Sudan has ordered six FTC-2000 jet trainers from China’s Guizhou Aircraft Industries Corporation (GAIC)
This is according to GAIC director general Wang Wenfei, who revealed this during an interview with China Aviation News on 3 November.
FTC-2000 is the export version of the JL-9 trainer in service with the Chinese air force and navy and is marketed by the Aviation Industries Corporation of China (AVIC).
During the 2015 Paris Air Show, AVIC officials told IHS Jane’s that an undisclosed African country had ordered the FTC-2000.
According to AVIC, the FTC-2000 Mountain Eagle (Shanying) is capable of providing both basic and advanced pilot training and also has a secondary combat capability. The company says its cockpit layout and low intakes are designed to improve visibility for the pilots. The aircraft is fitted with a pulse Doppler radar, INS/GPS, weapons computer etc. Top speed of the FTC-2000 is Mach 1.5.
The FTC-2000 is heavily based on the Guizhou JJ-7/FT-7, the Chinese-developed trainer version of the Shenyang-built MiG-21. The JJ-7 has subsequently been retired from Chinese service while the JL-9 was first introduced to the People’s Liberation Army Air Force in 2011.
According to the Chinese defence ministry, the JL-9/FTC-2000 is capable of training pilots for aircraft like the J-7, Shenyang J-8, Chengdu/Pakistan Aeronautical Complex JF-17, and Sukhoi Su-27.
The JL-9 is powered by a Guizhou Liyang WP-13 turbojet equipped with an afterburner. The aircraft has five hard points, of which three can carry fuel tanks, and a 23 mm cannon.
Sudan is the only known export customer for the FTC-2000, but Wenfei indicated that other African countries, including Nigeria, were also considering acquiring the type. AVIC has also sold the L-15 jet trainer to Zambia, which has bought six.
Sudan already operates the F-7, making the acquisition of the FTC-2000 a sensible one in terms of logistics and spares. Sudan’s air force has a dozen F-7s and a dozen K-8 jet trainers in service.
