 7800 kg (17196 lbs) |
| Max. takeoff weight | 9800 kg (21605 lbs) |
| Climb rate | 260.0 m/s (853.0 ft/s) |
| Powerplant | 1 × turbojet Guizhou WP-13F delivering 4497 kgp, up to 6645 kgp with afterburner |
